RFID technology helps heavy-duty engine factories build smart manufacturing factories

On September 26, 2019, China’s first intelligent manufacturing factory for heavy-duty vehicle engines was put into use. The factory will bring my country’s intelligent manufacturing of heavy-duty truck engines to a new level. By applying IoT technologies such as RFID and DNC, the factory has built three major intelligent manufacturing systems that integrate intelligent production scheduling, intelligent production assurance and intelligent logistics systems to achieve real-time collection of production information, algorithmic decision-making and automatic feedback. At the same time, it successfully developed a binary command platform to integrate various subsystems of intelligent manufacturing to form a solid, comprehensive and feasible intelligent factory management system.

Walking into the assembly workshop of an intelligent manufacturing factory, judging from the layout of the workshop, software and hardware environment, and advanced automation equipment, in terms of intelligent manufacturing level, China's independent brand power has become comparable to Europe and the United States. In the factory's 50,000-square-meter production area for heavy-duty diesel engines, one engine is successfully rolled off the production line every 110 seconds. The per capita annual production of engines is 130. Compared with the beginning of production in 2012, the per capita annual output has increased by 117%. Here, the proportion of flexible equipment has accounted for 67%, the numerical control rate has reached more than 90%, and the automation rate has reached 78%.

The most intuitive feeling in the workshop is that there are not many workers at the work stations in the workshop. Many processes are completed by robots and robot hands, and various intelligent unmanned AGV cars shuttle back and forth carrying crankshafts and other parts. In addition to the use of multiple intelligent unmanned AGV vehicles, an intelligent logistics system with aerial corridors, self-made parts warehouses, and cold test SPS as subsystems has realized fully automatic logistics and distribution of the assembly line.

After three years, the domestic heavy-duty engine intelligent manufacturing factory built three major systems integrating intelligent logistics, intelligent production scheduling, and intelligent production guarantee. The improvement of intelligent manufacturing level has expanded production capacity, optimized product structure, and improved efficiency. The factory's achievements in smart manufacturing: production capacity increased by 52%, manufacturing costs decreased by 20.5%, logistics accuracy increased by 50%, product defective rate decreased by 39.3%, energy consumption per unit output value decreased by 8%, and average annual cost reduction was 21 million Yuan. These data not only effectively improve the market competitiveness of Jiefang trucks, but also allow more Jiefang truck users to spend less money and use engines with better quality and performance.