R&D System | Canada

Product development based on “safety DNA”

IDEC incorporated a dual interlock mechanism in switch boxes developed in 1950, soon after the company was founded. This mechanism was designed to make it so that power can only be switched on when lids and covers are closed, ensuring that lids and covers cannot be opened when power is on, and protecting operators against the risk of electric shock. The resulting switch boxes have become enduring best-sellers.

This commitment to safety is now part of our DNA and has served as the basis for product development since the founding, enabling us to provide high-quality products. Emergency-stop switches are used to shut off machinery in an emergency, ensuring the safety of operators. As a major market player, IDEC offers a line-up of products that not only comply with international safety standards but are also equipped with IDEC’s original “reverse energy structure” ensuring the highest level of safety. IDEC’s emergency-stop switches use a unique structure so that they always default to the off position (a safe condition) even when damaged, preventing serious industrial accidents and keeping people safe.

OPEN & CLOSE Strategy

As part of our intellectual capital strategy, we are engaged in business activities based on the OPEN & CLOSE Strategy. In addition to international standardization, we operate a development promotion system in which R&D and intellectual property are integrated with international standardization as a trinity.

The OPEN & CLOSE Strategy essentially means keeping a closed area of the company’s core technology that generates profits, while leaving other technologies in the open domain. Instead of competing in an area where many companies are competing, it is important to build barriers to entry through intellectual property (IP) and international standardization in areas where we can be a unique entity.

For example, in the case of enabling switches, we have not only obtained patents for key technologies, but also actively participated in international standardization efforts. Consequently, our enabling switches have been adopted by many robotics and machinery manufacturers in Japan and overseas, resulting in a global market share of over 90%. This approach has led to an unparalleled market dominance and remarkable profitability.