TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Toshiba Corporation and Nippon Denno Co., Ltd. today announced development of an automatic suspension & shutdown system that shuts down semiconductor production equipment in the event of an earthquake. The system has been in operation in Iwate Toshiba Electronics, a Toshiba subsidiary, since February 2013. Toshiba intends to improve the system more and bring it to market.

This system detects the primary wave of earthquakes and on doing so shuts down production equipment within ten seconds before the principal shockwave hits. The system utilizes Toshiba's knowledge of semiconductor fabrication and production equipment and Nippon Denno's automatic operating control technology.

This system can control suspension and shutdown, of up to 20 different items of equipment safely and simultaneously. It reduces the risk of damage resulting from earthquakes and cuts the time and cost required for restoration. For example, the time for restoring lithography equipment can be halved by using the system.

Toshiba will market the system for semiconductor fabs and other industrial facilities, and will continue efforts to improve disaster-resistant operation of fabs, based on know-how gained in responding to the Great East Japan Earthquake.

About Toshiba

Toshiba is a world-leading diversified manufacturer, solutions provider and marketer of advanced electronic and electrical products and systems. Toshiba Group brings innovation and imagination to a wide range of businesses: digital products, including LCD TVs, notebook PCs, retail solutions and MFPs; electronic devices, including semiconductors, storage products and materials; industrial and social infrastructure systems, including power generation systems, smart community solutions, medical systems and escalators & elevators; and home appliances.

Toshiba was founded in 1875, and today operates a global network of more than 550 consolidated companies, with 202,000 employees worldwide and annual sales surpassing 6.1 trillion yen (US$74 billion). Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm