One of the main concerns for the security of in-vehicle data is spoofing messages on the in-vehicle network. Controller Area Network (CAN) is the most extensively embedded network protocol in vehicles. In the last decade, security attacks in vehicles have been increasing and have been reported in several papers. Therefore, security measures are expected that meet the requirements of real time and cost constraint for in-vehicle control network. In this paper, we propose centralized authentication system in CAN with improved CAN controller. Our experimental results demonstrate that our proposal method is effective on real in-vehicle network environments.

Automotive electronics have developed significantly in recent years. This trend has increased the number of connectors used, has promoted multi-way connectors, and has required that connector reliability be secured. For the development of highly reliable automotive connectors, it is important to understand the deterioration state of connectors that are actually used in vehicles. In this study connectors were collected from high mileage vehicles (one with 100,000 km mileage, another with 150,000 km mileage) and their deterioration state and possible deterioration factors were investigated. The results showed that the deterioration of terminals progresses in proportion to mileage, but the deterioration level was not on the level that leads to insufficient reliability. In addition, from the observation results of collected terminal surface, the main promoter of deterioration was determined to be fretting wear. Based on this determination, the number of fretting cycles that is equivalent to 100,000 km in mileage was estimated by comparing with the fretting wear test on the bench. As a result, the number of fretting cycles was extremely smaller than expected and its level was sufficient to keep the reliability of connectors.

Our team has developed a degradation model considering the effect of humidity on Young’s modulus of primary coating in the optical fiber, i.e. in situ modulus (ISM), and also established an estimation method for the long-term change in ISM based on the model. This method allows the estimation of ISM degradation at arbitrary conditions of temperature, relative humidity and duration. The derived contour profile of standard degradation duration, which is the duration estimated for ISM to reach a specific retention value by the degradation, and the equation of equivalent conditions are useful tools for the estimation of long-term change in ISM.

We have developed single-mode-fiber (SMF) lensed connectors operable with small mating force and insensitive fine dust on their end faces. 24 SMF lensed connectors utilizing an MT connector technology have been successfully fabricated. The beam is expanded by a graded-index (GI) fiber lens array with a waist diameter of 52 μm, and the spring force in the mating condition can be reduced to 3.3 N, which is about one sixth of that for a 24-MPO connector. The optical fibers and lenses are precisely aligned with a pair of guide pins and holes made by high precision molding technologies. Their average and maximum insertion losses (ILs) are less than 0.7 dB and 1.6 dB, respectively. These have been the best results for singlemode multi-optical-fiber lensed connectors reported so far.

The E-band (71–86 GHz) is highly expected recently, because of the available wide frequency range, to support backhaul systems for cell phone and mobile communication systems at much higher data rate. The performance and cost of the E-band wireless equipment strongly depend on not only the available devices but also the assembly form. Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, Inc. (SEDI) and Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. have newly developed so called threedimensional wafer level chip size package technology (3-D WLCSP) in order to mass produce microwave and millimeterwave devices and also assemble them simply in the flip-chip fashion. In this paper, we present a low noise amplifier WLCSPMMIC and some of its design detail in comparison with conventional wire-connected planar low noise amplifier MMIC.

Gallium Nitride (GaN) is superior in breakdown voltage and RF performance and is suitable for high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Since wireless communication using millimeter-wave E-band (70–80 GHz) features wide bandwidth and large capacity, this system has been expected to function as backhaul communication. Therefore, we decided to develop E-band GaN HEMTs. The HEMT we aimed to develop required exclusive high frequency compared to that of current products that use mainly micrometer-waves (up to 16 GHz). So we had to remarkably improve RF performance. We chose InAlN as a barrier of GaN HEMTs for high transconductance and developed low capacitance gate process, a key technology of RF performance improvement. To reduce gate capacitance (Cgs), Y-shaped gate process with short gate length of 100 nm was developed. With this process, we have obtained extremely low Cgs of 0.58 pF/mm and the current gain cutoff frequency of 110 GHz and realized high RF performance E-band GaN HEMTs.

