Hitachi, Ltd. announced that it has begun verification testing in March 2025 towards the practical application of an automated production planning system that utilizes AI to reduce and optimize energy consumption for the production of synthetic resins at Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.’s Chiba Works in the Sodegaura area.
This system utilizes Hitachi’s newly developed planning collaboration engine “TSPlanner (Team Synergy Planner)”. “TSPlanner” aims to automatically create production plans that consider energy efficiency by linking two Lumada solutions: a system that automatically creates production plans taking into account various constraints, and a system that supports the reduction of energy consumption. This system uses AI to present adjustment proposals for each production and energy plan. This makes it possible to quickly create complex production plans that reduce energy consumption while following fluctuations in production volume, instead of skilled workers. For example, it is possible to reduce energy consumption by optimizing the overall production plan so as not to exceed the upper limit of the contracted power, or by recovering high-temperature waste heat generated in chemical reactors to generate steam and share it with other processes.
Preliminary verification at Sumitomo Chemical’s Chiba Works in the Sodegaura area confirmed that a certain amount of energy consumption could be reduced. After verification at the actual factory in the area, Hitachi will consider making similar proposals to Sumitomo Chemical’s six factories nationwide. Going forward, Hitachi will use the introduction of this system as an opportunity to support Sumitomo Chemical’s Chiba Works, which is working on DX and GX, in promoting energy conservation, reducing environmental impact, and improving productivity at the same time, with the aim of contributing to a decarbonized society and reducing the burden on frontline workers.
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In the context of global warming, companies are being asked to take steps to become carbon neutral in their business activities. In addition, as energy prices continue to rise, the efficient use of energy to reduce costs is becoming increasingly important. Furthermore, in Japan, the working-age population is declining and social issues are becoming more complex, which is increasing the burden on frontline workers at manufacturing sites, making it an urgent task to resolve this issue.
The chemical industry consumes large amounts of energy. Sumitomo Chemical, which produces a variety of chemical products in large plants, is required to balance large-scale energy management with the formulation of complex production plans. However, the production planning department and the energy management department at Sumitomo Chemical’s Chiba Plant had different decision-making processes, systems used, and work flows, making it difficult to formulate production plans that considered the energy efficiency of the entire plant. In addition, the formulation of synthetic resin production plans and adjustments associated with changes were done manually by skilled workers based on their experience and know-how, and the large workload and lack of individualization were issues.
Hitachi provides innovative solutions, including Lumada solutions, to customers in a wide range of industries, leveraging its strengths in IT, OT (control and operation technology), and products, as well as the extensive knowledge and know-how (domain knowledge) it has gained through collaborative creation with many customers. In particular, it has provided many customers with services such as “Hitachi AI Technology/Planning Optimization Service” and integrated energy and facility management services to address the challenges of improving business efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions.
Against this backdrop, Hitachi has begun an initiative to achieve both high productivity and energy savings at Sumitomo Chemical‘s Chiba Works by using this system, which combines the technologies and know-how of both services.
SOURCE: PRTimes
