Tokyo, 30 September 2021 – NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced the provision of the “Value-added Time Measurement Solution,” a video analysis technology to help improve factory productivity. The solution automatically detects an individual’s hand and body movements from video images taken during the assembly and inspection process in order to measure and analyze operational performance (*). Sales of the solution are scheduled to begin in Singapore, India and Vietnam from September 30.

 In recent years, the manufacturing industry has been making greater use of video analysis in order to promote quality control and resolve challenges, such as production bottlenecks. By utilizing video analysis, it is possible to quantitatively grasp the operating status of each process, which had been difficult in the past.

In particular, as the movement of individuals has become restricted due to the spread of COVID-19, there is growing demand for remote management and improvement of conditions, especially among companies with international production bases.

Accordingly, NEC’s Value-added Time Measurement Solution capitalizes on NEC's visual analysis technologies to contribute to productivity improvements (Kaizen) that are conducted on a daily basis in a variety of fields.

Solution Features

This solution uses images from cameras at factory sites to automatically detect the movement of an individual’s hands and body. Movements are then quantified and data can be used to graph the status of each work area, making it possible to analyze the relationships between processes and to locate bottlenecks.

This will help optimize production lines and improve productivity by creating greater visibility of staff performance and helping to provide training that is tailored for specific needs.

Visual analysis generally requires a device equipped with a GPU capable of sophisticated image processing. However, this solution uses a learning model that specializes in hands and bodies to reduce the load on the analysis process. Therefore, it is possible to analyze images with a compact computer equipped with a general CPU.

In addition, since there is no need to build a system or make detailed settings for each installation location, it can be implemented inexpensively and in a short period of time.

NEC also provides a licensing model that regularly incorporates major updates, enabling customers to have access to the latest video analysis technologies.

“This solution promotes factory improvements by providing visualization of both staff and working conditions. These efforts enable us to provide total support for customers' operational monitoring, and help to understand the specific needs of each factory location,” said Atsushi Kondo, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Global Marketing Division, PATLITE Corporation.

“The quantitative measurement enabled by this solution’s video processing promotes improvements, in the performance of factory personnel. We are confident that by combining the solution with a variety of our solutions we can drive the development of a ‘Factory Internet of Things’ (IoT), and contribute to improving the processes for any factory,” said Masahiro Kamiya Executive Officer, DENSO WAVE Incorporated.

Going forward, NEC will continue to work with partners internationally to promote the use of this cutting edge solution.

For more information, please visit NEC Value-added Time Measurement Solution website.

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About NEC Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.
Singapore-based NEC Asia Pacific (NEC APAC) is the regional headquarters for NEC Corporation (HQ: Japan) in Southeast Asia. Established in 1977, NEC APAC provides innovative products and services that promote safety, security and enhance the quality of life for Singapore’s residents. Today, NEC APAC drives digital transformation through the areas of public safety, managed services, enterprise applications and infrastructure, financial solutions and multimedia platforms to enable smart cities in the region.

Together with NEC Laboratories Singapore, NEC APAC aims to create social value with solutions tailored to the requirements of local and regional markets. For more information, please visit https://sg.nec.com.

PRESS CONTACTS:
NEC Asia Pacific

Satoko Shigeta                                        Bevan Chen       
+65 6379 2570                                           +65 6379 2756
+65 9018 6652                                           +65 9615 7590
satoko_shigeta@nec.com.sg                    bevan_chen@nec.com.sg