Environmental Report
Environmental Conservation Measures
through Product Design
- Development of Lead-Free Products
- VOC Reduction
- Green Procurement
- Control of Chemical Substances
- Product Size and Weight
Product Size and Weight
Alpine produces equipment to be used in automobiles and other vehicles, and weight is a critical component of fuel consumption. To save customers fuel by weight saving products, we are working on reducing the size and weight of our products.
■Products
In addition to the sound quality, design, and durability that have been highly regarded, our development efforts are targeting compact products with a lower environmental load. During 2006, we realized weight saving in mechanisms, exteriors, and parts by using advanced technology such as heat simulation for developing highly efficiency heat radiation and simulation using digital manufacturing.
＜Example＞For amplifier, we have attained weight saving of over 10% above conventional products. We are working on good design and development of highly efficient heat radiation. 
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■Crating and Packing Materials
Reducing crating and packing materials effectively reduces waste and CO2 emissions by improving transport vehicle loading efficiency. In this way, Alpine is positively promoting such reductions. Alpine is also paying attention to the materials used by introducing soft cardboard with a relatively smaller environmental burden.
Reducing product size has reduced the size of packaging material (right).
Developing “Powerful but Lightweight” Products
In implementing our “light” – less weight, less waste – environmental policy, we are reducing the size and weight of exterior amplifier parts. In-size and weight-saving in amplifier products, whose performance is increasing yearly, our greatest challenge has been to develop products that are compact yet have outstanding heat radiation performance. During fiscal 2006, we focused on developing highly efficient heat radiation by maximizing heat simulation technology to minimize volume increases in heat sinks. A number of products reflecting the results of our efforts are to be launched in 2007.
M. Sato
Structural Product Development
