Case Study: Minebea Slovakia

 

Part of the group MinebeaMitsumi, Inc., a Japanese multinational corporation and a major producer of machinery components and electronic devices, the company Minebea Slovakia s.r.o. focuses on the development and production of electronically commutated BLDC motors and innovative drive technologies. There, they manufacture motors for industrial and commercial use, and they finalize them with electronic assemblies according to their customer’s requirements.

Why was the company interested in a solution from IKEUCHI?

Some processes, i.e. application of adhesives and various gels, require a higher humidity level. In order to protect against electrostatic discharge in accordance with the IEC 61340-5-1 standard, it is necessary to create a safe environment in the EPA zone for handling electronic assemblies. Humidification is a complementary element to ensure the safety of workers, in addition to standard elements like anti-ESD clothing, flooring, and the workplace. “Some electronic assemblies are mounted in plastic housings, therefore, increasing humidity and ionizing the air eliminates the risk of damaging sensitive components during these processes.” says an external ESD coordinator.

After the start of production in the new plant at the end of 2016, the company found that during the winter season, the humidity in the production hall sometimes drops below 20% due to the increase in heating.

One of the production lines located in the middle of the hall, which also includes the installation of an electronic assembly in the final product, requires air humidity at a higher level for some technological processes. Since it is an area of only about 20% of the total area of the hall, the installation of conventional humidification (steam generator in the air conditioning system) would be very demanding in terms of investment and operation.

Solution

Realtime Technologies SK prepared a complex solution suitable for the required criteria. Thanks to previous installations, RealTime Technologies SK was able to show Miloš Lang from Minebea Slovakia the system running, installed in the company Chemosvit. Seeing the whole concept and installation in real operation convinced him instantly. Following the inspection of the operation by the employees of Realtime Technologies SK and the preparation of the system design, the implementation date was agreed to be February 2019.

The installation of the Dry Fog humidifier AKIMist®“E” was trouble-free. The pipes were placed under the coffered ceiling and 8 AKIMist® with 2 nozzle heads were lowered from the ceiling to the placement points for spot humidification.

The system is automated by two hygrometers with corresponding solenoid valves. The reverse osmosis system, installed to purify the water, was able to adjust the humidity level in a very short time: reducing dust particles and cooling the room by about 8%.

 

Benefits

The required humidity level quickly reached

    • The stable humidity level in the range of +/- 5%
    • Reliable automatic mode
    • Positive impact on the surrounding operations – a better working environment

“The required value was achieved in less than one hour and the subsequent stability of moisture retention is in the range of +/- 5%. These parameters were also confirmed in the following months. The system works reliably in automatic mode (only the lower limit is set in our country), so in the summer months, when the natural humidity is high enough, the operation is not necessary. The bonus is that the humidity will also partially increase in the surrounding facilities, which is also praised by employees for more pleasant breathing during the winter months and reduced dust. “,says Miloš Lang from Minebea Slovakia.