Amid the spread of the novel coronavirus, steelmakers and chemical companies are using new systems based on communication technology and artificial intelligence to avoid the so-called 3Cs -- closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings -- among workers at their production sites.
It is hoped these systems will help prevent labor shortages and improve productivity even after the pandemic has been brought under control.
-- Remote monitoring
Nippon Steel Corp. has decided to fully introduce a system by the end of this fiscal year that will allow its employees to instruct others from a distance. Cameras attached to the helmets of frontline employees who inspect and adjust equipment send detailed images of the equipment to skilled workers, and these workers then instruct the frontline employees as to the proper procedures and key points.
Nippon Steel plans to double the number of camera setups so that about 20,000 workers on its frontlines can use them. Multiple sites can be supervised simultaneously by switching between images, requiring fewer workers as a result.
Executive Officer Masahiro Nakata said this "will lead to safety and efficiency on-site," as the system can help prevent the virus from spreading more widely.
Major glass manufacturer AGC Inc. has also introduced remote camera systems. As companies limit business trips due to the pandemic, Japanese engineers are watching overseas videos and instructing frontline workers in other nations.
-- AI solutions
JFE Steel Corp. has compiled a database of equipment failures that have occurred at its steelworks over the past 30 years and the restoration procedures involved.
When there is a problem and an employee enters a question, AI uses this database to indicate a solution.
"We were able to reduce our recovery time by a maximum of 30%," stressed managing executive officer Akira Nitta.
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. has introduced new systems at 15 of its domestic bases to detect the causes of malfunctions using AI based on sensors attached to equipment and records of operations. These systems are also expected to help stop problems from occurring.
Kobe Steel Ltd. has developed a system to predict the temperature of molten iron five hours after it is melted, using data from a large number of thermometers attached to the blast furnace. It can thereby prevent temperature drops in a furnace that could halt operations.
Veteran workers in the manufacturing industries have typically passed on the specialized skills they acquired through long experience to younger employees. However, in addition to the pandemic, the mass retirement of late '40s baby boomers and a shortage of workers have made it difficult for these master technicians to take sufficient time to share their expertise.
Manufacturers are therefore making active use of the latest technologies.
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