A high-output power and broadband GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) has been developed for X-band applications. The device consists of 2-dice of 14.4-milimeter gate periphery together with input and output 2-stage impedance transformers. The device exhibited saturated output power of 310 W with power gain of 10.0 dB over the wide frequency range of 8.5–10.0 GHz, operating at 65 V drain voltage under pulsed condition. In addition, the highest saturated output power reached 333 W with power gain of 10.2 dB at 9.0 GHz. This is the highest output power GaN HEMT ever reported for X-band.

Recent years have seen increases in electronically controlled system equipment and electric current capacity. Therefore the demand for switches capable of handling high current is rising. Mercury reed switches have been used for high-current switch until now. Since mercury is a substance of concern, mercury reed switches have been changed to reed switches in which mercury is not used. However, when a temperature rises largely as energization progresses by Joule heat effect, lead wires lose their ability to carry magnetic flux, and reed switches become less sensitive. Due to these problems, reed switches were not used for high-current switches. We have developed cobalt-nickel-iron alloy wire for high-current switches that demonstrate excellent characteristics similar to the conventional alloy lead wire. The new alloy wire suppresses heating due to energization and has high Curie temperature, i.e. less susceptibility to lose magnetic characteristics. The reed switch using the new alloy wire is expected to be applied to LEDs in automobile stop lamps.

Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices are promising candidates for high power, high speed, and high temperature switches owing to their superior properties. We have been developing SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) and SiC Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) of 3.3-kilovolt class. The fabricated SiC power module successfully reduced switching losses to one-third to that of the conventional Si IGBT module. This paper evaluates the performance of a full SiC module compared to the conventional one.

We have developed an energy management system “sEMSA,” which optimally controls multiple power sources based on mathematical programming in customer premises. sEMSA realizes energy cost minimization by newly developed “optimal planning of power sources” and “real time control.” In addition, this system automatically regulates grid incoming power corresponding to the power company's demand requests. We have completed field tests of sEMSA at Sumitomo Electric Yokohama Works and another company's factory. sEMSA for factory use will be released in 2015.

The increase of urban population in recent years results in increased traffic, whereas the interest in environment and energy issues is growing. With the advantage of transporting a larger number of passengers with lower CO2 emissions and consumption energy than automobiles and aircraft, railways are attracting international attention. Railway systems have been constructed around the world and being extended into cold regions such as European countries and China in recent years. Thus, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. has developed a new air spring for railways designed for cold region transportation. This new air spring successfully operates in very cold environments without sacrificing general properties. The key technology of this new product is the rubber compound formulation technology for diaphragm, which enables operation at a very low temperature with high flexibility.

Car manufacturers have been increasing the use of ultra-high tensile strength steels with strengths exceeding 980 MPa. This is to improve collision safety and reduce vehicle weight, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. Due to their high carbon content, these steels cannot achieve sufficient joining strength when joined using the current resistance spot welding technology. To achieve high joining strength in high-carbon content steels, we focused on the friction spot joining (FSJ) method, a solidphase joining method that employs the frictional heat of the joining tool to soften and ultimately join the sheets through a plastic flow process. FSJ has already been commercialized for the joining of aluminum sheets, but its poor tool life has prevented its application to steel sheet joining. In order to make the FSJ method practically applicable to steel joining, we developed a cemented carbide tool base material with good resistance to breakage, plastic deformation and thermal cracking, a PVD coating that provides hardness and oxidation resistance, as well as a tool geometry. We also determined appropriate joining conditions to reduce tool wear. By integrating all these elements, we have successfully developed an FSJ tool with superior tool life (7,000 spots) for ultra-high tensile strength steel joining.

