In this interview conducted by TOYO Corporation with Mr. Hirai from Roland DG. It explores how Roland DG, a manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers, printer/cutters, and 3D manufacturing tools, adopted TOYO’s electromagnetic interference (EMI) analysis and countermeasure software, EMINT, to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of its EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) testing operations.
Roland DG places strong emphasis on compliance with global regulations concerning EMC, wireless communication, safety, and environmental standards. Their products, which integrate mechanical and electronic systems, pose unique challenges for EMC testing, particularly when dealing with transient or intermittent noise. Traditional frequency sweep methods used in EMC measurements often fail to capture these short-duration or sporadic emissions, resulting in inefficient testing, inconsistent data, and dependence on the experience and intuition of individual engineers. These difficulties motivated Roland DG to seek more advanced, data-driven tools to streamline their testing and countermeasure development processes.
To address these issues, Roland DG adopted a TOYO testing system combining the PXE EMI receiver, which supports time-domain scanning, with TOYO’s EPX measurement software and the EMINT analysis platform. This system allows engineers to visualize waveforms across a broad frequency range simultaneously rather than sequentially. It provides a clear visual comparison of noise levels before and after countermeasures are applied, significantly improving both efficiency and insight. In one example, the shift from traditional sweep-based measurements to time-domain scanning reduced testing time from approximately fifteen to thirty minutes down to less than five minutes, representing a fivefold improvement in speed.
According to Mr. Hirai, the use of EMINT has already produced tangible results. The software has helped engineers rapidly locate prior measurement data and corresponding notes that led to successful countermeasures, allowing them to address recurring noise issues more efficiently. Although the design department has not yet begun full-scale use of EMINT, the compliance department is actively accumulating data and refining processes. The plan is to gradually expand its use throughout the organization once sufficient data and user familiarity have been established.
Looking ahead, Roland DG envisions leveraging EMINT earlier in the development cycle to identify and prevent EMC issues before they appear in final testing. They also anticipate deeper integration between EMINT and measurement systems like EPX, as well as potential enhancements such as AI-based filtering and prioritization to improve the relevance of search results. Mr. Hirai emphasized the importance of reliable long-term support and technical expertise from TOYO, given that EMC test equipment represents a long-term investment for manufacturers.
In conclusion, the interview highlights how visualization, data management, and reuse of accumulated measurement knowledge can fundamentally transform EMC testing. Through EMINT, Roland DG has not only improved measurement speed and reproducibility but also begun building an institutional memory of countermeasure strategies. This approach aligns with the company’s broader goals of innovation, efficiency, and global regulatory compliance—demonstrating how intelligent tools and visualization can drive continuous improvement in complex engineering environments.
Read the entire interview.
