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Rotation detector

Supporting "safety" with technology and trust.
~Rotation Detector~

We interviewed Matsuki, the design manager, and Taniyama, the manufacturing manager, about rotation detectors, and specifically about the new Magneto-Electric Rotation Detector MP-9810. Why are rotation detectors indispensable in industry?

  • Right: Matsuki, Leader, Measurement Technology Lab, Technology Division Left: Taniyama, Section Chief, Measurement Instrument Manufacturing Group, Manufacturing Block
    Right: Matsuki, Leader, Measurement Technology Lab, Technology Division
    Left: Manufacturing Block, Measuring Instrument Manufacturing Group, Section Chief, Taniyama

What kind of product is a rotation detector?

Matsuki

This product is a sensor that measures the rotational speed of a rotating object. Our sensors are broadly divided into magnetic and optical types, and measurement is performed by attaching gears, reflective stickers, etc., to the object. They are primarily used for monitoring rotating bodies, playing a vital role in safety management, such as ensuring stable equipment operation, and as sensors integrated into customers' equipment to monitor and control rotational speed. While this sensor is inexpensive and not particularly conspicuous among measuring instruments, it plays a crucial role in industries that handle many rotating objects.

What have been some of the good and challenging aspects of your design work so far?

Matsuki

All of these sensors have long lifecycles, and the MP-981, which has served as a representative model of magnetic sensors for many years, has been in production for about 50 years.
Maintaining a stable supply over a long period of time may seem easy, but in reality, it involves many difficulties. We make daily efforts to innovate so that changes in parts do not affect mass-produced items, and we are also conscious of ensuring proper technical transfer as designers change with each generation. On the other hand, one positive aspect is that I feel my perspective has broadened through the experience of developing this sensor. While numerical specifications such as performance are important indicators for measuring instruments, I have come to realize the importance of durability and reliability, such as "how resistant to breakage" and "how confidently customers can continue to use it," and learned the importance of added value beyond specifications.

What about manufacturing?

Taniyama

This sensor plays a crucial safety role in monitoring rotating objects, yet it is often used in harsh environments. To ensure a stable supply of high-quality products that do not malfunction even in such environments, we are constantly working to improve the skills of our manufacturers and create a workplace that does not produce defective products. Since the quality of sensors is affected by the manufacturing process, it can be challenging, but we communicate and innovate among ourselves.

I've been involved in the manufacturing of this sensor for about 40 years now, and we have customers who have been using it continuously for many years. It makes me happy to know that they have such trust in our sensors.

  • A scene from the manufacturing process of a rotating body monitoring device in the sensor manufacturing process.
    A scene from the manufacturing process of a rotating body monitoring device in the sensor manufacturing process.

New models were released in 2024, weren't they?

Matsuki

In April 2024, we released the MP-9810 Magneto-Electric Rotation Detector as the successor to the MP-981. While maintaining compatibility with the previous model, we have improved its environmental resistance so that customers who have been using the previous model for many years can replace it without any problems. We hope that it will not only continue to be used with confidence in the future, but also contribute to an even wider variety of environments and measurement scenarios.