Laser processing machines are utilized in various industrial applications such as cutting, welding and drilling. To improve their performance and avoid unstable processing caused by reflected laser beam from processed work, a λ/4 waveplate (phase retarder) is required. The phase retardation mirrors (circularly-polarized mirrors) have been used conventionally, but there are severe constraints such as a polarization azimuth angle and an angle of incidence of linearly polarized beam in designing beam delivery systems. We have developed a new transparent ZnSe λ/4 waveplate by adopting prism shaped substrates and optimized optical coating films free from above constraints. The developed waveplate for 9.6-micrometer laser has a transmittance of 98.0% and phase shift of 87.6 degrees, and the practicability of the 400-watt continuous wave CO2 lasers are confirmed. Moreover, it contains no thorium or cadmium, it is exempt from regulations for radioactivity and RoHS. Our newly developed waveplate is expected to be utilized in various fields.

In recent manufacturing processes for fine parts and semiconductor industries, wire electric discharging machining (EDM) is suitable for the precision machining of cemented carbide molds. Against the backdrop of customer request for processed products with higher quality, electrical discharge machining electrode wire has been expected to exhibit higher performance, such as high-speed machining, high precision, and high strength. Sumitomo (SEI) Steel Wire Corp. has developed discharge machining electrode wire “SUMISPARK Gamma.” This electrode wire is coated with the new alloy γ-phase brass on the surface of the steel core. The excellent discharge characteristics and processing condition settings appropriate to the new alloy have achieved high-speed processing and high-accuracy cutting. Furthermore, with one of our core technologies (High-carbon steel wire drawing technologies), we have succeeded in increasing the strength of the steel core. These developments have made it possible to suppress breaking of the electrode wire, increase the wire tension during processing, and suppress the vibration of the wire, thereby allowing precision machining. In this paper, we describe the features and performance of SUMISPARK Gamma.

"The printing market is changing dramatically, and by the year 2020, it is estimated that it will have shrunk by about 3% annually. However the printing and printing related manufacturers are working on the expansion of their market and “Environmental friendly” is regarded as an important keyword. Until now, a large quantity of organic solvents has been used for conventional printing processes. In view of such situation, the Japan Federation of Printing Industries introduced in 2001, the “Green Standard” that compels the printing industry to work on the reduction of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Since 2009, Sumitomo Riko Company Limited has been selling the environmental friendly Water-Wash Flexo Plate that is suitable for solvent-free ink printing in Europe and the United States. Afterwards, we began to improve high quality printing and started marketing “AquaGreen” as the “Water-Wash Flexo Plate and Waste Water Recycling System” for Japan. This Water-Wash system enables us to reduce VOC emissions during the whole process of printing."

Our ballast water treatment system, ECOMARINE, has a unique rotational cleaning (RC) filter for pretreatment followed by treatment with ultra-violet or electrolysis chlorine. The RC filter can remove above 99.999% of large plankton from sea water and make constant flow-rate filtration over 100 hours without differential pressure rises. This paper explains the RC mechanism and the effect of cost-cutting for the system.

The intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT-SOFC) is one of the promising candidates for the clean power supply. In this study, we used the in-situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) measurement techniques to solve the following two problems in the IT-SOFC development. One is to explore highly active fuel electrode catalysts that dominate the SOFC output power. We measured the reduction rate of the catalysts, since it has a strong correlation with the catalyst activity. Using the simple transmission mode XAFS technique, we evaluated Ni-, Co-, and Fe-based catalysts alone without assembling into SOFC. Our systematic exploration found that annealed pure Ni shows higher reduction rate than Ni alloys. The same trend has been confirmed for Co. In contrast, pure Fe has shown a poorer performance compared to Fe-Ni and Fe-Co alloys. The other problem is to investigate how the support by electrolytes, which is necessary in fabricating SOFC, affects the activity of the catalysts. For this purpose, we also used the in-situ XAFS analyses. Our analyses clarified that the support by electrolytes slightly lowers the activity of pure Ni and Co, whereas it increases the activity of pure Fe.