Prospective of FRP industry, seen from CES 2017
A trade fair CES 2017 was held at United States Las Vegas until 8th Jan.
( The image above is referred from http://www.ces.tech/ )
CES isn't so popular in FRP industry but it'll be the traditional and famous huge exhibition in the electrical industry.
It's written as follows according to the explanation of Official HP of CES.
CES is a global consumer electronics and consumer technology tradeshow that takes place every January in Las Vegas, Nevada.?
They seem to utilize as the place where the Japanese electrical industry which highlighted the world also release something various to all over the world. Sony is one of the representative companies to display them in the past CES.
Innovation award is prepared like JEC, and a hard disk, Blue ray and EL are won in the past, and there is also something which becomes a main product of the electrical industry now.
It's by reference, but there are categories as much as following 28 in this year's Innovation award.
- 3D Printing
- Accessible Tech
- Computer Accessories
- Computer Hardware and Components
- Computer Peripherals
- Digital Imaging
- Drones and Unmanned Systems
- Eco-Design and Sustainable Technologies
- Embedded Technologies
- Fitness, Sports and Biotech
- Gaming
- Headphones
- High Performance Home Audio/Video
- Home Appliances
- Home Audio/Video Components and Accessories
- In-Vehicle Audio/Video
- Portable Media Players and Accessories
- Portable Power
- Smart Home
- Software and Mobile Apps
- Tablets, E-Readers and Mobile Computing
- Tech for a Better World
- Vehicle Intelligence
- Video Displays
- Virtual Reality
- Wearable Technologies
- Wireless Handset Accessories
- Wireless Handsets
I find out that there are a lot of wireless and something such as displaying portably.
Following HP would be the best to see what was won respectively.
http://www.ces.tech/Events-Experiences/Innovation-Awards-Program/Honorees.aspx
Distance between machinery and electrical industries is being shorten
As well as an electrical appliance like the above Popular Mechanics is the magazine, whose editor serializes a car, a house and an article of outdoor activities, science and technology chooses.
Popular Mechanics Editors' Choice Awards
There is also something to say so and it seems that this is sent to the excellent technological product to which technology of an electrical appliance was applied.
Following HP is a list of prize-winning works was indicated.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/g2906/ces-2017-popular-mechanics-editors-choice-awards/
I think I know the marvellous situation when this is seen.
A Japanese company also wins, but they are Toyota and Honda.
In other words, automotive companies won.
Toyota won by the car, applied AI as Yui (you, e-).
Honda is a product as Honda Riding Assist of self standing system motor bike.
Concept animation of Yui
Animation of Honda Riding Assist
The driving even driver's way of thinking and feeling learned is supported about Yui.
A motorcycle follows an employee, and a rider does not fall down even if he takes it.
Both companies are producing produces featuring a car.
But system and technology about control are introduced here mainly.
The artificial intelligence among which a time came into fashion changes to how to call as AI.
It can be said the current trend symbolizes two different industries fusion to propose a new product.
There was also a lot of control techniques by the former car of course.
However the concept, focused on control technique so much, is the first time for me to see. I feel that this year is the initial term to see the situation that I say so.
Necessary action for the future in FRP industry
I'd like to think about the future when it's based on the situation above-mentioned and would be required in FRP industry.
This column is being described several times already, the points indispensable to future's development and expansion of application of FRPs are;
– Clear design concept
– FRP is applied as functional material.
It's being told many times, the important point to apply FRPs is;
"Weight reduction + α"
α is pretty important.
A clear design concept is important to think about α.
Something as consideration of the design concept is FRP industry of all over the world, and it's still immature so far.
Can people work α combined with weight saving out while considering a thing by a high viewpoint?
It can also be said here a main stream with a design.
The design concept, born with such consideration, isn't the structure material and it should be "Functional material".
It means that I possess" functionality" besides the weight reduction.
And I think fusion with the electrical industry is mentioned by one of righteous government-like approach to make this functionality manifested.
That I noticed one company from FRP industry is only the following company.
Windform is the company which makes the 3D printing technology of Carbon as main technology.
In the golf club for which the one they announced in CES made a head with carbon and Ti, a sensor, it's embedded.
The product which acquires data about Swing of golf.
http://www.crp-usa.net/ces-2017/
An animation in actual CES is also introduced to below.
The product introduced here is in the combination between conventional material construction as the carbon and the metal and "Sensing" in order to make them fused and makes it functional material.
I'm very happy personally that the enterprise which was doing such approach was also in FRP industries.
A product should face polarization of an expensive product and an inexpensive product from now on.
It's recognized as CFRP is the expensive product side in particular up to now.
I'm thinking the world may not be so superficial that the logic made an expensive product just uses the material and connects.
Something simple, it's inexpensive and early, they are made by the applicability of IoT where that also introduced aforementioned AI.
Then the unit price falls, only, a marked decrease of the profit will be happened in addition to the sales drop.
How is it done, and does maturity society be maintaining an expensive product and be responding to the customer needs?
It may be fusion wider than a technological one and the one being one of these responses to say.
