May 2021 issue

Articles

Pandemic-ready airflow control system for hospitals
A small-diameter (DN150) venturi valve for constant air volume that provides safety and security in the coronavirus era
Azbil’s cloud operation infrastructure for providing safe and secure services
A work-site record-keeping service supporting “new normal” ways of working and business transformation
Improving the accuracy of valve diagnosis and facilitating more efficient operation through the provision of cloud services
Research on occupant-centric HVAC control: A field study on the effects of introducing HVAC control that is respon-sive to occupants’ thermal sensations
A new technology for visualizing network topologies
Facial recognition and thermography solutions by using the latest AI technology
Model H3C adjustable proximity sensor’s auto-tuning and visualization of excess gain yields faster adjustment and more reliable operation

Abstracts

1. Pandemic-ready airflow control system for hospitals: In response to the need to accept contagious patients while providing countermeasures for airborne infection in a situation such as a pandemic, we propose a method to change the use of a general hospital room to a temporary infectious disease room by switching the air conditioning equipment to “pandemic mode.” We discuss points to note for the construction of an airflow and room pressure control system that can play an important role in airborne infection countermeasures. In addition, we note the features of a venturi valve developed and manufactured by our company.
2. A small-diameter (DN150) venturi valve for constant air volume that provides safety and security in the coronavirus era: Venturi valves for air volume and room pressure control are rated highly for their contribution to safety and comfort in chemical laboratories and medical facilities. The minimum diameter of our current product (Infilex™ VN) was DN200, but there was a need for further miniaturization and smaller airflow. Commercialization of a smaller product was long delayed due to technical difficulties in design. In the development of DN150 products, by revising materials for weight reduction, optimizing the design of sliding parts, etc., we have now achieved the same flow accuracy and pressure independence as current products.
3. Azbil’s cloud operation infrastructure for providing safe and secure services: As the provision of value in the form of cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) increases, cyber security risks are also increasing day by day, and they are assuming new forms. Commensurate measures to maintain secure operation are indispensable. However, it is not easy to build an individual cloud service that adequately addresses security. For that reason we have built a common platform for cloud service development and implementation that is equipped with security measures and is constantly updated. In addition, by establishing a specialized organization in charge of cloud operational security, by utilizing IT service management frameworks, and by acquiring information security management system certifications, we are constantly striving to improve operational security. Additionally, a specialized organization has been set up to ensure security in the overall product development process and to monitor its progress. Through these efforts to enhance our cloud operation infrastructure, we have been able to provide the safety and security of Azbil’s services, which we continue to strengthen.
4. A work-site record-keeping service supporting “new normal” ways of working and business transformation: In July 2020 Azbil released a cloud-based work-site record keeping service. This service digitally replaces the work of recording work results on paper. At various sites work is done by both people and things, and therefore to properly understand what is happening on the site, information on both people and things is necessary. This service provides easy editing and managing of work records without the need for IT skills, supports continuous business improvement, and provides convenient digitization of human work records, with the intention of making the digitized data usable with other data from computer systems and IoT devices. In this paper we discuss the strengths, functions, and technical elements of this service, as well as the possibility of applying it to new methods of working that have arisen as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
5. Improving the accuracy of valve diagnosis and facilitating more efficient operation through the provision of cloud services: Along with the digitalization of the process industry, technology for diagnosing the status of valves, which are critical equipment for production facilities, has been developed. We provide valve analysis and diagnosis services to prevent production problems from developing due valve failure. In addition, we have begun to provide the Valve Cloud Service, which assists plants by facilitating valve diagnosis work. Through the use of this service, we contribute to better equipment safety and stable operation of production facilities.
6. Research on occupant-centric HVAC control: A field study on the effects of introducing HVAC control that is respon-sive to occupants’ thermal sensations: The control of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) plays a large role in creating an indoor environment that contributes to office workers’ well-being and high productivity. An occupant-centric HVAC control with a control loop directly connected to occupants’ thermal sensation feedback has been proposed. We investigated the thermal sensations, thermal satisfaction, and subjective performance of office workers and the energy consumption of an office which employs the proposed control technology.
7. A new technology for visualizing network topologies: In response to the growth in size and complexity of network systems that accompanies the multi-vendorization of system equipment, we have developed a technology for automatically detecting the configuration of networks, and we have experimentally produced a system-monitoring application that visualizes the configuration. By analyzing the information in an SNMP-compatible switching hub, this technology is able to detect the local network devices in their hierarchical structure. This technology significantly reduces the time and cost required to check the configuration of a network when constructing or operating a network system.
8. Facial recognition and thermography solutions by using the latest AI technology: No abstract for product introduction
9. Model H3C adjustable proximity sensor’s auto-tuning and visualization of excess gain yields faster adjustment and more reliable operation: No abstract for product introduction