[SUPWAT Co., Ltd.] SUPWAT begins collaboration with Toyo Tanso using machine learning Introducing informatics technology into the R&D process
*SUPWAT Co., Ltd.*
Press release: August 21, 2024
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SUPWAT begins collaboration with Toyo Tanso using machine learning Introducing informatics technology into R&D process
*~ First collaboration with the research and development department of a material manufacturer ~*
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SUPWAT Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Yokoyama
Takuya (hereinafter referred to as SUPWAT) is Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Representative Director, Chairman, President and CEO: Kondo), which manufactures and sells high-performance carbon products and develops related processing businesses.
We would like to inform you that we have started a collaboration using machine learning from July 2024 in order to introduce informatics technology to the research and development department of Naotaka (Toyo Tanso). From August 2024 onwards, we will build a machine learning model that predicts the main characteristic values of carbon materials based on materials, manufacturing conditions, etc., and conduct optimization of material blending ratios and manufacturing conditions, as well as impact analysis. It’s planned. *
“WALL”, which SUPWAT is developing and providing, is a platform developed specifically for technology development, design, and production technology processes in the engineering chain of the manufacturing industry, making the experiment and analysis cycle in engineering operations more efficient and faster. It is a product that realizes DX of the engineering chain by converting it into formal knowledge. Advanced modeling that makes full use of data and cutting-edge technology such as AI enables parameter optimization under multiple constraint conditions, influence analysis, performance prediction, etc. to be easily used for experiments and analysis. By using WALL, we aim to speed up engineering work by streamlining trial and error during experiments and analysis, which previously relied on intuition and experience and took a huge amount of time and cost. In addition, the results of trial and error in experiments and analysis can be saved on the platform, so personal intuition and experience that was previously tacit knowledge can be turned into explicit knowledge and shared within the team, improving project efficiency. . Furthermore, AI makes it possible to discover new conditions and combinations for development and design, leading to the sophistication of technological development and design.
Since its launch in 2021, it has been introduced by major companies in the manufacturing industry, mainly automobile manufacturers and auto parts manufacturers, and by using “WALL”, it has been possible to reduce experiment and analysis time in the R&D process by over 60%. has also been proven.
Since its founding in 1941, Toyo Tanso has taken on the challenge of developing original and innovative carbon products specialized in high-performance fields, in line with its pioneering spirit of “creating things that cannot be found anywhere else.” With the world’s largest production capacity, business fields covering a wide range of fields, and technological capabilities, we are developing
high-performance carbon.
We have established a solid position as a leading company.
In addition, we have succeeded in mass producing “isotropic graphite”, a new material that greatly improves the problems of conventional graphite, ahead of the world, and has been used in the nuclear power field, electrical discharge machining field, and semiconductor fields, which require high reliability. It is being used in a wide range of industrial fields, with a focus on Furthermore, in order to meet the needs of a globally expanding market, we are working to expand our business by establishing production and sales bases in more than ten countries around the world, including China, America, Europe, and Asia, in addition to domestic bases.
The high-performance carbon products provided by Toyo Tanso are researched and developed by experts with highly specialized knowledge and know-how. In addition, the research and development process involves repeated highly specialized trial and error, and vast amounts of time are spent on experiments and analyzes every day. In light of these current circumstances, Toyo Tanso aims to utilize AI and data to turn the specialized tacit knowledge of experts into explicit knowledge and pass it on within the company, as well as to improve the efficiency and speed of experiments and analysis. , we have recently started an attempt to utilize machine learning in our research and development operations.
As the first step in this initiative, we will collaborate with SUPWAT to verify the usefulness of data utilization using machine learning in research and development of carbon materials, and further explore the direction of building infrastructure for data utilization. We have started considering it. From August onwards, we plan to build a machine learning model that predicts the main characteristic values of carbon materials based on materials, manufacturing conditions, etc., and conduct optimization of material blending ratios and manufacturing conditions, as well as impact analysis. . Ultimately, by utilizing machine learning, we will create a state in which the optimal manufacturing recipe can be reverse-looked up based on the functional goals of carbon products, with the aim of passing on tacit knowledge through AI and making the R&D process more efficient and faster. .
In order to achieve our vision of “creating an era of intelligent manufacturing,” SUPWAT will promote the introduction of informatics technology into the manufacturing industry and promote DX of the engineering chain.
*Engineering chain: Refers to the series of manufacturing processes centered on the design department in the manufacturing industry. It is a series of business processes centered on design, starting from planning and receiving orders, to design, manufacturing preparation, manufacturing, maintenance, etc.
* ■ Comment from Yusuke Murata, Executive Officer and General Manager of Global Development Headquarters, Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.*
The participating personnel are well-versed in the manufacturing industry, and they are actively communicating with developers with a sense of speed to help them understand the key points in developing carbon materials. Masu. This is an advanced and challenging initiative for us, but it gives us a sense of security that we are working together to create a model while gradually unraveling “development experience” that tends to become a black box. It is obtained. In addition to the “WALL” platform, SUPWAT’s support from consultants from a manufacturing/development perspective is a major strength of SUPWAT, and I feel that this is an attractive feature that other companies do not have.
* ■ About Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.*
Company name: Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.
Location: Osaka Umeda Twin Towers South 16F, 1-13-1 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka Established: February 1947
Representative: Naotaka Kondo, Chairman, President, and CEO
Business content: Manufacture and sales of high-performance carbon products and related processing business
URL: https://www.toyotanso.co.jp/
* ■ About SUPWAT Co., Ltd.*
SUPWAT is a manufacturing tech venture that develops and provides the DX platform “WALL” that optimizes the engineering chain of the manufacturing industry, with the vision of “creating an era of intelligent manufacturing.” Engineering work in the manufacturing industry, such as research and development, design, and production technology development, requires a huge amount of man-hours through trial and error in experiments and analyses, and the knowledge of experts is still not converted into explicit knowledge. The problem is that we have no choice but to rely on people’s intuition and experience.
Since its founding in 2019, SUPWAT has been working on “WALL We are working on the development of “. It has already been introduced by a wide variety of enterprise companies in the manufacturing industry, including automobile, auto parts, materials, and chemical
manufacturers with sales in the tens of billions of yen.
Company name: SUPWAT Co., Ltd.
Address: 5th floor, Nihonbashi 1-chome Mitsui Building, 1-4-1 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Established: December 2019
Capital: 66,000,000 yen (as of the end of February 2024)
Representative: Representative Director and CEO: Takuya Yokoyama Business content: Deployment of the DX platform “WALL” that optimizes the engineering chain in the manufacturing industry
URL:
SUPWAT Co., Ltd. https://www.supwat.com/
WALL https://cs.supwat.com/