Mitsubishi Electric's Factory Automation Showroom Upgraded to Strengthen Co-innovation with Customers

In July 2022, Mitsubishi Electric renewed its ‘East Japan FA Solution Center’ in Akihabara, Japan following four successful and busy years of operation since its inauguration in 2018. The update will expand the number of solution-based demonstrations and strengthen co-innovation activities to help visitors achieve their manufacturing goals using the latest innovations.

Bird’s-eye-view CG image of Mitsubishi Electric’s ‘East Japan FA Solution Center’

Mitsubishi Electric’s ‘East Japan FA Solution Center’

The major interests in today’s manufacturing industry focus on how customers can utilize automation and digital technologies to achieve their goals such as increased productivity, reduced cost, improved quality, or lower energy consumption. For example, a food manufacturer may be interested in introducing preventive maintenance for their processing equipment to achieve consistent quality of their products but also to ensure maximum up-time of their production lines. In such cases, the customer would be looking for a solution to achieve their specific goal.

With the renewal, Mitsubishi Electric’s showroom will be able to provide hints and suggestions for customers through a wider array of solution-based demonstrations. Some of the topics covered include the use of AI to diagnose production or machine abnormalities, particularly useful for predictive and preventive maintenance of FA equipment, or remote the monitoring of production sites, which is a key topic to combat the loss of skilled workers.

Mitsubishi Electric will also promote co-innovation activities with customers by streamlining the use of the showroom where ideas may be discussed, together with the on-site test laboratory where those ideas may be tried out. In addition, under-pinning the whole process is the FATEC Training School located within the same premises as the showroom providing customers with one-stop support for their innovation in manufacturing.

Highlights of the showroom
1)    The “Digital Manufacturing Zone”
This area demonstrates the production of smart watches, utilizing a variety of the latest digital manufacturing solutions and devices from Mitsubishi Electric.
There is also a “Simulation Dome”, which guides visitors through the equipment design and verification process in a 3D simulator, from the design stages to software installation and actual operation of equipment.

The “Digital Manufacturing Zone” demonstrates the production of smart watches.

The “Simulation Dome” guides visitors through the equipment design and verification process using a 3D simulator.

2)    Open communication space
The open communication space is a focus point for discussions with customers but being in the main showroom it also allows free access to the solution demonstrations, all helping to provide the right environment to answer their requests and suggest hints for solutions that would achieve their goals.

The open communication space is a focus point for discussions with customers.

3)    Event space for themed events
It is envisaged that the refurbished event space will be used for showcasing a regular program of a variety of themed events and seminars throughout the year. To offer the widest appeal, subjects will be selected from current trends such as the latest activities in digital manufacturing, or social issues like using robotics to combat the aging workforce, or ground-breaking subjects like the use of AI in various manufacturing related fields.

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