Chemical plant Industry 3.0, intelligent factory

The foundation of intelligence is information digitization; all data must be converted into data that computers can process. This includes not only process parameters but also information related to logistics, raw materials, products, the supply chain, and equipment management.

Our company is working on the development of intelligent factories; we have just introduced inspection devices that can transmit the data collected during inspections to servers over the network. Managers can monitor this data from their offices at any time. The advantage is convenience, and the system also includes curve analysis functions. Another benefit is that it helps prevent missed inspections by staff

Our factory has a low level of automation, yet we want to achieve intelligence; in my opinion, this is nothing but empty talk with no real value. Although we have DCS systems, the actual level of automation remains low, with a lot of manual operations involved. It should at least reach the 3.0 standard, but I’m not sure how that is determined – it can’t just be based on the presence of PLC and DCS systems, right?

All parameters can be monitored remotely; aside from inspections, only the basic number of workers is required on-site – thus saving on labor costs

Basic measurement data collection, DCS, real-time database, scheduling system, management system – that’s about it; automatic collection of all data is the foundation.

It essentially involves data collection, the creation of a basic database, and the implementation of various monitoring and management functions on that database.

Simple classification: Industrial 1.0 is mechanization, 2.0 is automation, 3.0 is informatization, and 4.0 is intelligence. Industrial 3.0 represents the era of electronic informatization, which began in the 1970s and has continued to this day as an era of informatization. Building on the upgrade to Industry 2.0, electronic and information technologies are widely applied to further significantly increase the degree of automated control in the manufacturing process. Production efficiency, yield rate, division of labor and cooperation, as well as the lifespan of mechanical equipment, have all seen unprecedented improvements. At this stage, factories make extensive use of mechanical equipment that is automatically controlled by real electronic and information technologies such as PCs and PLCs/microcontrollers for production. Since then, machines have been able to gradually replace human labor, taking over not only a significant portion of \"physical labor\" but also some \"mental labor\". The concept of Industry 4.0 was identified as one of the ten future initiatives in Germany’s \"High-Tech Strategy 2020\" in 2013; it has since become a strategic framework aimed at supporting the development and innovation of new, revolutionary technologies in the industrial sector.

In my opinion, at the very least, with MES in place and production data being collected, it can be considered to have some elements of an intelligent factory. In my understanding, intelligent engineering refers to the digitization of the entire factory – from digital delivery during the construction phase, to digital archives that include various design documents, product manuals, and user guides. As mentioned on the second floor, \"logistics, raw materials, products, supply chain, and equipment management information\" are all included within it. In the future, production, procurement, sales, and management should all be based on a common underlying database, with data being extracted and analyzed according to the required functions in order to make various decisions. In the production workshops, the use of various wearable devices, cameras, sensors, etc., facilitates management, and even the use of some industrial robots is employed. In summary, it’s a bit messy. But I think we still have a way to go before we reach smart factories. A complete and rational database, along with good management, is the foundation of an intelligent factory.