P-CAM® Paves the Way to Victory
NORTH SAILS JAPAN, INC.
NORTH SAILS JAPAN is a leading manufacturer of sails used in yacht racing around the world. The company's main product is the 470-class yacht sail, for which it holds an approximated 80% share of the global market. SHIMA SEIKI's P-CAM® computerized cutting machine plays a key role in the cutting of these sails, and the introduction of P-CAM® has led to improvements in quality and production efficiency.
Manufacturing for Olympic Glory
470 class yachts using sails designed by NORTH SAILS JAPAN swept the gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.
Mr. Katori, president of NORTH SAILS JAPAN, attributes the success to design based on the competitor's perspective, and a manufacturing process that utilizes state-of-the-art technology. "The most innovative contribution has been SHIMA SEIKI's P-CAM® cutting machine installed in 2014, which has dramatically improved our production efficiency and set a new standard in competition sail manufacturing," he adds.
Improved Quality and Productivity with P-CAM®
NORTH SAILS JAPAN has been using a laser plotter in conjunction with its production in order to improve accuracy and product quality. However, the previous generation of machines had difficulty obtaining parts and PC boards in the event of a breakdown, which sometimes resulted in production stops, affecting production efficiency.
Therefore, the company chose SHIMA SEIKI's P-CAM®160C cutting machine with maximum expansion option featuring a cutting table over 10 meters long and capable of cutting large sails. P-CAM®160C is also compatible with both fixed knife and ultrasonic cutter, which has greatly improved cutting accuracy.
P-CAM® enables precise cuts to the nearest tenth of a millimeter. The performance of a sailboat sail depends greatly on its shape, and the accuracy of the cut can be the difference between winning and losing a race. P-CAM®'s ability to reproduce complex curves and panel structures with a high degree of repeatability makes it an absolute advantage in the manufacture of competition sails.
In addition, by acquiring In-House Certification (IHC), NORTH SAILS JAPAN is entrusted to deliver high quality products that conform to international standards every time. This consistency has made them exempt from inspection before each race.
In addition, fast and highly accurate cuts have reduced production time. Troubles have been virtually eliminated, and maintenance time has been reduced to almost zero, which has greatly reduced the burden on operators and overtime hours. Reliability is also ensured since there is no downtime. This has resulted in a 30~40% increase in overall production efficiency.
Reproducing Olympic Success with P-CAM®
The cutting precision of P-CAM® is one of the reasons for NORTH SAILS JAPAN's overwhelming success at the Olympics. Even outside the 470 class, their sails have achieved an astounding 100% medal winning rate in the women's, and 80% in the men's.
That success has been carried over on to other world-class competitions as well. Mr. Yamashita, in charge of design, IT, and PR, explains, "Our sails are highly regarded by sailors because we reproduce the designs of the gold medal-winning teams faithfully. Sails can also be customized to match the conditions of each competition." He continues, "Another big advantage is that almost all of our employees have sailing experience, which allows us to use feedback from the races to fine-tune sail designs.”
New Possibilities with P-CAM®
Besides sail production, P-CAM® is used for a wide range of products, from the production of stickers and decorations for sails, such as flags and numbers, to trapeze harnesses used in sailing, and even bags made from recycled sail material. P-CAM® has made it possible to precisely match cutting with the print design, dramatically improving finish quality.
In bag manufacturing in particular, the company utilizes pattern data that takes into account the characteristics of the material to create products with superior durability and functionality, while also promoting sustainable initiatives by using surplus fabric from the production floor.
P-CAM® and NORTH SAILS JAPAN Pave the Way for the Future of Sailing
NORTH SAILS JAPAN has achieved overwhelming success in the sailing industry by utilizing SHIMA SEIKI's P-CAM® and contributing to medal rushes for many countries. Precision cutting technology and innovative productivity have not only helped improve the quality of competitive sails, but also continue to earn the trust of sailors. At the same time, the company is actively working on the application of its technology to new products such as bags and stickers, as well as sustainable manufacturing, contributing to the sailing culture as a whole.
NORTH SAILS JAPAN will continue to pave the way for the future of sailing with P-CAM® and will continue their challenge for further glory on the podiums of the Olympics and the America's Cup.
NORTH SAILS JAPAN, INC.
| Established | 1988 |
| Location | Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa |
| Type of business | Manufacturing and sales of yacht racing equipment |
| Website | https://www.northsails.co.jp/ |
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