#Japan #Tokyo #Hitachi #Lumada #Social Infrastructure

Hitachi Accelerates Infrastructure Maintenance through DX

Hitachi Ltd., in collaboration with Hitachi Systems, is set to transform the maintenance of social infrastructure in Japan with the launch of their new initiative, "Social Infrastructure Maintenance powered by Lumada." This significant service offering aims to efficiently tackle urgent societal challenges like aging infrastructure and labor shortages beginning on February 26.

The initiative brings together over 40 different solutions that Hitachi has developed over the years, and it leverages the company’s successful experience with more than 450 customers across the country. By combining solutions for management, monitoring, analysis, maintenance, and security, Hitachi aims to offer adaptable and comprehensive proposals tailored to the unique challenges faced by users.

Background and Urgency

Japan's social infrastructure, constructed during the high economic growth period, is now facing significant degradation. Issues such as burst water pipes and road collapses are becoming alarmingly common, leading to severe disruptions in daily life. Reports indicate that there are over 10,000 incidents of road collapses each year, with forecasts showing a surge in infrastructure over 50 years old over the next two decades. This situation heightens the urgency for systematic renewal and enhanced efficiency in inspections and maintenance, especially against the backdrop of increasingly severe natural disasters.

Hitachi has long been at the forefront of supporting various types of social infrastructure by integrating IT, OT (Operational Technologies), and products. They already utilize remote monitoring and predictive diagnostics to enhance safety and operational efficiency across diverse sectors, including energy and transportation.

Features of the New Initiative

The initiative incorporates various existing solutions that can now be integrated to meet client needs. Specifically, it introduces the following categories:
1. Management & Planning
2. Monitoring & Detection
3. Analysis & Diagnosis
4. Maintenance & Support
5. Defense & Control

Expert Team Formation

Alongside its technological offerings, Hitachi is establishing a specialized team that combines expertise from various areas to support clients from concept development to operational support. This team will focus on identifying latent issues faced by clients and proposing tailored solutions through collaborative integrated approaches.

• - Identifying Client Challenges: Uncovering underlying problems and strategizing appropriate responses.
• - Consolidating Solutions: Evaluating potential case studies to recommend optimal solution combinations.
• - Specialized Professional Teams: Having subject matter experts focus on improving operational efficiency post-implementation.

These developments enable a seamless integration of Lumada's various solutions to address complex infrastructural challenges. For example, in assessing dam structures, drones can autonomously capture comprehensive images of the surface, while AI-driven tools analyze these to identify potential damages like cracks or leaks, facilitating efficient repair planning.

Future Directions

The launch of "Social Infrastructure Maintenance powered by Lumada" marks Hitachi's commitment to evolving infrastructure maintenance models. Eventually, this will culminate in the rollout of the next-generation solution, "HMAX by Hitachi," capable of advanced predictive maintenance and autonomous operations. By aggregating various sensing data and analyzing past incidents through AI, Hitachi aims to optimize maintenance procedures effectively.

Moving forward, Hitachi remains dedicated to fostering secure and sustainable infrastructure, playing a vital role in societal safety and environmental harmony. With its strategic vision, Hitachi aspires to build a 'Harmonized Society' where environmental sustainability, social well-being, and economic growth coalesce positively.

Key Services Under Lumada

The key services and solutions within the initiative include:

• - Management & Planning: Underground Visualization Services
• - Monitoring & Detection: CYDEEN Water Infrastructure Monitoring Services
• - Analysis & Diagnosis: GeoMation Inspection Support Systems
• - Maintenance & Support: Drone Solutions
• - Defense & Control: Managed Security Services

For more information, please visit the official Lumada webpage at Hitachi Social Infrastructure Maintenance.

Conclusion

Through its innovative and data-driven services, Hitachi is poised to redefine how social infrastructure is maintained and managed, ensuring that communities adapt to the challenges of the future while maintaining safety and sustainability.