IDEC FY2023 ez Wheel SAS French Company Providing Instruction Manual

IDEC FY2023 ez Wheel SAS French Company Providing

Product Information

Specifications

• Name: ez-Wheel SAS
• Location: Moulin de l’Abbaye, 135, Route de Bordeaux 16400 La Couronne, France
• Representative: Antoine Juan, Chief Executive Officer
• Business: Development, manufacturing, and sales of autonomous electric wheels
• Date of establishment: November 2009
• Capital: Approx. 67 million yen (as of June 30, 2023)
• Number of employees: 19 (as of June 30, 2023)

Product Overview
The ez-Wheel product line offers two main products:

Electric Power-Assist Wheel (EPAW)
The Electric Power Assist Wheel is designed to be attached to existing carts, trolleys, and other transportation equipment. It aims to reduce the burden of transporting heavy loads and improve safety.

Features:

• All-in-one design: The motor, motor driver, gears, battery, and control board are integrated into a highly robust and protective housing.
• Easy electrification: The EPAW allows for easy conversion of existing trolleys to electric power-assisted ones.
• Beneficial for labor shortages: Many factories facing labor shortages and an aging workforce can benefit from the introduction of EPAW, as it reduces the burden on workers and improves their well-being.

Safety Wheel Drive (SWD)
The Safety Wheel Drive is an autonomous electric wheel system that enables safer and easier robotization of material transportation.

Features:

• Autonomous operation: The SWD provides autonomous movement and navigation capabilities for material transportation.
• Safety-focused: The system prioritizes safety during operation, ensuring a secure working environment.
• Enhanced efficiency: By automating material transportation, the SWD improves overall efficiency and productivity.

Product Usage Instructions

Electric Power-Assist Wheel (EPAW)
To use the Electric Power Assist Wheel (EPAW), follow these steps:

Step 1: Preparation

1. Ensure that the existing cart or trolley is compatible with the EPAW attachment.
2. Make sure the EPAW unit is fully charged or has sufficient battery power.

Step 2: Attachment

1. Identify the attachment points on the cart or trolley where the EPAW will be installed.
2. Align the EPAW unit with the attachment points and securely fasten it using the provided screws or mounting mechanism.

Step 3: Activation

1. Locate the control panel or switch on the EPAW unit.
2. Turn on the EPAW by activating the control panel or switch.

Step 4: Operation
Once the EPAW is activated, you can now use the cart or trolley with electric power assistance. The EPAW will provide additional propulsion and reduce the effort required to transport heavy loads.

Safety Wheel Drive (SWD)
To use the Safety Wheel Drive (SWD), follow these steps:

Step 1: Preparation

1. Ensure that the SWD system is properly installed on the material transportation equipment.
2. Make sure the SWD unit is fully charged or has sufficient battery power.

Step 2: Programming

1. Using the provided software or interface, program the desired routes and destinations for the SWD system.
2. Set any necessary safety parameters and obstacle avoidance settings.

Step 3: Activation

1. Locate the control panel or switch on the SWD unit.
2. Turn on the SWD by activating the control panel or switch.

Step 4: Operation
Once the SWD is activated and programmed, it autonomously navigates and transports materials according to the set routes and destinations. Monitor the operation to ensure safety and efficiency.

FAQ

• Q: What is the purpose of the Electric Power Assist Wheel (EPAW)?
• A: The EPAW aims to reduce the burden of transporting heavy loads and improve safety by providing electric power assistance to existing carts and trolleys.
• Q: How does the Safety Wheel Drive (SWD) improve material transportation?
• A: The SWD enables safer and easier robotization of material transportation through its autonomous operation, safety-focused design, and enhanced efficiency.
• Q: Can the EPAW be easily attached to existing carts?
• A: Yes, the EPAW is designed for easy attachment to existing carts, trolleys, and similar equipment.
• Q: How many employees does ez-Wheel SAS have?
• A: As of June 30, 2023, ez-Wheel SAS has 19 employees.

Acquisition of shares in ez-Wheel, a French company providing Innovative Mobility Solutions

IDEC Corporation (Headquarters: Japan, Chairman and CEO: Toshiyuki Funaki) announced that it has acquired 80% of the shares of ez-Wheel SAS (Headquarters: France, “ez-Wheel”), a manufacturer of autonomous electric wheels, as of August 1, 2023, MMI Technologies, an IDEC group company and holding company of APEM, has acquired 80% of the shares of ez-Wheel SAS.

Reason for the acquisition of shares

IDEC signed a strategic partnership agreement with ez-Wheel on 24 January 2022 and began exclusive distribution in Japan in April of the same year. ez-Wheel, founded in 2009 in Angoulême, France, is an innovative technology company whose mission is “to develop simpler and safer means of transport for goods and people”.

