Five Modes of Intelligent Manufacturing and Their Requirement

Mode#1: Discrete Manufacturing

1. Digital models should be established in smart factories in terms of general design, procedure and layout and simulation should be carried out. Besides, digital management should be implemented during the whole procedure from planning, manufacturing to operation.

2. Digital 3D design and technology should be applied to carry out product/technology design and simulation. Verification and optimization should be done through physical detection and test. Product Data Management (PDM) should be set up so that product design and technological data will be integrated.

3. Numerical control rate of manufacturing equipment should exceed 70% and information mutual communication and integration should be achieved between key technologies and equipment including top-grade numerically-controlled machine tools and industrial robots, intelligent sensors and control equipment, intelligent detection and assembly equipment, intelligent logistics and storage equipment.

4. Production process data collection and analysis system should be founded to make production process data automatically uploaded including production schedule, field operation, quality detection, equipment status and material transfer with visual management achieved.

5. Manufacturing Execution System (MES) should be established in the factory in order to reach all management functions including planning, dispatch, quality, equipment, manufacturing and energy efficiency. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system should be also established so that enterprise management functions can be achieved including supply chain, logistics and cost.

6. Telecommunication network frame should be set up inside smart factory so as to lead to information mutual communication between all production links including design, technology, manufacturing, detection and logistics and between manufacturing process and MES and ERP.

7. Industrial information security management system and technical protection system should be established featuring information assurance functions such as network guard and emergency response. Functional security protection system should be established and life cycle should be used to effectively stop system from breaking down.

Constant improvement leads to dynamic optimization in closed loop of product’s life cycle in terms of design, technology, manufacturing, management and logistics, and promotes enterprises towards rapid improvement on digital design, equipment intelligence upgrading, technology procedure optimization, lean production, visual management, quality control and traceability, intelligent logistics etc.

Mode#2: Process Intelligent Manufacturing

1. Digital models should be established in factories in terms of general design, procedure and simulation should be carried out. Besides, digital management should be implemented in order to maintain the visualization of manufacturing process data and manufacturing technology optimization.

2. The whole process of manufacturing should be monitored including logistics, energy flow, physical properties and property data collection and monitor system should be established. The automatic data collection rate of manufacturing technology should exceed 90%. All the data concerning raw material, key technologies and finished product inspection should be collected and integrated into application with real-time quality warning added.

3. Advanced control system should be applied and automatic utilization rate should be higher than 90%. In addition, key manufacturing links should take advantage of advanced control and on-line optimization based on model.

4. MES should be established with models built up on manufacturing planning and dispatch so that dynamic traceability can be ensured on production model analysis decision, quantitative process management, cost and quality together with integrated collaborative optimization from raw material to finished product. ERP system should be established and used in order to reach intelligent optimization of enterprise running, management and decision making.

5. When it comes to projects with high security and environment risk, hazardous substances should be let out and sources of danger should be automatically inspected and monitored. Additionally, on-line emergency command linkage system should be founded.

6. Telecommunication network frame should be established in the factory so that information mutual communication can be reached between all links of manufacturing including technology, manufacturing, inspection and logistics and between manufacturing process and data collection together with monitoring system, MES and ERP.

7. Industrial security management system and technical protection system should be established to be able to feature information security protection capabilities such as network protection and emergency protection. Security protection system should be built up and life cycle method should be used to stop the whole system from breaking down.

Constant improvement measures should be made to achieve dynamic optimization of manufacturing process and visualization of manufacturing and management information. As a result, enterprises will make dramatic progress in terms of resource allocation, technical optimization, process control, industrial chain management, energy saving and emission reduction.

Mode#3: Networked Manufacturing

1. Collaborative cloud platform of networked manufacturing resource should be established with optimal system structure and corresponding running rules.

2. Manufacturing resources can be displayed belonging to society, enterprise or department through collaborative cloud platform so that manufacturing resources can be efficiently contacted with demands.

3. Creative resources and design capabilities can be shared, implemented and jointed for the sake of demands from enterprises and departments through collaborative cloud platform.

4. Manufacturing resources can be reasonably distributed and all links and supply chains of manufacturing can be coordinately carried out for enterprises and departments with orders through collaborative cloud platform.

5. Product traceability system should be set up in terms of whole-manufacturing line so that information traceability service can be achieved between enterprises covering all links of manufacturing including manufacturing and maintenance.

6. Industrial security management system and technical protection system should be established to be able to feature information security protection capabilities such as network protection and emergency protection. Security protection system should be built up and life cycle method should be used to stop the whole system from breaking down.

Constant improvement measures should be made to achieve dynamic optimization of manufacturing process and visualization of manufacturing and management information. As a result, enterprises will make dramatic progress in terms of resource allocation, technical optimization, process control, industrial chain management, energy saving and emission reduction.

Mode#4: Mass Customization

1. Products should carry out modular design with individualization products manufactured through differentiated customization parameters.

2. Customization service platform based on Internet should be established and deep interaction with customers can be obtained through customization parameters selection, 3D digital modules, virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR), leading to rapid product customization plan.

3. Customized product database should be established and data technology can be applied to explore and analyze users’ customized demands.

4. Platform should be established through customization to be collaborative with digital manufacturing systems including R&D, PMC, manufacturing, marketing, supply chain management, logistics and after-sale service.

Constant improvement is beneficial to modular design method achievement, customized platform, and gradual optimization of customized product database with completion line covering R&D, manufacturing, marketing, supply chain management and service. In addition, high speed and low cost is able to meet customers’ unique needs with higher capability.

Mode#5: Remote Operation and Maintenance Service

1. Open data interface should be equipped by intelligent devices or products with the application of remote operation and maintenance service, featuring functions of data collection, telecommunication and remote control. With the help of industrial Internet depending on IPv4 and IPv6 technology, data such as equipment status, operation and environment can be collected and uploaded and operation parameters can be adjusted according to teleinstructions.

2. Intelligent device/product remote operation and maintenance service platform should be established, able to effectively filter, summarize, store and administer the data uploaded by device/product and carry out exploration and analysis so that users will be provided with full information concerning operation, maintenance, on-line inspection, predictive maintenance, fault warning, check and modification, operation optimization and remote upgrading.

3. Intelligent device/product remote operation and maintenance platform should share information with PLM, CRM and product R&D management system.

4. Corresponding expert database and expert inquire system should be established on intelligent device/product remote operation and maintenance service platform, which provides intelligent decision support on telediagnosis for intelligent device/product and offers operation and maintenance solutions to users.

5. Information security management system should be established featuring information security protection capability. As a result, as a highly-effective and safe intelligent service system is established, the given information is capable of forming real-time and effective contact with products, which will dramatically improve the integration level of embedded system, mobile Internet, big data analysis and intelligent decision support system.

Helpful Resources:
• What is Intelligent Manufacturing And How You Can Benefit from Intelligent Manufacturing Technology of PCB Manufacturers?
• Full Feature PCB Fabrication Services
• Advanced PCB Assembly Service
• Electronics Manufacturing Services from co-designing and co-engineering, Prototyping, Electronics Manufacturing and Assembly, Box Build, System Integration, Supply Chain Management to NPI