Yutaka Steel Industries Co., Ltd. which is headquartered in Sasaguri-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka in Japan, has improved the efficiency of its steel processing operations with the installation of a Mitsubishi Electric MELLASER fiber 2D laser processing machine (LPM).

Society is undergoing a large-scale transformation as the trend for smarter technology is continuing. In these modern times, manufacturing businesses need to become smarter, but the question is, what should they do? Dr. Koji Yasui, Mitsubishi Electric’s Senior Chief Engineer at the Factory Automation Systems Group, Industrial Automation Marketing Division shares his insights, based on his experience leading the discussion and writing about the smart society, as well as his participation in a number of government projects in Japan.

Alps Alpine has introduced Mitsubishi Electric’s EcoAdviser energy saving support software at its Taira Plant in Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan.

In December 2023, Mitsubishi Electric opened its manufacturing facility for advanced factory automation (FA) systems in the Talegaon Industrial area, Maharashtra, India.

For factories, it can be difficult to secure capital investment budgets to purchase new equipment. It’s one of the reasons why companies are increasingly looking for ways to extend the life of their existing assets, in which maintenance plays an important part. In recent years, attention has turned to predictive maintenance, meaning industrial internet-of-things (IIoT) achieved with sensors or leveraging AI technologies to collect data and detect signs of wear before equipment fails. Such prewarning helps prevent unexpected downtimes and optimize the component replacement cycle.

The Yokohama Rubber Company’s Onomichi Plant is saving energy using Mitsubishi Electric's data collection server EcoWebServer III, and the support application EcoAdviser.

Mitsubishi Electric has started a global awareness campaign using a series of illustrative stories, each accompanied by a striking visual, aimed at a broad audience not only from the manufacturing industries.

Hirata Corporation’s Kansai Division is using switchgear and breakers from Mitsubishi Electric fitted with spring clamp terminals in the equipment it builds for clients.

It has long been said that Internet-of-Things (IoT) should play a key role in the manufacturing industry, but according to a white paper issued in 2019 by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the percentage of Japanese manufacturers that collected manufacturing data was just 51%. COVID-19, however, has had a major impact on manufacturing, and according to Mitsubishi Electric’s own research in 2020, 46.5% of businesses that use FA products have accelerated the evolution of their factories to become smarter. The trend towards smarter factories is closely linked to the increased need for coping with demand fluctuations and new working styles, including remote work.

Mitsubishi Electric has launched a free mobile application, available for iOS and Android platforms, for searching and comparing its factory automation products to make it easier to quickly identify relevant products to aid digital manufacturers.