News & Topics

TOYOKEIKI has developed Japan's first ultrasonic smart water meter, "AXs."

September 6, 2024

TOYOKEIKI Co., Ltd. has developed Japan's first ultrasonic smart water meter that fully integrates the measurement and communication units. This new product will be presented at the research presentation session of the 2024 National Conference of JWWA (Japan Water Works Association), held in Kobe City from October 9 to 11. It will also be showcased at the 2024 Kobe Water Exhibition, held in conjunction with the conference, organized by the Federation of Japan Water Industries, Inc. (SUIDANREN) at the Kobe Convention Center.

The ultrasonic method accumulates flow rate by utilizing the changes in propagation time of ultrasound based on the flow velocity within the pipe. This design eliminates moving parts, resulting in excellent durability and enabling the development of a compact meter with fewer components. The communication method uses the same LTE Cat.M1 technology as our communication device IoT-R, which has approximately 4 million units deployed in the LPG industry etc. in Japan. Conventionally, automatic meter reading has been performed by connecting IoT-R to electronic water meter. However, by fully integrating the measurement and communication units, we can reduce overall costs and eliminate the need for installation work related to communication lines.

The product name of this meter is AXs, which embodies the idea of a significant transformation (X: Transformation) in the Aqua business (A) through a small and smart meter (s). To facilitate fundamental reforms and labor-saving in the water supply business, the transition to smart water meters is ongoing throughout Japan, and it is also progressing in local cities due to the Vision for a Digital Garden City Nation, a policy of the Government of Japan. AXs has been developed to meet these new demands for water meters.

1. Remote automatic meter reading can be implemented.
2. It resolves difficulties in meter reading in areas such as remote islands, mountainous regions, office buildings, auto-locked condominiums, snowy regions, and places where it is difficult to open the meter box covers.
3. Meter warnings and instantaneous flow rates can be monitored online, allowing for early detection of leaks due to pipe bursts etc., such as in homes, vacant houses, and during disasters.
4. Meter readings can be obtained at any time. Water usage can be checked at any moment, which also helps in adjusting the water levels in distribution reservoirs according to changes in water demand.
5. Users can access billing details and daily/hourly usage graphs on their smartphones, etc. Additionally, the web statement / payment service "MIZU-LOOK " is available, enabling fundamental reforms in the billing operations at water utilities.
6. The monitoring service "KIZUKI" is a service that checks whether individuals, such as the elderly, are living safely and healthily based on real-time water usage. It monitors the start of water use, continuous usage for a certain period, and periods of inactivity, and can report this information to designated devices (such as mobile phones or PC emails), making it an effective lifeline in a society with an ageing population.
　　*Notes: 5. and 6. refer to services operated within Japan.

The AXs has achieved significant weight reduction and material savings. Its weight has been reduced to 0.9 kg per unit, which is about half of the 2.0 kg weight of our conventional electronic water meter. Additionally, the amount of copper alloy used was reduced by approximately one-third, resulting in a substantial decrease in CO2 emissions associated with the production of the copper case, which is a primary component of the water meter.

We plan to begin mass production for the domestic market in October of this year, with an expected shipment of 3,000 units in the first year and annual shipments of tens of thousands of units in subsequent years. In the future, we aim to increase production to hundreds of thousands of units, and preparations are underway to establish a mass production line at our fifth factory, which was newly built in 2022.

■Ultrasonic Smart Water Meter "AXs"