Shaftcom is an optical shaft measuring system specialized in measuring shafts and other rotating machine elements that can evaluate the dimensional and geometric tolerance of workpieces with high speed and precision. Although it adopts a non-contact optical measurement method, optional contact probes are also available so that customers can measure hidden areas that are not readily visible.

About 60-70% of our customers are manufacturers of auto-related parts and their suppliers, and CMM contact probes are primarily used for measuring the accuracy of rotating machine elements such as crankshafts. Non-contact optical shaft measuring machines can measure at a faster speed, but are primarily made by overseas manufacturers and usually had to be purchased through trading companies. This meant customers hesitated to use these machines because overseas products purchased in this way couldn't receive maintenance and support in a timely manner. Many of these customers expressed hopes that ACCRETECH would launch an optical shaft measuring machine. As such, we have received so many inquiries at the same time as the release.

The market size of optical shaft measuring machines is about 8 billion yen worldwide, and Shaftcom boasts the highest sales in Europe and the United States, accounting for a market share of about 35%. In Japan however, the market penetration of optical shaft measuring machines is still about 2%. With no direct support from the equipment manufacturer, customers who use overseas products find it hard to trust the resulting measurements and often measure again with a contact type for confirmation.

As a measuring instrument manufacturer, we pride ourselves on having knowhow in measuring technology, service and support that we have cultivated since our founding. Shaftcom is sure to give our customers peace of mind as we provide both support during installation and regular technical support. If ACCRETECH can expand the current 2% demand, JENOPTIK will gain a significant share in Japan.

The Shaftcom lineup includes a wide range of products that not only cater to workpieces of various sizes, but also provide automation support for incorporation into production lines. The software is also very easy to use and easy to operate. Two-dimensional manual measurements can take 10 or 20 minutes per workpiece, but optical measurement takes mere seconds. All of these benefits can be incorporated into the production line, enabling in-process measurement. This is groundbreaking.

In most cases with the conventional method, products were taken at random for inspection at the end, so the yield rate would drop significantly if a defective product was found. However, using a Shaftcom machine in-process makes it possible to avoid defective products being sent downstream. Shaftcom products can also be used in places where people cannot touch, such as places that tend to get oily, and continue operating at times when there are no people working. This is advantageous as speed and efficiency are of utmost importance to production plants.

We formed this team to leverage the knowledge of our CMM specialists. I was in charge of the development division dealing primarily with CMM, and in this project I was mainly responsible for negotiating contracts. I'm the type who often just goes for it, so I chose Takanashi as the subleader because he is always careful. Ichitsuka is the type who can make his own judgments and do what needs to be done even when the situation is vague, so I relied on him amidst the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kobayakawa is still in his second year at the company, but he has had a strong desire to work overseas since joining the company. Unfortunately, going abroad isn't possible now due to the pandemic, but I asked him to join the team for an opportunity to gain experience.

We launched Shaftcom in Japan without getting to do in-person training with JENOPTIK, so there are some aspects that we struggle with. However, the members of our team have enough collective knowledge to make things work, so that's reassuring.