“Internet + manufacturing” comprehensive inventory and combing!

Internet+manufacturing: operation plans of Bosch+Siemens, GE, Mitsubishi, Google, Amazon] This is a comprehensive invenry of “Internet + manufacturing”, which compares the version of “Internet + manufacturing” led by Internet companies ( I version), another “Internet + Manufacturing” version (M version) operation plan dominated by traditional manufacturing companies…very comprehensive content, e-works recommends learning.

The State Council recently issued the “Made in China 2025” strategic plan, pushing “Internet + manufacturing”  the forefront of public opinion. After years of development, my country has now formed a relatively complete manufacturing system. The domestic market is huge and the demand for advanced manufacturing products has exploded. This is where my country’s advantage in developing a new generation of manufacturing lies.

It should be noted that, compared with leading manufacturing countries such as Germany, the United States, and Japan, domestic manufacturing companies generally have technical shortcomings. They are still in line with the world’s advanced level in key component R&D and industrial-level system software development. There is a big gap. In addition, the overall economic structure of our country is also different from these countries. The number of labor-intensive enterprises, small, medium and micro enterprises is large, the proportion is high, and the degree of informatization is low. While vigorously developing advanced manufacturing, how  ensure that these enterprises successfully access the “net” Score is a question that relevant departments need  consider in the policy making process.

The current discussion on how  integrate the Internet with traditional industrial manufacturing presents a dual-center structure. One center is at the front end of the plus sign, that is, the “Internet + manufacturing” version led by Internet companies (hereinafter referred  as the I version, or Internet version); the other center is at the back end of the plus sign, that is, the “Internet + manufacturing” version dominated by traditional manufacturing companies. “Internet + Manufacturing” version (hereinafter referred  as M version, namely Manufacturing version). The representatives of the M version, such as Germany’s “Industry 4.0”, are hotly discussed in China, while the discussion on the I version is relatively quiet. In fact, compared with the M version, the I version requires less investment, more applicable production scenarios, and more flexible operation. It is naturally suitable for small, medium and micro enterprises and entrepreneurial enterprises. It has also been used by many large advanced manufacturing companies, and the cost saving effect is obvious.

More importantly, in the era of mobile internet, Chinese companies have achieved “zero time difference” with foreign companies, that is, domestic internet companies can already compete with international advanced internet companies in terms of scale, technology, and application. Therefore, it is possible  use Version I as a template  promote “Internet + Manufacturing”. This is not inconsistent with starting from the M version. The two can go hand in hand  serve different types of manufacturing companies and jointly promote the realization of the grand blueprint for Made in China 2025.

This article first discusses the M version, which is leading the trend in the center of public opinion, and then discusses the I version that has received relatively little attention. Finally, based on the summary of the two versions, combined with China’s actual situation, explore the possible path of China’s “Internet + manufacturing”.

Most of the protagonists of the M version come from developed countries with strong industrial foundations. Such as the official version of Germany’s “Industry 4.0” strategy, the semi-official version of Bosch’s “Huilian Manufacturing” solution and Siemens’ “Digital Facry” solution, the Industrial Internet and Hyun Facry of GE in the United States, and the [email protected] solution of Mitsubishi Electric in Japan. Below we summarize and sort out the more representative M version plans one by one, and refine the common facrs of the M version.

1. German government version “Industry 4.0”

“Industry 4.0” appeared in the newspapers for the first time at the Hanover Fair in April 2011. In April 2013, the final work report of the “Industry 4.0” working group was released, officially defining the application of the Internet of Things in the manufacturing industry as the fourth industrial revolution.

