The smart factory in the home appliance industry's sheet metal sector offers a solution

Preface

Currently, the wages of operators in the household appliance industry's production workshops are gradually increasing along with economic development, making it an unavoidable part of their product costs. At the same time, the traditional production model using manually operated machine tools, traditional logistics with manual handling between warehouses and equipment, and the traditional management model characterized by opaque production progress and low equipment utilization rates have become painful points in production management that cannot be avoided.

If the existing traditional modes in production factories are not completely transformed, they are bound to lose their competitive edge in the intense arms race in the commercial air conditioning industry. High labor costs, low equipment utilization, challenging production process management, and other pain points in traditional production models have become strong driving forces within the industry to establish smart commercial sheet metal processing factories.

The smart sheet metal factory is not only a significant move to gain the initiative in the competition within the industry but also an opportunity to challenge traditional manufacturing models in the sheet metal processing industry. This, in turn, further promotes technological transformation in the sheet metal processing industry.

One.Solution

Yawei employs an integrated solution in its smart sheet metal factory project to address the persistent issues in the existing production model:

1.Implementing an intelligent sheet metal multi-column storage system in the center of the smart sheet metal factory, replacing the previous distributed warehousing and logistics model. Raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products are stored in the intelligent sheet metal multi-column storage system, which is centrally managed and coordinated by a Warehouse Management System (WMS). Material transport to various equipment and subsequent sheet metal processes is ensured through methods such as AGV (Automated Guided Vehicles) and RGV (Rail Guided Vehicles), ensuring an intelligent, unmanned, efficient, and integrated logistics process.

2.Employing a combined punching and shearing line with automatic loading and unloading, as well as stacking devices, to replace manual operation on turret punch presses. Using a laser cutting machine in conjunction with automatic loading and unloading, as well as sorting devices, to replace traditional material feeding methods. Utilizing Yawei's intelligent bending machine with automatic loading and unloading to replace the previous manual operation on CNC press brakes.

Through automated loading and unloading, stacking, and material transport configurations, materials are automatically processed, and the finished parts are stacked and automatically transported back to the multi-column storage system. This significantly increases the level of automation in the production process, reduces dependency on traditional operators, and achieves a high degree of automation in the production process. Additionally, by transforming sheet metal processes and adopting new processing techniques such as punching, laser cutting, and intelligent bending, product quality and processing efficiency have been greatly improved.

3.Implementing Yawei's intelligent MES (Manufacturing Execution System) to control the production and processing processes, replacing the traditional production management model centered around human intervention. The MES system is integrated with the existing ERP system, receiving production order information from ERP and seamlessly coordinating with intelligent systems such as PDM, CAM software, and WMS. It manages the entire production and processing process in the sheet metal factory, from the issuance of production tasks to process monitoring, production completion reporting, generation of production and processing data reports, and quality system control.

All these production processes are systematically managed by Yawei's intelligent MES, making the work of production managers more systematic and straightforward. It enhances transparency and efficiency in the production management process while simplifying equipment management.

4.Through Yawei's high-level integration of machine production equipment, logistics and warehouse equipment, and intelligent management systems in the smart sheet metal factory, it replaces the previous isolated production information communication model. This ensures that the flow of information within the sheet metal smart factory flows smoothly between sheet metal machine tools, logistics, and management systems. For older equipment in some downstream processes like welding and painting that couldn't interact with information, compatibility has been achieved through methods like spray coding and scanning codes, enabling the sharing of workpiece information throughout the entire production process.

Two.Achieving Benefits

Yawei's smart sheet metal factory project has achieved a comprehensive technological upgrade for its commercial air conditioning production lines. Through the reintegration of the sheet metal factory's logistics system, coupled with a significant increase in the level of automation of its machine equipment, the adoption of an intelligent manufacturing management system, and seamless integration with all sheet metal processing equipment and logistics management systems, the project has achieved several key objectives:

1. The automation and unmanned nature of the production process have significantly reduced the factory's reliance on production personnel, leading to a substantial reduction in the number of employees.
2. By reforming the production processes and enhancing product quality, production efficiency has improved, and the utilization of raw materials has increased.
3. By restructuring the logistics and information flows within the factory and achieving a high level of integration between machine tools, logistics systems, and production management software, production management has become transparent and efficient. This has not only reduced product costs but also significantly shortened the production cycle for products.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has led to a sudden labor shortage, and to this day, many companies are still struggling to fully resume operations. The production situation and product delivery have been a cause for concern for executives across various enterprises. Yawei's smart sheet metal factory has greatly enhanced the competitiveness of the company in the face of challenges such as difficulty in resuming operations and labor shortages, positioning it ahead in the industry's competition.
While the outbreak of the novel coronavirus has been a disaster, it has also provided an opportunity for executives in production-oriented companies to rethink their existing production models in the face of adversity.