Omron 2015 Annual Report Download - page 22

Factory Tour
Kusatsu Plant
Kyoto
Main Products
The Omron Kusatsu offices opened in Japan’s
Shiga Prefecture in 1961. The campus includes
the Kusatsu Plant, which produces high-
function industrial controllers and sensors.
Besides production, this plant also develops
new core technologies, standardizes production
expertise across our organization, and plays a
major role as a source of information for Omron
global development.
The ongoing goal of the Kusatsu Plant is to
match machine and human in optimal ways for
production line efficiency. One example of this
technology is automated delivery of components
to the workers. Sensors detect whether correct
parts have been selected or if parts have been
overlooked by the assembly workers. This kind
of automation allows workers to maximize their
skills, while letting the plant respond flexibly to
the frequent process and demand changes that
accompany this type of low-volume, highly
diversified production.
Today, we’re relying on Big Data for further productivity and quality
improvements, providing greater visibility into our production process.
We’ve installed a system that uses our own controllers to send con-
tinuous production line updates and the status of individual products
directly to a database.
This new system lets us collect much more detailed information
for greater insights into our production process. Traditionally, we relied
on worker experience and intuition to improve production efficiencies.
Today, however, we have made dramatic leaps forward in assessing
efficiency, cutting the time we take from issue identification to im-
provement implementation by more than 80%. In some areas, we
have seen as much as 30% gains in actual productivity on our lines.
Big Data still holds plenty of future potential for us. Moving for-
ward, we plan to collect and analyze all manner of data to address
issues before they happen. Eventually, we hope to create a non-stop,
perpetual production line.
Programmable controllers include printed circuit boards. During the mounting process, workers install
electronic components and memory onto the circuit boards.
Printed circuit boards and other components are assembled to create a programmable controller. Workers
operate in a compact U-shaped production line with tools and components all within easy reach.
Omron Improves Productivity through Information and
Communications Technology
Small-Lot Production for
More than4,000 Products
Kusatsu Plant
Printed Circuit Board Installation
Assembly
Printed Circuit Board Line Components Mounted on Circuit Boards Completed Circuit Board
U-Shaped Cell Production Line A worker assembles programmable controllers Completed programmable controllers
Database
Direct
Conne-
ction
NJ Series
Database-Connected
Model
Engineers identify issues based on
collected data
A Beautiful Production
Line is an Efficient
Production Line
To Omron, beauty in manufacturing
means that the entire production
flow and any changes or unusual
activity are immediately visible. Stan-
dardized line direction, width, and
work surfaces provide a uniform lay-
out highly appraised by plant visitors.
Programmable Controller Production Process
Programmable
Controllers
Programmable
Terminals
Vision
Sensors
Look at This!
Industrial Automation Business Kusatsu Plant
About Omron Where We’re Headed Corporate Value Initiatives Corporate Value Foundation Financial Section
40 OMRON Corporation Integrated Report 2015 41