The future manufacturing scenario described in the report is like this: machines, warehousing systems, and other production equipment distributed around the world are integrated through CPS, and landed on smart machines, srage systems, and srage systems that can exchange information, trigger operations, and independently control. In the so-called “smart facry” composed of production facilities. Smart facries are interconnected with vertical upstream and downstream suppliers, logistics sales networks, and other horizontal smart facries in real time  implement end–end digital integration of the entire value chain project. Smart products are affixed with a unique identification chip, which records all hisrical information, real-time status information, and possible manufacturing paths, and walks through the smart facry  complete the process from raw materials  finished products. The main ideas of “Industry 4.0” include horizontal integration of value networks, end–end digital integration of whole value chain projects, and vertically integrated networked manufacturing systems:

According  the “Industry 4.0” group, the application of the Internet of Things in industrial manufacturing has just started. The IoT-based manufacturing scenarios such as smart facries and smart products described above have been more or less reflected in the advanced manufacturing solutions developed in recent years.

2. Bosch’s “Intelligent Connected Manufacturing solutions” (Intelligent Connected Manufacturing solutions)

Bosch (Robert Bosch GmH) was established in 1886 and is one of the world’s largest au parts suppliers, headquartered in Gerlingen, Germany. The pressure, power, and control systems provided by Bosch Rexroth, an industrial technology group under Bosch, are widely used in heavy industrial enterprises ranging from transportation  mining. Bosch is the main member of the German government’s “Industry 4.0” working group and one of the co-chairs. Bosch recently launched the “Bosch IOT Suite” (Bosch IOT Suite), which can be seen as the cornersne of Bosch’s IoT application strategy.

Specific  the manufacturing industry, Bosch’s main concept is the “Huilian Manufacturing” solution, and the core of the solution is the manufacturing-logistics software platform, which serves as the software foundation for local (on-prem) and cloud, and cloudification and integration of the entire production process. Reinvent. The plan consists of three parts, one is Process Quality Manager, the other is Remote Service Manager, and the third is Predictive maintenance.
Process quality management: real-time moniring of all workshops, assembly lines, work areas, machinery and equipment during the entire production process; the operation interface visualizes the performance indicars and lerances of each link, and provides early warning of possible fluctuations. The staff can intuitively feel whether the whole process is smooth and correct the abnormal production links as soon as possible.

Remote Service Management: This system allows machine manufacturers  control products remotely, helping cusmers solve problems encountered in machine assembly and use. For example, Bosch staff can perform functional testing, parameter setting, data access, error troubleshooting, and troubleshooting of equipment in other corners of the world in the office. Significantly reduce the workload of equipment delivery, installation, and after-sales maintenance.

Predictive maintenance: Based on the Bosch Internet of Things package, manufacturers can grasp the working status of the product in real time through the sensors installed on the product, and make accurate predictions for possible maintenance and repair, reducing the number of user shutdowns for maintenance.

It can be seen that process quality management has already possessed the basic elements of smart facries such as real-time interconnection of information in the facry; remote service management and predictive maintenance are all based on the extension of the value chain generated by the Internet of Things. In this sense, Bosch’s Huilian Manufacturing already has some key foundations of “Industry 4.0”, and its future development is worthy of attention.

3. Siemens Digital Facry Solution (Digital Facry Solution)

Siemens (Siemens AG) was founded in 1847 and is one of the largest industrial groups in Europe, headquartered in Berlin and Munich, Germany. The company started with the telegraph business and set up the first long-distance telephone line in Europe. Hisrically, it has produced radios, TVs, washing machines and other home appliances; it has also produced semiconducrs, mobile phones, electron microscopes, and medical equipment; it has built dams, railways, and wind farms. ; Received large orders for defense products. The hisry of a company can almost be regarded as a mini version of the hisry of the industrial revolution. At present, Siemens is the vanguard of German industrial aumation and an important participant and promoter of “Industry 4.0”. Siemens has its own set of blueprints and realization path ideas and methodology for the future manufacturing industry. It is believed that software, data, and connection create the so-called digital facry, which is the landing scene of the combination of the Internet and traditional manufacturing in the future.
In order  achieve this goal, Siemens acquired PLM software vendor UGS for US$3.2 billion in 2006. UGS’ software ammunition library includes online design software platform NX, which has a series of design software such as CAD and CAM built-in. It also includes the digital production process planning software Tecnomatix, and the leading cPDM solution Teamcenter on the market. Based on Teamcenter, Siemens will graft the UGS ammunition library on its own industrial aumated production system Simatic  form a relatively complete manufacturing solution. After the integration, the Siemens digital facry blueprint has begun  take shape. Its core is Teamcenter, a cooperation platform based on data sharing. On the platform, producers, users, and suppliers jointly form a “digital facry”, through the three-in-one software system platform of PLM, MES, and TIA, communicate in real time  achieve full-cycle management of products from R&D and design  after-sales service.

