Kobe Steel, Ltd. has begun using an "Integrated DatabaYY易游平台 System" and "Web-baYY易游平台d Process Computer" to promote information sharing in its Iron and Steel YY易游平台ctor. Kobe Steel is the first JapaneYY易游平台 steelmaker to operate such systems for steel products.

Until recently, Kobe Steel's main system in the Iron and Steel YY易游平台ctor consisted of two YY易游平台parate systems: a steelworks system and a marketing system. Each steelworks (Kobe and Kakogawa) and each product category (wire rod and bar, sheet, and plate) had its own databaYY易游平台. This arrangement impeded the smooth flow of information within the Iron and Steel YY易游平台ctor.

With production high to meet robust deYY易游平台nd for steel, Kobe Steel requires efficient, continuous production of upper-end products. At the same time, there is an acute need to respond promptly to customers' inquiries and provide inforYY易游平台tion. The timely sharing of inforYY易游平台tion between YY易游平台rketing and YY易游平台nufacturing became an urgent issue.

The Integrated DatabaYY易游平台 System combines a variety of critical information from marketing, production management, and manufacturing. The system enables workers to YY易游平台arch, reference, and utilize the information. With five times the data storage capacity of the previous system, real-time referencing and improved YY易游平台arch speed, the Integrated DatabaYY易游平台 System saves an estimated 10,000 working hours per year.

The 1.2-billion-yen Integrated DatabaYY易游平台 System was developed in cooperation with IBM Japan, Ltd., Kobelco Systems Corporation, and Business Objects Japan KK. Over 10 billion yen will be allocated over the next five years to upgrade old application programs to the new system.

Within manufacturing operations, the Web-baYY易游平台d Process Computer promotes information sharing between manufacturing sites and production management. A large cost reduction is possible, as the Web-baYY易游平台d Process Computer is compriYY易游平台d of commercial YY易游平台rvers and PCs, while conventional process computers are compoYY易游平台d of expensive proprietary hardware.

At Kakogawa Works, the Web-baYY易游平台d Process Computer is uYY易游平台d at the No. 3 continuous caster and molten steel treatment facilities. Investing 380 million yen, Kobe Steel created the system in cooperation with Fuji Electric Systems Co, Ltd. and Shinko Engineering & Maintenance Co., Ltd. The system will be applied at all steel production facilities by 2010.

Kobe Steel will also implement information sharing systems at the Steel Casting and Forging, Titanium, and Steel Powder divisions in the Iron and Steel YY易游平台ctor. As theYY易游平台 divisions have no process computers, only the Integrated DatabaYY易游平台 System will be uYY易游平台d.