2019_2q_omron_e

29/42 IAB: Initiating i-BELT Business Model

We are seeing significant changes on shop floors on a daily basis. In particular, the shortage of human resources with technological expertise is creating a major challenge: ensuring that accumulated technical expertise is passed along within an organization. There are high expectations that AI, IoT and Robotics will provide the solutions to this challenge, but so far none of our customers has been able to fully leverage these technologies effectively. OMRON is focused on solutions that cover up an altitude of 11m from the shop floor, an area of strength. We are now launching a business model in which we seek to work with our customers to devise solutions to issues specific to the actual manufacturing process, which we call the i-BELT business model. First, the i-BELT service leverages IoT in order to capture data about the production facilities and products from all input devices. Using proprietary OMRON technology, we then analyze the data to visualize potential production issues. Using the results of the analysis, the AI controller then provides optimized feedback to the output devices to ensure there are no line stoppages or production defects. This is the service we are proposing to customers.