Driven by the wave of digitalization, Zhejiang Province, as a major province in the development of the digital economy, is firmly seizing the opportunities brought by a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation.
Not long ago, at the Hangzhou Innovation Deepening and Scientific and Technological Achievements Transfer and Transformation Preferred Promotion Conference, Hangzhou proposed to further set off a new round of "Daxing science and technology, grasping innovation" upsurge, shaping the development of new advantages with scientific and technological innovation, and developing new quality productivity according to local conditions. So, what is new quality productivity, and how does it take root in the soil of Hangzhou?
A few days ago, in the future factory of Zhongce Rubber high-performance radial tires in Qiantang District, Hangzhou, the reporter found the answer.
Throwing out innovative "stones" in traditional industries
It can stir up a thousand waves in a moment
Walking into this futuristic factory full of science and technology, tens of thousands of sensors collect hundreds of key data in each link in real time, and logistics robots move materials and products in an orderly manner, with an average of one tire coming off the assembly line every 7 seconds. This highly automated and flexible production mode is a vivid embodiment of new quality productivity.
Taking a five-composite intelligent production tread production line as an example, this production line adopts the digital technology of intelligent extrusion, and automatically extrusion and manufacturing through intelligent feedback control, so as to realize the online detection of all treads. This not only saves labor and reduces the requirements for operational skills, but also greatly improves the stability of product quality. "It used to take nearly 450 people to produce 13,000 tires a day, but now only 140 people are needed. Wu Zhenhua, deputy general manager of Zhongce Rubber Hangzhou Haichao Rubber Co., Ltd., said.
In Wu Zhenhua's view, the rubber industry in the past was defined as a labor-intensive traditional manufacturing industry, with the application of a new generation of information technology in recent years, the breakthrough application of revolutionary technology in the industry, and the innovative configuration of more information, digitalization and intelligence on the production factors, Zhongce Rubber has got rid of the shackles of "traditional manufacturing", but tasted the sweetness of "lane change overtaking".
In the molding process, which is a key process in tire manufacturing, new quality productivity is also vividly reflected. "The entire production system and PDM and WMS systems are coordinated on the central control platform to achieve collaborative operation and make all production logistics intelligent. In addition, the application of a large number of digital technologies, such as in-line inspection, has further improved production efficiency and product quality. Wu Zhenhua said.
As one of the first batch of "Future Factory" pilots in Zhejiang Province, Zhongce Rubber has invested nearly 500 million yuan to build a high-performance radial tire future factory, empowering the entire industrial chain of enterprise research, production, supply and sales with digitalization, and realizing a high degree of automation and flexibility in the whole process from order to delivery. At the end of 2021, after the future factory is completed and put into operation, the product development cycle will be shortened by 50%, the product yield rate will be increased by 0.8%, the comprehensive energy utilization rate will be increased by 5%, and the labor production efficiency will be increased by 300%.
The transformation and upgrading journey on the bank of Qiantang
Zhongce Rubber will continue to lead the industry technology wave
Since 1992, Zhongce Rubber Group has been rooted in this land for more than 30 years.
Wu Zhenhua introduced that from the beginning of the construction of the project, Qiantang District has given a lot of help to enterprises. "The government has not only given strong support in terms of funds and policies, but also provided us with opportunities for pilot promotion of the application of a new generation of technology. From the ET industrial brain joint pilot in 2015, to the construction of smart factories in 2019, to the identification of future factories in Zhejiang Province in 2020, and the construction of provincial key industrial IoT platforms in 2023. It is in this context that Zhongce Rubber has been able to continuously explore and make breakthroughs in the field of new technologies.
In the digital exhibition hall of Zhongce Rubber's high-performance radial tire future factory, the reporter saw a variety of digital information systems. For example, design digital twin, equipment digital twin, production digital twin, Zhongce rubber MES system, intelligent quality control system, safety Internet of things system, equipment intelligent online monitoring system, energy management system, etc.
"The innovative consciousness and practice of digital transformation provide new ideas and directions for the development of Zhongce Rubber's future factory. Through continuous technological innovation and application practice, we have reason to believe that the factory of the future will be smarter, more efficient and safer. Wu Zhenhua introduced that the continuous innovation and breakthrough of the future factory in new materials and new formula technology, the application of virtual simulation in the field of research and development, digital rubber mixing, intelligent extrusion, intelligent calendering, variable temperature high-performance vulcanization technology, and high-efficiency GAS-FLUSH flash sulfur technology continue to make breakthroughs to accelerate the cultivation and application of new quality productivity, and promote the continuous transformation and upgrading of enterprises.