Yokohama begins field trials of marine hoses and conveyor belts with built-in RFID

Tokyo, Japan – The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., has begun field trials of its marine hoses and conveyor belts with built-in RFID. The field trials, conducted with cooperation from users in Japan and abroad, seek to verify that internal conditions of marine hoses and conveyor belts that cannot be confirmed by normal inspections. Through this trial, Yokohama Rubber will demonstrate that it can remotely detect minute changes of conditions of the products while in operation using its own RFID technology.

RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) refers to a wireless automated recognition technology capable of reading and writing data
using radio waves.

Yokohama Rubber is equipping its marine hoses with a built-in RFID tag that can detect internal pressure changes caused by internal damage and enabling detection of abnormalities by reading the tag’s data. At the current stage, reading of the tag data is performed by operators, but the Company plans to establish autonomous detection by drone and develop an Internet-based information-sharing system. Using this newly developed technology, Yokohama Rubber aims to realize a system capable of preventing oil leakage through early detection of abnormalities in its marine hoses and prediction of possible damage.

Similarly, RFID tags in conveyor belts will automatically detect wear, damage, temperature change, etc., via readers installed near the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt field trial involves the constant transmission of various conveyor belt numerical data detected by the RFID tag to Yokohama Rubber’s development team via the Internet. Analysis of this data is being used to develop technologies that predict conveyor belt damage and help prevent potential fires on conveyor belt lines.

In Yokohama Transformation 2023 (YX2023), the Company’s medium-term management plan for fiscal years 2021–2023, the Industrial Products Division has been positioned as one of the MB (Multiple Business) Segment’s two core growth drivers. Yokohama Rubber aims to establish a dominant presence in the principal markets for its conveyor belts and maintain its marine products’ high market shares. To achieve these goals, the Company is developing remote monitoring systems and technologies to predict damage to its products and create new added-value that enhances product safety and provides users with peace of mind and economic benefits.