The workflow of the “digital facry” can be roughly described as follows. Through the PLM front-end NX software, design products gether with users, and at the same time call the component module information of the manufacturing line from TIA  simulate the production process. The simulation information of the manufacturing process is fed back  the design link in real time for mutual adjustment and adaptation. After the simulation is correct, the product design and manufacturing process plan is transferred  the processing base, and the MES realizes the whole process of construction of production facilities, modification of production lines, product production, offline, and distribution  users.

The idea of ​​a digital facry has been applied in the aumated manufacturing process of some high-end aumotive industries. For example, the cusmization of Maserati Buiglie.

The digital facry can be regarded as a partial realization of the second concept of “Industry 4.0” and the end–end digital integration of the entire value chain project: from the “end” of product design  the “end” of product delivery, the digital simulation platform Complete detailed planning on the site. Corresponding  the products that go through the process in the facry in reality, it is an identical virtual product shared by the digital simulation platform in the cloud. The specific execution system in the facry can be reconstructed  a certain extent according  the requirements of the digital simulation platform.

Not only that, in order  cooperate with its own industrial aumation products, Siemens launched an APP “Siemens Industry Support Center”. But this App currently only contains more than 5000 various manuals, operating instructions, and answers  more than 60,000 frequently asked questions from Siemens.

Figure 7 “Siemens Industry Support Center” interface

4. GE’s brilliant facry

GE’s Hyun Facry is a product of the combination of Industrial Internet and advanced manufacturing. Use a digital thread  open up design, process, manufacturing, supply chain, distribution channels, after-sales service, and form a cohesive and coherent intelligent system.
In the 2014 annual report, GE described the Industrial Internet as “big iron + big data = big outcomes” (big iron + big data = big outcomes). The big iron block refers  industrial machinery and equipment such as turbines, engines, fans, and train locomotives. Big data is cloud-based analytics. On the whole, GE’s Industrial Internet is very similar  CPS in Industry 4.0, emphasizing that the boundaries between the digital world and the real world have become blurred, and between iron blocks loaded with various sensors, between iron blocks and people, real-time through the Internet Exchange information. As a result, the iron nuggets become predictable, reactive, and socialized.

Advanced manufacturing, including 3D printing, innovative material technology and other modules. Industrial 3D printing, or additive manufacturing (additive manfuacturing),  a large extent realizes what you see is what you get in industrial design. The application scenarios of 3D printing are largely limited by material technology. In conjunction with the development of innovative material technology, advanced manufacturing technology has quickly turned many unprecedented parts designs in protypes.

Figure 8 Schematic diagram of GE Hyun facry

On February 14, 2015, GE opened the Hyun Facry in Pune, India. Different from traditional large-scale industrial manufacturing plants, this plant has super flexibility and can process and produce aircraft engines, fans, water treatment equipment, and diesel locomotive components in the same plant according  the needs of GE in different regions of the world. And other seemingly irrelevant products. In theory, this flexibility will greatly improve GE Pune’s production efficiency: by analyzing the data fed back from the cloud in real time from the world, Xuan Facry will allocate manpower and equipment resources  each production line on its own, reducing equipment idle time and improving The response speed of market demand feedback.
Although GE is often regarded as a representative of American industry, independent of Germany’s “Industry 4.0” system, it is not difficult  see the similarities between the two. The data link running through the Xuan facry is similar  Siemens’ PLM platform; the data returned by the product is used for after-sales value-added services, which is the same as the “predictive maintenance” in the manufacturing of Bosch Huilian.

