Corporate
Profile

[Company strength]
Our company is accumulating elemental and unique technologies while contributing to labor saving and automation centering on microcomputers in the FA field in the Chubu region. Our latest business expansion is focused on image processing inspection. We developed the ZEROS system by making the most of cutting-edge technologies. With the ZEROS system (patent pending), we succeeded in visualizing and detecting transparent flaws in transparent films, which used to be impossible. We implemented this technology by applying ultra-high-speed calculation as well as converting sensory inspection (visual inspection by a skilled worker or observation under a microscope) to an automated process.



[Business description]
Our company was established as a computer system company. We apply our high-level technical power to provide various technologies and products to computer-applied fields. This is done by in-house development, consignment development, engineer dispatching, and OEM. Our offerings include image inspection devices, system development, hardware development (circuit development and FPGA development), and software development (OS porting, driver development, firmware development, application development, and database development).

[Industry]
Information and communications

[Strength of products/technologies]
We started R&D for our ZEROS product at the request of a customer, who is a film manufacturer in our area. We independently devised a method of detecting transparent flaws in transparent films and succeeded in visualizing transparent flaws with machine vision. We have proceeded with patenting the detection principle after nearly seven years of R&D. We successfully implemented the detection principle by applying our high-speed calculation technology. This was done with assistance including the Strategic Core Technology Advancement Program from the Ministry of Economy, Trade Industry and Aichi Prefecture’s New Aichi Subsidy for Creative R&D. Our ZEROS technology is always evolving, and we have also started to provide general-purpose image inspection devices, which are applicable to visual product inspection in various fields. The principle of self-learning comparison makes high-level expertise unnecessary and reduces the period and worker-hours required from implementation to operation. It is a great feature of our self-learning image inspection devices that the principle of optical reflection and the learning function enable inspection of any kind of object.



[Representative's message]
We are making the most of cutting-edge technologies to expand the market of our ZEROS product as a technology innovating inspection environments in various fields. There is demand for detecting micro-flaws as well as transparent flaws in the field of advanced films, and such flaws can no longer be detected by human visual inspection. Even trained inspectors cannot completely avoid human error. Labor in the inspection process costs an enormous amount of money. We solved these issues and implemented our product by adding creative, original, unique ideas to our ultra-high-speed calculation processing and transparent flaw visualization technologies.



[Company structure for market development/overseas expansion]
Dedicated engineers serve as a liaison for technical consulting. Our company is now proactively making announcements through the mass media, participating in exhibitions, and establishing manufacturing and sales companies. We are also establishing partnerships with manufacturing companies (machine manufacturers, lighting manufacturers, camera manufacturers, and so on) and sales companies (several major trading firms in Japan). We have initiated joint research with a major film manufacturer on the technology for detecting transparent micro-flaws that cannot be detected at present. We are giving higher priority to business expansion in Japan than overseas because of patent issues. We are also focused on increasing the number of models and enriching our ZEROS series, enriching our standard products and enhancing their functions, and reducing costs to lower product prices.

[Market share/Ranking]
Our company’s ZEROS technology (transparent flaw visualization and ultra-high-speed calculation) is a unique technology (patent pending).

[Awards and media coverage]
[Awards]
The Juroku Bank, NOBUNAGA21, Excellence Award (2014).

[Media]
Web Journal (October 2014); Japan Industrial Publishing, Image Lab (October 2014); Converting Technical Institute, CONVERTECH (November 2014); Nihon Keizai Shimbun, "Company in Chubu Area to Win With This" (November 26, 2013); The Mid-Japan Economist, "Develops Transparent Film Inspection Device" (April 14, 2015); and Film News (January 20, 2013).


[Authorization/Certification]
Strategic Core Technology Advancement Program.
New Aichi Subsidy for Creative Research and Development.



[Joint research and development]
Joint R&D with the Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute and Faculty of Information Science, Aichi Institute of Technology.
Trademark already registered (ZEROS).


[Intellectual property]
Patent pending (Method of Detecting Flaws in Light-Transmitting Films).

[Main Clients / Business History (domestic)]
Delivery of ZEROS_GRID to a major film manufacturer (for inline inspection on manufacturing lines).Delivery of ZEROS evaluation devices for image inspection (for the evaluation of flaw detection).

[Exhibition History/Information]
Messe Nagoya 2015, The 45th INTERNEPCON 2016, and Film Tech Japan 2016.