Omron offering virtual tours of its Automation Center

Omron has commenced a virtual tour of its Automation Center (ATC), a factory automation technology centre where customers join with Omron to find solutions to their manufacturing issues.

The tour allows customers from around the world to view content on their computers that features facilities and demonstration machines at the company’s flagship automation centre in Tokyo, the largest of 37 ATCs across the world. The new service gives global customers the most realistic experiences of Omron's factory automation technology. The company said its solutions allow users to eliminate what it calls the 'three Cs' — namely, closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings — thus safely contributing to solutions to customers' issues on the production floor.

Amid the major transition on production floors, manufacturing businesses are being challenged by the rapid changes in customer needs, including the need to avoid the 3Cs and automate manual operation in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as the ongoing shift towards low-volume, high-mix production and shortages of skilled workers. At the same time, AI, IoT, robotics and other technological innovations are accelerating the advancement of automation capabilities. In an effort to help its customers to innovate their production floors amid these changes, Omron has taken the approach of offering a blend of in-person, remote and virtual solutions, to assist its customers in finding solutions to their issues.

As part of its initiatives to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, Omron has created a 3D walkthrough video of the virtual ATC-TOKYO. Customers can go on a 360-degree virtual tour of ATC-TOKYO as if they are walking around the facility and watch videos of demonstration solutions for their specific issues. If they wish, they can also take a physical tour of an ATC or have a remote experience of 'demonstration/verification' and 'technology training' processes — two of the key functions of ATCs. There are plans to offer the virtual tour in English and Chinese as well so that customers from across the globe who find it difficult to travel to Japan can also have the experience of ATC-TOKYO.