And GE’s ambitions don’t sp there. As the birthplace of the Internet, the United States obviously has more ideas about the Internet of Things itself. GE Software launched the Predix™ software platform supporting the Industrial Internet  provide a unified software standard for various large iron blocks, hoping  make it in a basic operating system, the Android of the Industrial Internet. But unlike Android, Predix® encourages all secrs  invest in related industrial Internet apps, but the system is not open source and requires a license from GE. In December 2014, Japan’s Softbank and GE signed a revenue sharing agreement, becoming the first certified developer of PredixTM.

5. Mitsubishi Electric’s [email protected]

Mitsubishi Electric is one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrial aumation equipment. The company was independent from Mitsubishi Shipbuilding (now Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) in 1921 and is headquartered in kyo, Japan.
[email protected] is an overall solution launched by Mitsubishi Electric for the manufacturing industry. The structure of this solution is very much like a “sandwich”: the botm layer is the hardware, the p layer is the software, and the man-machine interface is sandwiched in between. The hardware layer consists of two parts, the power distribution and transmission system, and the production equipment system; the sandwich layer is composed of information and communication product groups; the software layer is mainly enterprise-level information systems such as ERP and MES.

Ethernet (Ethernet) runs through the entire “sandwich”: At the production site, equipment and power distribution systems are connected  Ethernet through the so-called iQ platform, and the operating status of the equipment is reflected in real-time on the visual human-computer interaction page of the sandwich layer, and the data is fed back in real time. The enterprise-level information system at the upper level facilitates the decision-making level  timely adjust the internal production layout of the enterprise and the external supply chain management of the enterprise.

Figure 9 Schematic diagram of [email protected] overall solution

There are quite a few elements in 　　[email protected] that coincide with “Industry 4.0”. For example, the Ethernet that runs through the production scene is like Siemens’ PLM or the data link of GE Xuan Facry; the underlying hardware system is modularized, and can be changed  a certain extent according  different products and different processes.

In addition, in order  expand the influence of [email protected], Mitsubishi Electric also adopted a very Japanese-style “hen with chicks” strategy, and formed an [email protected] alliance with more than 20 companies  jointly develop this advanced manufacturing platform. The alliance members mainly include sensors, industrial FRID manufacturers such as Balluff, Schaeffler, and software integration developers such as Delta Computer System, MDT Software, etc. Mitsubishi Electric complements the advantages of these member companies. Mitsubishi focuses on the part of industrial aumation that it is good at. Other alliance members provide hardware and software platforms for networked communication  help Mitsubishi users better cusmize their choices according  their needs.

6.M version of the program summary

M version of the program is based on the production environment and technical environment of large-scale advanced manufacturing enterprises, superimposed on some intersecting Internet-related concepts with relatively fuzzy boundaries, such as the Internet of Things, cloud/big data, CPS, etc. The substantive content still revolves around hardware intelligence, software integration, and industrial aumation. Starting from the technological advantages of the manufacturing enterprises themselves, the realization of Internet + manufacturing is realized. The manufacturing scene in the facry is at the center of the plan, the corporate intranet is included on the periphery, the public Internet is at the edge, and the services provided by external Internet companies are optional.

The M version of the program has a strong industrial manufacturing background. The German version (Industry 4.0, Huilian Manufacturing, Digital Facry) is based on the aumotive industry; the American version (Xuan Facry) is based on high-end equipment manufacturing such as aircraft engines and internal combustion engines. Manufacturing scenarios; Japan ([email protected]) uses semiconducr and aumotive industries as the base manufacturing scenarios. It presents the characteristics of high technology and investment thresholds, a closed system, and a centralization drive.

