[Products with Reduced Environmental Impact]
Highly durable components HP Series / Nitrogen gas purification unit NS Series
Contributing to solving social environmental issues
that are a challenge as a product
with reduced environmental impact
THEME
Helping to reduce environmental impact with "long-life components"
In light of the recent social situation in which the SDGs are being emphasized around the world, CKD is promoting the development and sales expansion of products with reduced environmental impact. The Sales Promotion Dept., which is responsible for increasing the name recognition of the company's products and optimizing the effectiveness of advertising, took the opportunity of winning the Gold Prize of the "2021 Aichi Environmental Awards" to strengthen publicity for the products. The department is also making efforts to support the expansion of sales channels.
Sales Promotion Department, Components Sales Division, Components Business Division Ryuichiro Shima
MISSION
Focusing on Products with Reduced Environmental Impact to Achieve SDGs
In September 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted at the United Nations Summit. The 17 goals include eradicating poverty and inequality and addressing climate change, and CKD has been promoting initiatives to realize the SDGs. As part of this effort, the Sales Promotion Department took a fresh look at the company's products, technologies, and services and created a booklet entitled "CKD Environmental / Social Contribution Products Spreading through Society".
CKD is a comprehensive component manufacturer that has been engaged in research and development of automation and fluid control technologies for 80 years since its establishment in 1943. Based on these core technologies, we have developed, designed, and manufactured over 500,000 products to date, including Automatic Machinery and Component Products. For example, in the area of Automatic Machinery and Components, we have developed packaging machines for pharmaceuticals and food products, winding machines for lithium-ion batteries, and 3D solder printing inspection machines for surface mounting processes that achieve industry-leading high precision and speed by making full use of image processing and control technologies. In terms of Components, our products include pneumatic, fluid control, fine system, and electric motion components that support manufacturing. Our unique, cutting-edge technologies in automation and fluid control are highly evaluated in manufacturing sites around the world, and we have captured a large market share in this field. They are used in a wide variety of industrial fields, contributing to the streamlining and automation of production and the reduction of environmental burdens. Among these products, the High durability component HP Series and the Nitrogen gas extraction units NS Series, which are featured in "CKD's Environmental / Social Contribution Products Spreading through Society", have been highly evaluated as products that contribute to solving environmental issues that are considered a challenge for society as a whole.
APPROACH
The crystallization of our proprietary technology won the Gold Prize in the "2021 Aichi Environmental Awards".
The High durability component HP Series is a product line that reduces environmental impact by extending the service life. Against the backdrop of growing needs for automation of manufacturing and the strong demand for "productivity" and "safety" at manufacturing sites, the HP Series was developed with the goal of "realizing components that never stop and with stable operation".
Currently, we offer a total of 48 models, including "long-life hands" and "environment-resistant cylinders". They are mainly used for handling, moving, and transporting workpieces attached to the tips of robots, etc., and are used in manufacturing facilities for automobile parts, etc. The most significant feature is that they last four times as long as conventional products. The most significant feature of these cylinders is that they have a service life that is four times longer than that of conventional products. Stable operation of components due to long-life prevents production loss due to stoppages and maintenance caused by equipment failure. In addition, fewer replacements mean less waste, which greatly contributes to the reduction in environmental impact.
The Nitrogen gas extraction units NS Series can purify and supply nitrogen simply, just when it is needed, and are used by many customers for applications such as maintaining freshness in food products, preventing oxidation of metal materials, and as carrier gas for analyzers. Of the multiple methods of supplying nitrogen gas, this product employs the method of separating and extracting nitrogen from air. For a familiar example, nitrogen is sealed inside snack packages to suppress oxidation reactions, preventing deterioration of taste and quality, and thus enabling long-term storage of food products. This enables "safe" and "secure" delivery of food products and greatly contributes to the reduction of food loss.
Nitrogen gas extraction unit "NS Series"
[Application examples] Improved wettability of lead-free solder
These highly durable HP Series and Nitrogen gas extraction units NS Series have been highly evaluated as "supporting manufacturing sites around the world, making a significant contribution to reducing environmental impact and achieving the SDGs", and received the Gold Prize, the highest award in the "2021 Aichi Environmental Awards".
Even before the emergence of the SDGs, we had been examining the environmental impact of our products using our own environmental compatibility assessment in product development planning and design. We were very pleased to have our environmental efforts and stance that we have been pursuing recognized, giving us confidence.
VISION
Responding to diverse customer needs with product proposals focused on solving social issues
In conjunction with the awards for both products, the Sales Promotion Dept. created tools to promote the products more widely, including special displays at trade shows and showrooms and introductory materials to be distributed at sales outlets. Our job is to support the sales department in properly communicating the appeal of our products so that they can be used by many customers and at manufacturing sites. No matter how excellent a product is, it is meaningless unless it is used.
From this perspective, increasing sales volume is a common goal and issue for both products. For example, the "hands" and "cylinders" in the High durability component HP Series are extremely versatile and are used not only in our devices but also in manufacturing facilities and equipment in a wide range of fields. We believe that more and more customers will find the value of "4 times longer life" in the future, which will lead to the expansion of our sales channels.
As for the Nitrogen gas extraction unit NS Series, we still do not have a complete picture of what industries, fields, and applications nitrogen is used in. In other words, the NS Series has the potential to be adopted in industries we have not yet approached.
To this end, it is important to make good use of "CKD's Environmental / Social Contribution Products Spreading through Society" and other information to meet the diverse needs of our customers by proposing products that focus on social issues such as the SDGs and environmental problems.
Toward the goals of the SDGs, CKD will continue to listen to the problems of our customers who are committed to social contribution and strive to solve social issues by providing products and technologies that meet their needs in a timely manner, and work toward the realization of a sustainable society as a "people-friendly company".
