The Intelligent Salting Control Optimization System (ISCOS)
The need to reduce salt use in winter maintenance and the aging of operators are major issues in Japan. To address these issues, we’ve developed the Intelligent Salting Control Optimization System, or “ISCOS”.
An acceleration sensor installed in the tire of a patrol vehicle gives real-time data on the road surface conditions. Then, the commander decides whether salting is necessary. When salting is necessary, the proper amount per area can be determined before the spreader is deployed, based on the road surface conditions reported by the patrol vehicle. This means that only the necessary amount of salt needs to be loaded into the tank of the spreader.
And when an automatic spreading machine is installed, the spreader can alternate between spreading and not spreading for each hundred-meter road section.
This reduces the spreading amount, because only as much salt as needed is spread.