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Nippon Kodoshi Corporation

Nippon Kodoshi Corporation has 70% of the global market for separators for electrolytic capacitors. When building a new plant in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture with a business continuity plan (BCP) in mind, the company designed and constructed a central control room(CCR) aimed at making monitoring and control of the plant floor more efficient. The application of the concept of “increasing the level of situation awareness” has produced dramatic effects in detail.

Nippon Kodoshi Corporation

Nippon Kodoshi Corporation

Factories and Plants Paper and Pulp Reliable Operation Operation Improvement Industrial Automation Control and Monitoring Systems and Software

Products/Services Provided

Aiming at higher efficiency by designing the space and information of the CCR

Nippon Kodoshi Corporation manufactures the separators (insulating paper)*1 for electrolytic capacitors, which are essential electronic components for electronic products such as automobiles, computers, and home electric appliances. Due to the rapidly increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries mainly in hybrid cars and solar and wind generation, Nippon Kodoshi has come to play an important role in the environmental and energy fields.

The company’s plants are located in Kochi Prefecture. It has been anticipated in recent years that a great earthquake accompanied by a tsunami may cause damage throughout the prefecture. Should a disastrous earthquake occur, the company’s product supply will be shut off, which will have a great influence on the global separator market. From the perspective of BCP, the company decided to construct a new plant in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture. Yonago was selected because, in spite of its easy access from Kochi, the probability of an earthquake and tsunami affecting Kochi and Yonago at the same time is very low.

Mr. Yamamura said: “Taking the opportunity of constructing a new plant, we decided to push forward a production innovation plan that had been carried out by the existing plants. At first, it would be essential to review the design of the CCR aiming to ensure higher efficiency for monitoring and controlling the plant floor.”

Presenting the optimum operating environment design in computer graphics with the viewpoint of operators in mind

Nippon Kodoshi decided to use Azbil’s consulting service for CCR design and to work on the establishment of a “mechanism to enhance the level of situation awareness” proposed by Azbil, which enables operators to rapidly detect a plant upset, diagnose a potential abnormal situation, and also make decisions and perform corrective action.

Mr. Ojima said: “Azbil Corporation has been extremely reliable because of its long proven track record and experience in our Kochi plants and plant floor. We expected that Azbil would design the optimum operating environment for our new plant.”

When the CCR design was started in the spring of 2011, Azbil used a computer graphic representation method for sharing the design concept of the new CCR. Azbil not only provided a two-dimensional, bird’seye view design drawing but also demonstrated how and what the operators in the CCR see from their viewpoint and what they can notice (see Photo 1). Both companies members considered the ideal working environment and monitor layout so that the operators can move smoothly, control the entire plant easily, and notice any changes in the plant sooner.

Mr. Odagiri said: “The computer graphics gave us a clear image of the CCR. The computer graphics image was very useful for making improvements in CCR design and also extremely helpful for obtaining approval from the management.”

(Photo 2) The CCR from which the operators can monitor the inside of the plant while checking the control process with the DCS. The geometry of the desk has been designed with consideration given to human characteristics and operability.

(Photo 2) The CCR from which the operators can monitor the inside of the plant while checking the control process with the DCS. The geometry of the desk has been designed with consideration given to human characteristics and operability.

(Photo 1) Computer-generated image used during a discussion. The image represents a more realistic instrument panel room than a two-dimensional drawing does.

(Photo 1) Computer-generated image used during a discussion. The image represents a more realistic instrument panel room than a two-dimensional drawing does.

Access to information integrates the CCR with the plant floor

The plant test operation began in June 2012, and the manufacturing facilities and CCR in the Yonago Plant went into full-scale operation at the end of October 2012. After the start of operation, various design measures taken under the concept of “increasing the level of situation awareness” have improved operation efficiency.

Specifically, a wide glass window was installed so that an operator can see the whole plant from the CCR. Also, by stacking the surveillance/control monitors one upon another without blocking the view, an operator can manipulate the distributed control system (DCS)*2 while observing the plant floor with his own eyes.

Azbil made meticulous arrangements with each operator about the angle of the monitors and the height and size of the chairs and other office supplies and fixtures, which greatly enhanced operability. The plant floor status, information from the DCS, and communication among operators in the CCR were also integrated into one place. These improvements enable the operators to rapidly make the most appropriate decision and judgment and take accurate corrective action (see Photo 2).

Mr. Komatsu said: “In the existing plants, two or more monitors were arranged in a row. Since an operator called up operational graphics and trend graphs one by one on the screen, the difference in experience and capability among operators caused inconsistency in monitoring or operation. In the new plant, a wide monitor provides a window set function, which can display a set of operational graphics and trend graphs corresponding to the situation and provide accurate information, regardless of the operator. Using the window set function reduces the number of strokes (the operations to call up the graphics and graphs to the screen) than before. Also, the operation time to get to the requested information is shortened, then the speed of decision making is improved. Moreover, some design ideas such as coloration on each screen and how to present measurements were implemented so that an operator can easily notice any deviation from the normal control values. These design ideas help an operator to make proper and quick judgment based on accurate information.”

Mr. Nakada said: “The CCR was designed considering actual operation and the traffic line so that the operators can work without feeling any stress. The DCS operation desk with enough leg space is another key factor contributing to improved operability.”

Nippon Kodoshi expects that benefits from higher monitoring and control efficiency achieved at the Yonago Plant will contribute to not only reducing operators’ workload and improving production efficiency and quality but also creating a “work place for acting innovatively” where ingenious ideas for the future are born.

Mr. Ojima said: “We are hoping to create an operating environment where an operator not only promptly responds to what is happening on the plant floor but also notices any signs of problems at an early stage.”

Mr. Yamamura said: “I expect Azbil to continually provide strong support, from efficiency improvement on the plant floor by maintaining field instruments and systems to a proposal of a future vision.”

glossary

*1 Separator (Insulating paper)

Ultrasmall, extremely thin paper component used to separate the anode (+) from the cathode (-) of the capacitor or battery and regulate the electric current.

*2 DCS (Distributed control system)

A system that monitors and controls the manufacturing process or production facilities in plants and factories. To achieve even distribution of load, the DCS distributes the functions of each device over a network, resulting in safety and excellent maintainability.

Learn about the customer

Mr. Yasuo Yamamura Director General Manager Production Division Yonago Plant Manager
Mr. Yasuo Yamamura
Director
General Manager Production Division
Yonago Plant Manager
Mr. Hitoshi Ojima General Manager Production Department
Mr. Hitoshi Ojima
General Manager
Production Department
Mr. Masaki Odagiri Manager Production Technical Section Production Department
Mr. Masaki Odagiri
Manager
Production Technical Section
Production Department
Mr. Jun Komatsu Supervisor Production Technical Section Production Department
Mr. Jun Komatsu
Supervisor
Production Technical Section
Production Department
Mr. Yukiharu Nakada Production Technical Section Production Department
Mr. Yukiharu Nakada
Production Technical Section
Production Department

Nippon Kodoshi Corporation

Nippon Kodoshi Corporation

Nippon Kodoshi Corporation Yonago Plant

  • Location: 220-1 Nihongi, Yonago, Tottori Prefecture
  • Business scope: Manufacture and sale of the separators for capacitors such as aluminum electrolytic capacitors and conductive polymer solid capacitors; the separators for batteries such as alkaline batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and nickel hydride batteries.

This case study was published in the 2013 Vol.4 issue of the azbil Group's corporate magazine, azbil.