Environmental Report 2012
Eco-friendly Products
Eco-friendly Design
When introducing product designs and new manufacturing methods, all processes are assessed, from design to manufacturing and shipment. In addition, the introduction of a new chemical substance or piece of equipment, construction work, increased waste volume, and other changes require an environmental safety assessment under JAE's in-house pre-assessment system. In this manner, JAE is practicing business activities that are environmentally friendly.Since FY 2011, the company has been computerizing its environmental safety inspection flow at JAE sites, with the aim of reducing use of paper beginning in FY 2012. The following table shows the activity status of the company's environmental safety assessments. With the recovery of business activity, the number of assessments has increased.
* Assessments for chemical substance are explained in the section entitled "Reducing Environmental Risks."
■JAE Akishima Plant
| Fiscal Year | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Number of assessments | 240 | 284 | 335 |
Product Assessment
At the product development and design stage, products are pre-assessed, taking into consideration features such as resource conservation, energy saving, and recycling. In examining designs, the assessment by the division assigned to product development (Assessment I) is followed by another independent assessment (Assessment II) to decide whether the work should proceed to the next phase.
Examples of Assessment Items
| Downsizing | Recycle | Ease of disassembly and treatment | Safety and environmental preservation | Ease of recovery and transportation |
| Longer service life | Power conservation | Packaging and crating | Provision of information | Protection of intellectual property rights |
Assessment of Production Methods
To lower the environmental impact of manufacturing processes, new or modified processes are pre-assessed to determine their environmental impact.
Examples of Eco-friendly Products
Environmentally friendly efforts are underway, starting from the design stage, in order to reduce environmentalimpacts at each stage (product manufacturing, use, and disposal).In product design, materials with low toxicity are being used and products are being made more energy efficient, and in mold design, too, efforts are being made, including improving the utilization rate of mold materials and increasing the life of the molds themselves. The environmentally friendly efforts for each product are introduced below.CONNECTORS
ES3 series of card edge connectors for LED light power supplies
(1) Insulator-less low profile design
(packaging height: 1.6 mm)
This connector consists only of a metal contact, and since it has no insulator, it contributes to resource saving and simplifies material separation for disposal.
(2) Equipped with a detachable locking mechanism (connection strength: 16 N or more)
The mechanical locking structure provides a satisfactory clicking sensation and strong connection strength, contributing to simple assembly and preventing release after connection.
(3) Configuration that prevents incorrect connection
The configuration for preventing incorrect connection prevents errors when inserting the plug connector, and helps to prevent rework.
(4) A receptacle (SMT side) is available in embossed reel packaging for automated mounting
This enables automatic placement with SMT. Since other components can be mounted on the substrate at the same time, this contributes to efficiency improvements and energy saving in our customers' assembly processes.
(5) RoHS-compliant products
This connector uses lead-free tin plating, and no substances prohibited under the RoHS Directive are used.
User Interface Solutions
LCD touch panels (UT3 base model series)
(1) Reduction in amount of substances that have an environmental impact
In addition to RoHS Directive compliance through the use of lead-free solder, trivalent chromium surface treatment, and other means, mercury-free manufacturing is made possible by using LED backlights. [LCD touch panels]
(2) Energy savings
Energy savings of 15% over previous products were achieved by improving power circuit efficiency, reducing internal operating voltage, and using LED backlights.
Aerospace
Servo amplifier for linear motor drives for industrial equipment
(1) No hazardous chemicals are used (RoHS compliant)
All components and materials used are RoHS compliant.
(2) Lead free products
JAE uses lead-free solder for its circuit boards, wiring and all other parts.
(3) Downsizing through reduced use of materials (compared to earlier JAE products)
The number of components and materials used has been reduced and products are more compact (50% smaller than earlier JAE products), achieving more environmentally responsible products.
Symbol of JAE Group's Environmental Policies
Environmental Management
- Significance of the Environmental Report
- JAE Group Environmental Policy
- Implementation Status of the Environmental Management System
- Environmental Audits
- Environmental Education
- Compliance with Environmental Regulations
- Setting Targets and Evaluating Results
- Eco-friendly Products
Environmental Performance
Environmental Accounting
Group Sites