Morikawa digitises whole casting process with Monitizer | DISCOVER to become a data-driven foundry
Morikawa: Building a Smarter Foundry with Monitizer | DISCOVER
Japanese foundry Morikawa has taken a major step forward in its digital transformation by implementing Monitizer® | DISCOVER across its entire casting process. The deployment, supported by DISA and Norican Digital Labs, enables real-time data collection, visualization, and analysis from every stage of production.
A Model for Digital Transformation
Morikawa’s journey highlights how traditional foundries can embrace digital tools to drive innovation, improve quality, and support environmental goals. By combining deep process knowledge with advanced analytics, the company is setting a benchmark for smart manufacturing in the region.
“We have installed screens in the president's office and the engineering office, so that they can monitor production status without having to go to the foundry site,” says Mr Morikawa. “We can now see data on the processes before and after the moulding machine, like the temperature at the outlet of the DISACOOL and the sand temperature in the water-added mixer. This gives us a better understanding of the front-end process and will make post-process treatment, such as water addition, more effective.”
A Connected, Data-Driven Process
Morikawa’s DISAMATIC 231-X moulding line was digitally enabled using Monitizer | CIM modules, with data flowing from sand mixers, pouring units, melting furnaces, and quality control systems. Norican’s NoriGate edge gateways securely collect and transmit this data to the cloud, integrating both Norican and third-party equipment.
The foundry also built a local quality database to track casting defects, with staff inputting data via wireless tablets. This information is now accessible across the company, from the factory floor to executive offices.
“We would like to utilise DISCOVER for production management purposes by linking the current operation status data to our ERP system,” explains Mr Morikawa. “DISCOVER has an interface for this purpose and this should enable the ERP system to automatically retrieve and link CSV files without human intervention.”
Real-Time Monitoring and Insights
With DISCOVER, Morikawa can monitor operations in real time, identify bottlenecks, and improve process efficiency. Dashboards and widgets are customized to display key metrics, helping teams make faster, data-driven decisions.
The platform’s intuitive interface and multilingual support have made adoption smooth, even for non-technical users. Large screens installed throughout the plant provide visibility into live production data, fostering a culture of performance awareness.
Preparing for AI Optimization
Morikawa is now preparing to deploy Monitizer | PRESCRIBE, which uses AI to optimize casting quality. Historical data is being used to train machine learning models that will deliver actionable recommendations for process improvements.As Japan’s manufacturing sector pushes toward carbon neutrality, Morikawa is also leveraging DISCOVER to track energy consumption and emissions, aligning its operations with sustainability goals.
