Exhibition Report: Automotive World 2025 Tokyo

At the center of the booth, we reproduced a treatment process using Openair-Plasma^® integrated with a 6-axis collaborative robot in a format modeled on an actual production line. The applications shown included aluminum trays used in EV and automotive battery systems, as well as sealing surfaces on cylinder blocks and other engine-related components. These are areas where highly reliable bonding is increasingly required as vehicles become more electrified and functionally advanced.

We also introduced examples of pretreatment for protective coatings on printed circuit boards, highlighting that this surface modification technology can also be applied to semiconductors and electronic components that are sensitive to electrical potential.

One of the key features of Openair-Plasma^® is that it does not generate ozone, allowing processing to be carried out safely even in an open, uncovered environment. Unlike conventional surface treatment methods, this makes continuous inline processing at atmospheric pressure possible while supporting both higher production efficiency and reduced environmental impact. These advantages attracted strong interest from many visitors.

In the live demonstrations using actual equipment, we treated a range of materials including plastics, metals, and glass. Visitors were able to see not only the versatility of the technology across different substrates, but also the significant changes in wettability and adhesion before and after treatment. We also heard comments such as, “It is rare to see an exhibit that demonstrates the effects of plasma treatment so directly,” and “It made it much easier to imagine actual implementation in production.”

Through these live and visual demonstrations, visitors gained a more concrete understanding of the key benefits of Openair-Plasma^®, including safety, treatment speed, surface modification performance, and suitability for inline integration.

At this exhibition, we also introduced an oxidation-reduction treatment process at atmospheric pressure as a new surface treatment technology that can serve as an alternative to flux or formic acid conventionally used for oxide removal. This technology uses Openair-Plasma^® to generate plasma from a nitrogen-hydrogen mixed gas, reducing oxide films on surfaces such as oxidized copper while also activating the metal surface. Unlike conventional hydrogen reduction processes, it uses a low concentration of hydrogen, making it easier to handle and highly safe.

In the demonstration, this reduction process was applied to copper tape and copper lands on printed circuit boards. Visitors were able to observe the visible color change as the oxide film was reduced, as well as the ability to perform soldering without flux after the reduction process. Unlike conventional wet processes, this is a dry process carried out at atmospheric pressure, making it suitable for simpler equipment configurations and inline integration. As a new option that can improve workplace safety and process efficiency, it attracted strong interest from visitors.

This technology drew particular attention for high-reliability applications such as power device assembly and semiconductor module manufacturing, where it can eliminate the risk of flux residue and air gaps as a new pretreatment technology prior to joining. Many visitors described it as a highly innovative technology.