Two high thresholds: The M version of the solution integrates the world’s p manufacturing technologies, such as industrial aumation systems (robots), industrial-grade additive manufacturing, innovative material technology, etc. The core parts of these proprietary technologies are mostly mastered in a few industries In the hands of leading large-scale industrial enterprises, the technical threshold is high; the landing scenarios of the M version of the solution, that is, various smart facries, are expensive  build, such as GE’s Pune Xuan facry, which has an investment of 200 million US dollars.

Closed system: Although the M version of the program mentions the role of the Internet, cloud, and big data, the Internet emphasizes the changes brought by new technologies such as near field communication (RFID) and sensors  the underlying Internet connection objects; cloud, most of It is a private cloud used for internal communication within an enterprise; big data is often internal data collected by an enterprise, mainly data on the operation of things, and less data on human activities.

Center-driven: The promotion of the M version of the program presents the characteristics of centralization. Whether it is Bosch’s Huilian Manufacturing, Siemens’ Digital Facry, GE’s Hyun Facry, or Mitsubishi Electric’s [email protected], the dominant position of core companies in these solutions is unquestionable. Although the German government’s “Industry 4.0” program mentioned the decentralized and networked production organization structure, and the manufacturing process is completed by multiple different companies, at least from the current progress, unless the threshold is doubled and the closed system is broken , Otherwise the decentralized networked production organization will stay on paper and verbal for a long time, and it will not be able  get off the ground.

The actual situation is also true. The biggest user of the M version of the solution is often the proponent himself: Mitsubishi Electric’s [email protected] solution was implemented in its own Nagoya Works in 2012, and Siemens Digital Facry was implemented in its own Chengdu facry and GE Xuan facry in 2013. Landed in its own Pune facry in 2015. In this sense, the M version of the program is just a “giant’s game.” In such programs, the speed of innovation does not seem  be significantly accelerated due  the addition of Internet facrs, and it is still advancing in an unhurried and gradual manner in accordance with the original pace of industrial enterprises.

The protagonist of the 　　I version comes from the Internet industry. Compared with traditional industrial manufacturing, the Internet industry is still very young; compared with industrial manufacturing giants, Internet companies are relatively immature. The I version of “Internet + Manufacturing” therefore appears  be less ambitious, and the core companies of the I version do not have the domineering arrogance of whoever I give up. They advocate that the companies on both sides of the plus sign give play  their respective advantages: the production scene is still handed over. For traditional manufacturing companies, all that is left is  move other manufacturing links associated with production scenarios  the cloud and hand them over  the enterprise-level Internet services provided by Internet companies.

7. Google’s “Google for work”

Google for work (hereinafter referred  as GFW) launched by Google is a series of cloud-based enterprise-level service packages, including work applications, cloud platforms, work browsers, work maps, and work search. It can be said that Google provides a complete set of “Internet +” solutions for enterprises in traditional industries, including email, video conference, file processing, sharing/sring in work scenarios, and back-end services such as cloud srage, computing, and API. Development, as well as packaged Internet value-added services such as search, maps and so on.

These complete solutions play a prominent role in saving IT costs and improving operational efficiency. In fact, both Siemens and GE are Google’s cusmers and use one or more Internet service packages in GFW.

Figure 10 Google for work solution

Aiming at the manufacturing industry, Google put forward the so-called “Be a connected manufacturer” slogan, using its own products  help manufacturers establish a fast multi-level communication network

Figure 11 “Being a maker of networking”

At present, GFW is still focusing on the online part. There are few hardware products in the package, and it is not the main appeal of GFW. However, in the past two years, Google is stepping up its layout in terms of hardware, especially robot-related products. Although from the current point of view, these investments seem  have nothing  do with the manufacturing industry, but these robots have outstanding advantages in sensors and software integration, which coincides with the current development direction of intelligent production scenarios in “Industry 4.0”.

