TOPPAN Inc. and TOPPAN Edge have enhanced e-Platch™, the smart inspection support service offered by the TOPPAN Group. Specifically, the TOPPAN companies added a new solution in the form of a sensor. Thus, enabling remote detection of water, chemical, and oil leakage at factories and other facilities.

Demonstrations will begin in June this year with mass production and sales launch targeted for September. Both TOPPAN and TOPPAN Edge are part of TOPPAN Group companies and wholly owned subsidiaries of TOPPAN Holdings Inc.
A feature of the new liquid leakage sensor is the detection band in tape form that applies technology used for printed wiring. Accordingly, two types of detection band are available. The first is for detecting water and chemicals while the other for detecting oil. The new sensor is an addition to the e-Platch™ smart inspection support service. Thus, enabling a wider range of liquid leakage detection.

e-Platch™ will also become easier than ever to adopt due to the planned introduction of a new pricing plan with reduced initial costs. This has been eagerly anticipated since the launch of the e-Platch™ service. Moreover, as an external API for coordination with existing systems.

TOPPAN will run demonstrations of the new liquid leakage sensor in a joint booth with Inabata & Co., Ltd. Specifically, during the EXPO COMM Wireless Japan from May 29 to 31 at the Tokyo Big Sight international exhibition center.

Background

Demand for digital transformation (DX) and automation in factories is rapidly increasing, particularly in Japan, which is facing challenges associated with an aging population, declining birthrates, and labor shortages. The number of incidents of leakage from pipes and other equipment is increasing. Primarily, because of aging buildings at factories and industrial facilities. Thus, making it necessary to conduct regular inspections and checks with limited manpower over wide areas of facility premises and in locations that are difficult to access. For that reason, the demand is growing for systems that facilitate remote and automated detection of liquid leakages.
To address these challenges, the TOPPAN Group’s new sensor makes a wider range of liquid leakage detection possible. Specifically, it has wireless communication function for connectivity in any location and a detection band in tape form that applies printed wiring technology to provide flexibility for installation.

Linking up with e-Platch™ facilitates centralized management of not only liquid leakage but also various other parameters monitored in factories. Among them, temperature, humidity, energy, and abnormal sounds to enable comprehensive enhancements in efficiency.

The TOPPAN Group is also planning to offer a new pricing plan that meets demand for lower initial costs for adoption of e-Platch™. Thus, providing an external API that enables data coordination with existing visualization systems already installed at client companies.

Features

・Two types of detection band

Printed wiring technology is necessary to create detection bands in tape form. Hence, providing flexibility for installation in a wide range of locations. The two types of detection band—one for water and chemicals, another for oil—also allow for detection of a broad scope of liquids.

・Wireless connectivity in any location

Stable communication is possible even in locations that generally experience poor reception for radio waves. Specifically, such as inside distribution boards and on equipment with limited access in effluent treatment areas and the like. It has been difficult to install a fixed line network. Furthermore, this facilitates remote monitoring at every point, including basement floors and clean rooms.

Future

The TOPPAN Group intends to further enhance functionality for liquid leakage sensors and e-Platch™ as a whole. Most importantly, it wants to drive sales by targeting 600 cases of adoption of the system by the end of fiscal 2025.

e-Platch™ is a system that uses a wireless network to enable automated collection and visualization of various data required for equipment inspections.

Moreover, using applications makes it possible to reduce the workload for inspection work because automated email alerts are sent when values exceed thresholds set for each sensor.

As a retrofittable add-on DX solution, e-platch™ supports operational process improvement for inspection work.

Particularly, TOPPAN uses e-Platch™ at its Kumamoto Plant. The efforts to cut loss resulted in a reduction of approximately 380 hours per month in inspection work in 2023. Thus, a decrease equivalent to roughly 70% of the time previously required.

The plant has confirmed ¥50.4-million in annual cost savings enabled by operational optimization. Such as allocating freed up internal resources to handle work previously outsourced. Furthermore, by loss improvement activities that leverage the data obtained.

TOPPAN aims to harness e-Platch™ to contribute to more eco-friendly factory operation.

28 May 2024