On November 21, Yuchai signed a memorandum of understanding with China Academy of Machinery Science & Technology (CAM for short). Both sides will intensify their cooperation in aspects like intelligent manufacturing and green manufacturing during the 13th Five-year Plan period. Previously, Yuchai’s “Digitized Casting Room for Medium and Large Engine Cylinder Blocks” was included in the 2015 National Intelligent Manufacturing Special Project. This is the only selected project in Guangxi, a significant symbol of Yuchai’s transition from “made in Yuchai” to “created in Yuchai.” It also means that Yuchai is going to put a series of achievements into practice: over 20% decrease in operating cost, over 20% increase in production efficiency, over 10% decrease in non-conformity rate, and over 10% increase in energy efficiency.
In fact, that project is not a fresh start for Yuchai. Through intelligentization, digitalization, informatization and networking, Yuchai manages to comprehensively upgrade the existing No. 1 casting production line, No. 3 heavy casting production line, and rapid prototyping workshop. Smart control technologies are applied for all processes including casting, core-making, finishing, and surface defect detection, in a more precise, labor-saving and efficient way.
Robots are fundamental equipment in the field of intelligent manufacturing. Robots have been applied to Yuchai’s automatic casting line as early as in 2004. Now, more than 50 robots are functioning orderly in processes like coring, core assembling, dip-coating, conveying, core setting, and shakeout. Take conveying robots for an example. The positioning deviation of manual core conveying is relatively large, often affecting the accuracy of the next process of molding and core-setting. After robots replace crane-aided manual conveying, efficiency increases by two times as cores are placed to delivering pipes in a labor-saving and precise way.
Yuchai’s large marine engine workshop is responsible for the manufacturing of YC6C and YC12VC series. Some of these hefty products weigh up to seven or eight tons. Three robots are responsible for the carrying and installment of main bearings, the installment of connecting rods and piston pins, and the installment of pistons and rod assemblies, respectively. Not only human labor is saved, but also product quality is ensured and productivity is remarkably enhanced.
In addition to the application of robots, Yuchai also leverages other means like project cooperation and informatization upgrading to constantly fine-tune its manufacturing capacity. In 2013, Yuchai and CAM conducted a joint application of 600,000 Sets/Year Digitized Casting Room for Medium and Large Engine Cylinder Heads project. This project is to undergo acceptance check by the end of the year. And now equipment is at the final stage of installation and debugging. After the competition of this project, Yuchai will become the first engine maker in China to have a digital casting workshop. Next year, Yuchai will popularize MES systems in its workshops to improve its ability of collaborative manufacturing by means of “Internet +” strategy.
Yuchai is actively implementing intelligent manufacturing strategy by fulfilling “Made in China 2025”. According to the plan, from 2011 to 2015, Yuchai will spare no effort in realizing digital manufacturing; from 2015 to 2018, Yuchai will focus on networked manufacturing as its main goal; from 2018 to 2022, Yuchai will gradually realize its goal of intelligent manufacturing,
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