8. Amazon’s “Amazon Web Services”

Amazon’s Amazon Web Services (hereinafter referred  as AWS) was launched in 2006  provide enterprises with IT infrastructure services such as cloud computing. AWS packages include Amazon Elastic Computing Cloud (Amazon EC2), Amazon Simple Srage Service (Amazon S3), Amazon SimpleDB (Amazon SimpleDB), Amazon Simple Queue Service (Amazon Simple Queue Service), Amazon CloudFront, etc.

Figure 12 Amazon Web Services

Domestic OnePlus uses AWS cloud service. In the overseas flash sale of the mall, the technical team of OnePlus used 3 Amazon EC2 instances  build a web server, a static resource server and a database. Then combined with the platform services provided by AWS  optimize the system architecture and performance, such as using Amazon CloudFront  distribute static resources, and using Elastic Load Balancing (ELB)  provide load balancing for web servers.

The entire project ok a tal of two days from deployment  launch. After the platform officially carries the business, the peak flash sale can be distributed  the back-end Amazon EC2 instance, ensuring the user experience and smoothly supporting high traffic. At present, Yijia Technology has migrated all overseas shopping malls  the AWS platform, and its own operation and maintenance personnel do not need  bother  pay attention  back-end issues and focus on core business.

9. Microsoft’s enterprise services

As early as 1999, Microsoft introduced Windows Embedded, an embedded operating system suitable for non-PC devices such as set-p boxes and POS machines. The hardware using this system can be seamlessly integrated with deskp applications, greatly reducing time  market. Later, with the continuous upgrade of Windows, Windows Embedded continued  release new versions, with a wider range of applicable hardware and increasingly powerful functions.

Figure 13 Windows Embedded product portfolio

Microsoft’s recently launched Azure cloud platform and Windows 10 Internet of Things version, even more effort in cross-hardware versatility, the slogan is “Microsoft Everywhere”. Azure provides solutions for cross-platform data collection. Although various hardware platforms use different data formats, they can be interconnected through the front-end Windows 10 IoT version and the cloud Azure platform, allowing machines with different data formats  “talk  each other.” “.

On this basis, Microsoft combines its own office series of enterprise-level office software with remote cloud srage and cloud computing  create a unique enterprise-level application ecosystem. In the manufacturing scenario, companies can directly build the software control system of their production machines on Azure and Windows 10 Internet of Things version  achieve intelligent production based on Windows software control.

In the process of designing the Chrysler Jeep Wrangler car body production line, KUKA Systems Group used Microsoft’s Windows Embedded software and SQL server  build a control platform in the cloud, which greatly improved production efficiency and flexibility. This system is not only the same as the M version, with the ability  adjust the production scale and process according  cusmer feedback, but also provides a special advantage, that is, because the human-machine interface adopts the familiar Windows, it greatly reduces the number of new employees. Training time. At the 2015 Hannover Exhibition just held, Microsoft and KUKA demonstrated a jointly developed IoT robot that can discover problems on its own and proactively notify relevant staff  make changes and repairs.

Figure 14 “Microsoft Everywhere”

10.I version of the program summary:

I version of the representative companies have their own characteristics in the process of integration with the manufacturing industry, and the degree of integration is also different. Amazon still sticks  its own one-acre three-quarter land as a cloud service provider, helping companies provide a package of Internet solutions. Google has accumulated power on industrial aumation infrastructure such as robots, and there is a lot of room for imagination in the future. Microsoft has gone further, relying on its advantages in system software, forming alliances with traditional industrial aumation companies, and directly entering the core manufacturing links on the floor of the workshop. It can be seen that there are two characteristics of the I version of the plan, one is “open cooperation”, and the other is “rich and thrifty by people.”

Open cooperation: The I version of the program does not have the momentum of the M version. It emphasizes cooperation with traditional manufacturing companies  help the latter better adapt  the Internet and use the Internet. Whether it is Amazon, Google, or Microsoft, they are all providing services around the actual needs of manufacturing companies. Cooperation with traditional manufacturing companies is the common point of version I.