Smart manufacturing is a major application of the Internet of Things (IoT), one of the latest technological innovations that experts say are empowering the Fourth Industrial Revolution. And a perfect case in point is Bosch Automotive Diesel System (RBCD) Co. Ltd.'s factory in Wuxi, a German-Chinese joint venture that manufactures high efficiency and low emission diesel engine parts.
"Several years ago there were changes in the Chinese regulations regarding emission control and loading and that resulted in a significant increase in our customer orders, and we have to come across innovative ways to deal with this increase in customer demand," said Stuart Brown, director of Technical Function at RBCD.
By implementing radio-frequency identification-based tool management, embedding sensors to machines and analyzing real-time machine data and inventory, the factory renovated its manufacturing infrastructure and is able to understand and eliminate output losses and predict machine interruptions before they occur.
"Having this data connectivity with our machines allows us to react much more faster, be more agile with regards to changeovers, our maintenance time, our breakdown reactions, and with these technologies, we can get much greater insights in these pain points, and that has allowed us to maintain the output that's required," Brown told CGTN, adding that the challenge for factories to realize such a transformation lies in finding new talents and bringing in new skills such as higher level IT skills and mathematical skills which are normally absent within these factories.
Wang Weiliang, regional president of Bosch Powertrain Solutions China, said it is necessary for factories to participate in the IoT revolution to survive. "We participated in the so-called first industrial revolution, second and third one, and we definitely don't want to lose the race in the fourth one."
The factory was identified as one of nine most advanced factories in the world by the World Economic Forum on September 7, 2018. Five of the leading "lighthouse" factories are in Europe, three in China, and one in the US.
