Parking systems integrating both safety & usability -Nichiei Intec
Parking system integrating safety & usability | USA
Nichiei Intec Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of mechanical parking systems, offering a wide range of solutions including pit-type (2- or 3-level) lift systems, ground-level two-stage lifts, and auxiliary equipment such as car turntables. To meet the increasingly diverse needs of users, they also handles large-scale systems such as tower-type and underground circulation-type parking systems, providing comprehensive proposals for mechanical parking solutions.
These systems require not only convenience but also a high level of safety. Nichiei Intec and IDEC have collaborated to incorporate safety measures tailored to the characteristics and safety standards of each system, thereby enhancing both the safety and usability of multi-level parking systems.
Risk Factors in Mechanical Parking Systems:
1. Entrapment accidents caused by operational errors or insufficient checks
2. Accidents involving people being caught in gaps between the lift or equipment
3. Falls into the pit or onto the lift platform before it reaches the floor level
Many of these accidents occur due to insufficient checks, such as operating the system without realizing someone is still inside. Because these risk factors can lead to serious accidents, it is essential for manufacturers to implement safety measures to ensure user protection.
Solutions Provided by IDEC to Enhance Safety and Usability |
| Case 1: Pit-Type Mechanical Parking System |
The pit-type mechanical parking system stores vehicles by vertically moving a platform into an underground space known as a “pit.” One of its key advantages is that it minimizes the above-ground structure, allowing the parking area to blend seamlessly with its surroundings, preserving the landscape while maximizing parking capacity.
However, due to the presence of the pit, there are inherent risks such as falling accidents and entrapment incidents.
To address these risks, Nichiei Intec has implemented a range of IDEC safety devices, including Emergency Stop Switches, LED SignaLight Towers, and Touchless Unoccupied Confirmation Switch, ensuring comprehensive safety measures are in place to prevent accidents.
| Case 2: Ground-Level Two-Stage Lift Parking System |
This system utilizes vertical space to store vehicles on two levels above ground, making it ideal for urban areas where space is limited.
Challenges Before Implementation
The control panel was installed at a high position to avoid interference with vehicles, requiring users to pull a cord while pressing a button. This operation needed both hands, making it difficult to use while holding an umbrella or carrying bags—posing a usability issue.
While exploring solutions, remote control operation was identified as a promising way to improve convenience. However, conventional remote controls, while user-friendly, introduced safety concerns: users could operate the system from a distance or while inside the vehicle, without properly checking the surroundings—raising the risk of accidents.
IDEC’s Solution: Achieving Both Safety and Usability
Nichiei Intec adopted IDEC’s 1A1M Multi-Use Millimeter-Wave Radar Sensor for the ground-level two-stage lift parking system. This enabled remote control operation while significantly improving user convenience and maintaining safety.
Why It Was Chosen
Secured Remote Operation Area | Motion vs. Static Object Detection | Stable Detection in Harsh Environments | ||
The sensor allows the remote control to function only within a designated area near the control panel, ensuring the user is in a safe position before operating the system. | The sensor can distinguish between moving and stationary objects, such as identifying people versus vehicles or luggage. This ensures the system only operates when the user is in a safe location. | Unlike optical sensors, the radar sensor can detect reliably even in poor weather conditions like rain or snow, under direct sunlight, or in dusty environments. |
By solving the safety challenges of remote operation, Nichiei Intec now not only meets social demands but also offers a smooth, secure, and user-friendly parking experience—delivering unique added value that sets them apart in the market.
Implementation Benefits
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Customer Feedback – Nichiei Intec Co., Ltd. |
We believed that remote control operation could solve the usability issues of our ground-level two-stage lift system, but we struggled to find a solution that met safety standards.
IDEC’s 1A1M Multi-Use Millimeter-Wave Radar Sensor was the perfect answer, which allows us to limit the operation area to the vicinity of the control panel. This enabled ideal operation while meeting safety requirements.
The sensor features motion detection that can even sense subtle human movements like breathing, while ignoring stationary objects such as vehicles or luggage. This prevents operation from inside the vehicle and reduces the risk of entrapment.
The ability to combine convenience and safety is a major value that other companies cannot offer. Our customers praise the system for its reliability in terms of safety, and we believe we are contributing to society’s growing demand for safety.
Nichiei Intec Co., Ltd.
Mobility Business Unit – Design Section
Mr. Nobuhiro Kubota & Mr. Shuto Mouri
Nichiei Intec Co., Ltd.
Mobility Business Unit – Design Section
Mr. Nobuhiro Kubota & Mr. Shuto Mouri
Company Overview |
Nichiei Intec Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive manufacturer offering a wide range of products, including mechanical parking systems, electrical construction materials, and environmental/agricultural solutions.
In the mechanical parking sector, they provide one-stop services from development and design to construction, maintenance, and repair. Their solutions support the effective use of limited urban space and address modern needs such as quiet operation and EV charging compatibility.
Through its business, Nichiei Intec contributes to the realization of safe, comfortable urban development and the creation of a sustainable society.
Nichiei Intec Co., Ltd. https://www.nichieiintec.jp/corporation_en