how Mitsubishi Electric is transforming the digital supply chain

A new concept of Industry 5.0 is based on the concept of Society 5.0 born in Japan already in 2017, which describes the facts known by greater integration between physical and digital measurements, in which the use of technology is directed towards serving man and his needs. Industry 5.0 promotes, in fact, a business model based on the principles of social responsibility, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. In this context, SMEs play a central role but, if they are not properly supported in the digitalization process, they risk not having the necessary skills to be able to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by new technological trends. Suffice it to say that, according to ISTAT data, in 2023, 13% of SMEs in Italy share data electronically with the supply chain and only 5% of companies with up to ten employees have adopted artificial intelligence systems, against European average of 8. %.

Training, support and services

As a Japanese company that develops and provides industrial automation solutions, Mitsubishi Electric has embraced the values ​​of Industry 5.0 for several years and today can present itself as a partner that can accompany companies on their digital transformation journey. First of all, Mitsubishi Electric is engaged in one regular training activities through the AcadeMy program which offers courses aimed at a wide audience, from high school, ITS and university students to System Integrators, machine builders and end users. In addition, Mitsubishi Electric makes its know-how available through the organization of seminars in collaboration with Confartigianato and the Order of Engineers and through the “System Integrator Program”, a project designed to support customers in all aspects of the design and construction of systems, which involves a selected group of integrators systems known for their high level of knowledge in the development of systems and the integration of Mitsubishi Electric solutions. Finally, Mitsubishi Electric offers companies a series of integrated services, from design to implementation and maintenance of machines and systems: pre-sales service includes a free feasibility study developed for the customer’s specific needs, while for after-sales support. MELFA Service Maintenance. software is available for sale, which includes warranty extensions and various service packages defined according to the different needs of customers.

The new perspective of Industry 5.0 translates today into a a new digital and integrated supply chain that envisages a different asset life cycle and requires full integration between hardware and software in all phases.: from virtual ordering to control and monitoring, to optimization and service.

Virtual ordering with a digital twin

In an era where the use of data is becoming increasingly strategic and critical for companies, the trend is to generate and analyze data before machines are built, through online ordering which involves a series of steps: ordering the CAD, developing the logic, connecting the physical elements so that the solution is “phigital” and, finally, the simulation.

Mitsubishi Electric’s Gemini import software allows you to create a digital twin of the machine to perform a preliminary inspection of equipment, simulation of the movement of the machine or the entire plant in 3D space, verification of any errors. and optimization of machine operation starting from individual components. The use of this solution allows significant savings in time and costs: if previously the design phase was sequential (mechanical design, electrical and then software), online ordering allows software debugging at the same time as checking for mechanical interference.

Control and monitoring

Once it goes into production, the machine needs one regular control and monitoring activities, which includes monitoring machine operation status and production quality. The first is possible thanks to Iconics’ Genesis64 SCADA which allows, through dedicated and customizable dashboards, real-time monitoring of operating conditions, even remotely thanks to a dedicated PLC architecture.

For production quality control, Mitsubishi Electric offers the new MELSOFT VIXIO, a visual inspection software that works with standard industrial cameras and which, thanks to artificial intelligence, allows the detection of non-concentration factors that are not easy to detect and common code systems. . This software allows you to train a model with a set of image data, overcoming the limitations of matching the model.

Energy efficiency and process optimization

With a view to continuous improvement based on the Japanese philosophy of “Kaizen”, Mitsubishi Electric also offers a range of solutions to increase energy and product or process quality. Thanks to the Eco Advisor of the AI ​​Energy Management Tool, for example, it is possible to control and optimize energy consumption, a particularly important factor in energy-intensive applications such as glass, tires or ceramics that involve the use of an oven: thank you. with the Eco Advisor solution it is actually possible to increase the heating and cooking time.

To improve product quality, Mitsubishi Electric offers the MELSOFT MaiLab data science tool, which allows you to formalize expert knowledge by training artificial intelligence models, using Machine Learning and Deep Learning principles, in a guided and simple way. A common application of this solution is in the food industry, where even environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity affect the quality of the product.

As for process improvement, the target application is that of water treatment: thanks to the use of artificial intelligence software it is possible to keep the relationship between the chemical elements that make up the water unchanged to ensure an accurate potability index.

All these activities, managed by artificial intelligence systems, allow the process to be freed from the knowledge of the operator.

Global services network

The new trend has also led to a paradigm shift in Service, which today is associated with a forecasting method based on the actual skin of the engine and, therefore, on the actual condition of the property. Being a global reality, Mitsubishi Electric has service centers located all over the world, able to provide widespread and timely technical support everywhere, even to customers who sell their machines outside of Italy, with predictability that allows you to avoid the possibility of machine breakdowns.

The automation solutions that Mitsubishi Electric offers on the market, therefore, are becoming smarter due to the implementation of new features based on artificial intelligence, which is spreading rapidly in all phases of the new digital and integrated supply chain. The company is actually developing artificial intelligence systems called MAISART (Mitsubishi Electric’s AI forms Advanced in technology), with the aim of allowing customers to get the most out of AI.