YANMAR HOLDINGS CO., LTD. is one of Japan’s largest manufacturing companies, founded in 1912, and has 25,000 employees. YANMAR makes diesel engines and has developed a range of industrial equipment, including agricultural machinery, installations, construction equipment, power systems, marine and other components.
The Taiwanese IP surveillance product company VIVOTEK installed surveillance products for traffic management and operational efficiency for YANMAR in Fukuoka, Japan.
Before this surveillance installation, YANMAR faced several challenges in terms of the safety of the factory area. These included:
– Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) were prone to accidents at intersections with truck routes and walking zones. The AGVs sometimes derailed or stopped due to issues like sunlight reflecting off QR code covers, affecting navigation and requiring better monitoring for diagnosis and resolution.
– Difficulty in identifying the causes of quality issues on the assembly line due to the high daily production volume and operators’ inability to recall specific incidents.
– Inefficient manual inspections were needed to monitor paint sludge on stored paint containers, along with the need to understand the true causes of productivity issues and detect abnormalities in painting equipment early.
Hence the need for a security solution for the factory operations. A surveillance system can not only track accident on traffic routes and aid route planning but boost overall operational efficiency.
After identifying the client’s pain points, VIVOTEK with its partner Takebishi, tailored surveillance solutions to meet their needs by installing various type of cameras and a video receiver in the construction equipment assembly facility.
AGVs monitoring: Cameras are focused on monitoring AGVs, enabling supervisors to respond immediately to accidents and identify areas for improvement in safety protocols.
Assembly line monitoring: Cameras capture images of the assembly line, helping to pinpoint the causes of quality issues and streamline production processes. By using this “looking-back” analysis, management can cover both productivity and safety, pinpoint areas needing improvement, and reduce unwanted accidents, resulting in more effective and efficient operations.
Sludge monitoring: Cameras can monitor the accumulated sludge on stored paint containers, which can cause unpleasant odors in the facility. This monitoring helps maintain a cleaner and odour-free factory. Previously, staff had to physically inspect the site every hour, often finding that no cleaning was necessary. With the cameras providing continuous real-time images, management can now remotely monitor the condition of the equipment, significantly reducing unnecessary site visits. Staff only need to visit the site when cleaning is actually required.< Smart Analysis through integration of cameras and BI Tool: By integrating the cameras with the BI tool MotionBoard, camera footage is now being used for work analysis and status monitoring in the factory, enabling more intelligent analysis. The factory said that not only did the cameras meet requirements, but VIVOTEK also provided more detailed proposals based on their expertise. They were flexible in handling tight deadlines and challenging installation demands. And the installer Takebishi said that while this project was implemented at one of YANMAR's locations, due to the customer's satisfaction, the installers aim to expand the solution across their nationwide facilities and throughout the Yanmar Group. For the case study in full visit https://www.vivotek.com/.
