Gas meter management of Osaka Gas Meter Management

Gas meter management of Osaka Gas Meter Management Team Premises Pipeline And Facilities Management Dept. Pipeline Business Unit OSAKA GAS CO. , LTD. , Japan 導管事業部 1/14

Agenda Background, Duty of Our Team Legal Requirement about Gas Meter in Japan Meter Management in Osaka Gas - Accuracy and Safety Innovation Introducing Handy Terminals on Replacing Work 導管事業部 2/14

Gas Meter’s Safety Function l In order to reduce gas accidents, Japanese gas utilities developed Micom-Meter, the meter controlled by micro computer in 1983. l 3 shutdown functions using internal shut-off valve Ø Seismic Ø Unusual gas flow • Huge gas flow • Constant flow continuing for a long time Ø Low pressure l 1 warning function Ø Gas leak detection more than 3 L/h continuing for a month 導管事業部 3/14

Structure of Micom-Meter Micro-computer controller This controller judges whether the gas operating condition is normal or abnormal, and gives various operation commands. Reset button Gas shut-off valve Power supply Gas supply is shut off by a pulse signal A lithium battery is used as power sent from the micro-computer controller. supply for the micro-computer and This valve is built in the gas meter gas shut-off valve. entrance section. The battery lasts more than 10 years. Flow rate transmitter A pulse signal is sent to the microcomputer controller according to gas meter rotation. This manual reset button opens the closed shut-off valve. This button is of the push-button type that can readily be reset. Seism scope of approx. 200 When an earthquake gal or more occurs, a signal is transmitted to the micro-computer controller. This lamp flashes when the microcomputer judges the gas operating condition as abnormal When the gas pressure drops abnormally (approx. 300 Pa or less), this sensor sends a signal to the microcomputer controller. Indicator lamp 導管事業部 Pressure sensor 4/14

Effectivity of Micom-Meter Gas accidents had been drastically reduced by the Micom Meter Accidents Number Popularization % Popularization of Micom Meter The Number of Accidents 1986 2005 (Japan Gas Association) 導管事業部 5/14

Legal Requirement Accuracy and Safety l The Measurement law -Accuracy Ø Gas utilities must replace the meter each 10 years. Ø New meters are approved by governmental organization. Ø In most European countries, the replacement period is not strict. The gas utility can prolong by checking the sample of meters and approve that they are enough correct to meet the requirement of law. Periodical replacement is a duty of our team. l Gas Utility Industry Law -Safety Ø Every gas meter of household should have safety functions. 導管事業部 6/14

Meter Management in Osaka Gas Duty, Organization and Numbers. l Duties Ø Periodical Replacement. -0. 6 millions in each year. l Organization Ø Every replacement work at customers site is put out to 19 contractors. Ø 200 workers replace 10 meters by a day. Ø 30 minuets for each replacement work. 導管事業部 7/14

Innovations l Introducing Handy Terminals on Replacing Work Ø Respond customer's inquire quickly by sharing the replacement schedule between worker, contractor's office and Osaka Gas. Ø Achieve firm security for customer's data. Ø Support workers by checking procedure. 導管事業部 8/14

Overview of Meter Replacement Before introducing handy terminals, workers use paper orders. Workers decide visiting date by own reason not by customer's request. Work Flow Osaka Gas Place orders （600～ 700 Thousands/Y） Contractor(19) Worker(approx. 200) Assign paper orders. Replace before the expiration of term. An worker visit customer's home and replace the meter. （Finish 10/Day） We’ll visit again etc. If the customer is. . . not in house Notice next visit by leaving memo In house 導管事業部 Agree replacing date Meet more than 2000 customers every day. 9/14

Changing the conditions Customers demand better service. Customers expectation ■Visiting date should be specified by customer. Like delivery in Japan. ■Courtesy, Cleanliness Good attitude like luxury hotels? Social Situation ■Personal Data Protection We introduced handy terminal and innovated the meter replacement. 導管事業部 Conventional Style of Replacement Work ①Only workers recognize the schedule. →Next date is NOT shared among participants and No one can tell it to customer except assigned worker. ②Quality depends on worker's skill. →Since every replacement will be done by single person, no one can check it. ③Workers used paper form. →Personal data on paper form could be missing. 10/14

Problems: Next visiting date is not shared Only assigned worker knew the own schedule. ＜Customer could not obtain the answer about visiting schedule. ＞ Before Let me check it to the worker. Contructor When will you come？ Customer Visiting Plan is Not Shared We’ll visit again. Worker can often change schedule. Leave memo Ｗｏｒｋｅｒ 導管事業部 Osaka Gas Customer will be disapointted. 11/14

Solutions: Sharing visiting schedule Using new system, workers input next visit and it will be shared. Customer will know the schedule and can change the date immediately. ＜Can respond to the customer quickly. ＞ After When will you come? Next Monday. 10 A. M. Contractor Customer We’ll visit again. Memo Input next visit. Osaka Gas Supervisor can manage the workers schedule. Come again on next Monday. Determine next visiting date immediately. 導管事業部 Sharing with system Handy terminal Worker Plan and input it to the sysytem 12/14

Problems: Quality Since the replacement is individual job, worker must check every procedure by herself. Quality depends on her own skill and carefulness. Before Every job is performed by single person. Paper form No one will check except the worker. instruction result Worker 導管事業部 13/14

Solutions: improve quality using handy terminal. Handy terminal will check the procedure. Before After Every job is performed by single person. Paper form No one will check except the worker. instruction result Worker Handy terminal will check the result. Beep! Worker input the result at the site and be alarted the wrong result. ・Connection direction of the gas meter ・Gas leakage Worker ・Air accumulation in pipes Use Barcode to avoid typing miss. 導管事業部 6 14/14

Solutions: Quality and Efficiency Utilizing system data, contractors can manage workers and enhance the efficiency. Quantitative data from system Qualitative information attitude Time of each job skill number of finish experience #late for appoint ・・・ ・・・ Analyze the worker's skill 導管事業部 15/14

Solutions: Firm security by technologies Achieve higher security with cutting-edge technologies. Authentication and Encryption. Authetication by phisical device Pushing the buttom of Security pendant Measures to prevent losing device. Neck Strap Data Encryption※ Data Strap Terminal Password Server Record all activities and who has which customer's data. Worker must input password before using as well as physical device. ※Choose AES 128 bits. It recommended by Japanese government. 導管事業部 16/14

Merits by introducing handy terminals It is the infrastructure of innovation. Sharing the schedule Contructor Improve quality Quality check by terminal Analyze and Utilize data Realize quick response to the customer. Worker Customer Osaka Gas Firm security Authetication and Encryption pendant 導管事業部 （Discontinue paper form） 17/14