They developed the world’s first self-propelled wheel in 2010 and the world’s first safe autonomous wheel in 2021. Demand for robots is expanding in response to the rapid progress of global automation, labor shortages, and an aging workforce, and the use of AGVs (automated guided vehicles) and AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) is expanding in various industries and is expected to grow 25% per year for the next several years.

Since the launch of the products in Japan, we have received inquiries from a wide variety of customers, mainly from major automotive manufacturers, and we expect significant synergy effects from the expansion of solution sales, which we are currently promoting as a key transformation of our mid-term management plan.

By making ez-Wheel an IDEC Group company, we intend to strengthen the R&D capacity of the ez-Wheel team in Angoulême and secure their technological superiority in the integration of safety electronics and embedded software in robotic systems.

IDEC will be able to expand global sales of various mobility solutions that combine ez-Wheel products with IDEC’s specialty HMI (Human-Machine Interface) and safety-related equipment by utilizing the IDEC Group’s sales network. IDEC defines HMI-X [Transformation] as a change in the optimal interface, and aims to lead HMI-X by providing society with products and services that integrate HMI and safety. We will also be able to strengthen our software capabilities, which are indispensable to achieving this goal.

IDEC’s Mission is “to create an optimal environment for humans and machines,” and with the addition of ez-Wheel to its group, IDEC will contribute to improving the well-being of all people and realizing safety in a wider range of applications where humans and robots can work together.

Schedule

Overview of ez-Wheel

France
(3) Title and name of representative| Antoine Juan, Chief Executive Officer
(4) Business| Development, manufacturing, and sales of autonomous electric wheels
(5) Date of establishment| November 2009
(6) Capital| Approx. 67 million yen (as of June 30, 2023)
(7) Number of employees| 19 (as of June 30, 2023)

( Note ) The acquisition price and counterparty of share acquisition are not disclosed. The acquisition price is less than 15% of the Company’s consolidated net assets.

Product Overview

Can be attached to existing carts, trolleys, etc. to

reduce the burden of transporting heavy loads and improve safety

| Autonomous electric wheels provide safer and easier robotization of material transportation
|

Electric Power-Assist Wheel

The motor, motor driver, gears, battery, and control board are integrated into highly robust and protective housing (all-in-one). Many factories where heavy loads need to be moved (transported) are facing labor shortages and the aging of their workforce. The introduction of EPAW allows to easily electrify existing trolleys, reducing the burden and improving the well-being of the working population.

Case Study
Easy conversion of carts utilized in the field to electric power-assisted carts reduces the burden of transporting heavy objects that were difficult to carry by one person.

Safety Wheel Drive

SWD is an all-in-one transportation wheel developed for AGVs and AMRs and equipped with the drive control and safety functions required for autonomous driving. By mounting SDW on AGVs and AMRs, a system of automated transport can be easily constructed, which reduces the development time by about 50% and significantly reduces costs.

The wheel is equipped with the ‘safety operation monitoring function’ required by international safety standards (ISO 3691-4) and can be used safely in environments where people and robots coexist.

All-in-one with the following functions:

• Driveline : motor, motor driver, gearbox
• Safety system : safety circuit, safety motion monitoring circuit,

Case Study

AMR is equipped with safe autonomous driving wheels, all-in-one with all functions required for driving, including international safety standards required when operating in the same area as humans

Future outlook

The impact of this matter on our business performance for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, is currently expected to be negligible, but we will promptly announce any matters that should be announced.

(Reference) About IDEC Corporation
Founded in 1945 as Izumi Shokai and established Izumi Corporation in 1947 (renamed IDEC CORPORATION in 2005). As a comprehensive manufacturer of control equipment mainly in the field of factory automation, we have been developing, manufacturing, and selling a variety of products centered on HMI (Human- Machine Interface), which connects humans and machines, with control and safety technologies at the core, and proposing control solutions in various fields since our establishment. We have the top share of approximately 50% of the Japanese market for industrial switches. By solving various social challenges through its business activities, the IDEC Group aims to realize a sustainable society by contributing to the promotion of automation, labor saving, and efficiency, the realization of safety, security, and wellbeing, and the reduction of environmental impact at manufacturing sites and in everyday life scenes around the world.

products and solutions centered on HMI

Establishment of Business| 1945: Founded as Izumi Shokai

1947: Establishment of Izumi Corporation

Net sales| 83,869 million yen (FY2023)
Capital| 10,056 million yen (FY2023)
Number of Employees| 3,186 (FY2023)

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