Digital transformation is not only a technological transformation, but also a cognitive transformation, a transformation of thinking and business models, and a systemic change and innovation involving corporate strategy, organization, operations, talents, etc.

Li Peigen: Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

Digital transformation is not only a technological transformation, but also a cognitive transformation, a transformation of thinking and business models, involving corporate strategy, organization, operations, talents, etc. A systematic change and innovation. Enterprise digital transformation requires the transformation of concepts and consciousness, a good external and internal ecology of the enterprise, and the selection of specific applications and steps based on its own conditions. It also requires the experience and guidance of "lighthouse" enterprises to better embrace digitalization. transformation.

Hu Jianbo: Chief Engineer of China Academy of Information and Communications Technology

Digital transformation uses data as a key element and achieves comprehensive improvements in operational efficiency, innovation capabilities and profitability through systematic changes in production and operation methods, product service models and business models. Industrial Internet is the path and methodology for the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry. It is based on a closed loop of decision-making based on data-driven, mechanism integration and combination of virtual and real. On the one hand, it changes the way of industrial resource allocation and improves operational efficiency. On the other hand, it forms an innovation and enhancement paradigm, bringing new value growth. In the process of the industrial Internet empowering the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry, a number of demonstration factories with active innovation and positive results have emerged, forming a wealth of application cases and path references. We also expect that these practical experiences can empower all walks of life. Effectively promote the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry and the high-quality development of and .

Zheng Hongmeng: CEO of Fii

The epidemic has brought about a great leap forward in the digital economy . The future world is based on ubiquitous digital connections. The new 5G mobile communication network foundation and digital technology will enable the physical world to enter A new digital era. The Industrial Internet improves the quality of the connection between the network and industry and creates a new business model. It is like a digital forest. Using data to plant trees, the trees will take root, the trees will grow stronger, and the forests will become newer and newer every day. Through data collection, data transmission, data middle-end, and data applications, Fii Industrial brings unlimited creative production, mass production, customization, and predictability capabilities to manufacturing companies, and creates a harmonious ecosystem.

Xiong Youjun Executive Director of Guangzhou Institute of Intelligent Innovation and Development

If manufacturing is strong, China will be strong. The "lighthouse effect" generated by specializing in special new to lighthouse factories will drive the transformation of "Made in China" into "Intelligent Manufacturing in China". , which will be an effective way to promote the entire manufacturing industry to achieve high-quality development during transformation and upgrading. At present, the development environment at home and abroad is undergoing profound and extensive changes. A new round of scientific and technological revolution is emerging. Only by adhering to the leadership of innovation, accelerating digital transformation, overcoming "stuck" key technologies, and contributing wisdom and strength to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

1. Why specialize in special new and lighthouse factories, and dominate the lighthouse factory to strangle the throat of Industry 4.0

In 1986, Hermann Simon, then president of the European Marketing Institute, met during an outing. Harvard Business School professor Sidor Levitt, who asked him a question:

"Have you ever considered why Germany's economic aggregate is only a quarter of that of the United States, but its export volume ranks first in the world? "

He Man Simon went back and thought about the problem carefully. He found that it was not large manufacturers such as Siemens and Mercedes-Benz that contributed 80% of Germany's exports, but 3.7 million "small and medium-sized characteristic enterprises."

Industrial Internet and Digital Transformation Xiong Youjun

2. What is specialization, specialization, and specialization, and what is a lighthouse factory?

. Specialization, specialization, specialization, and specialization: specialization, specialization, and specialization enterprises mainly focus on the new generation of information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, and new technologies Materials, biomedicine and other mid-to-high-end industries have high technological content, advanced equipment and technology, complete management systems, and strong market competitiveness.

"Specialized" refers to products with strong specificity, obvious professional characteristics, and strong market expertise that are manufactured through specialized production using special technologies or processes. Its main characteristics are the specialization of product use, the professionalism of production technology, the exclusivity of technology and the professional development advantages of products in market segments.

"Fine" refers to the use of advanced applicable technologies or processes, the establishment of sophisticated and efficient management systems and processes in accordance with the concept of excellence, and the careful design and production of sophisticated products through refined management. Its main features are the sophistication of products, the sophistication of process technology and the refined management of the enterprise.

"Special" refers to products developed and produced using unique processes, technologies, formulas or special raw materials, with regional characteristics or special functions. Its main feature is the specialization of products or services.

"New" refers to high-tech products with independent intellectual property rights that are developed and produced by relying on independent innovation, transformation of scientific and technological achievements, joint innovation, or introduction, digestion, absorption and re-innovation. Its main characteristics are the innovation and advancement of products (technology), high technical content, high added value and significant economic and social benefits.

. Lighthouse factory: With the rise of the fourth industrial revolution , the concept of "lighthouse factory" has been further promoted and attracted more and more attention. The "Lighthouse Factory" is known as "the most advanced factory in the world" and is a demonstrator of "digital manufacturing" and "Globalization 4.0" jointly selected by the World Economic Forum in Davos and McKinsey Consulting.

Xiong Youjun believes that the so-called "lighthouse factories" refer to those leading companies that have been effective in integrating cutting-edge technology applications in the fourth industrial revolution and can serve as global examples. The main judging criteria are manufacturers' achievements in applying Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to improve economic and operational efficiency.

In 2018, the "Lighthouse Factory" network project was officially launched, selecting the most technologically advanced and innovative factories from thousands of manufacturing companies around the world.

Currently, many companies have misunderstandings about industry 4.0. Therefore, the significance of the lighthouse factory is not only an affirmation of the pioneers, but also conveys an important message: value-oriented application promotion. That is, through the "Lighthouse Factory", we can understand which production methods can drive new engines of global economic growth, and discover that using forward-looking thinking to deploy new technologies can push the efficiency of manufacturing to a new level.

For enterprises, being selected as a lighthouse factory means being at the forefront of the world in large-scale adoption of new technologies, and having outstanding and in-depth innovations in business processes, management systems, industrial Internet, data systems, etc., and being able to form rapid A new form that reflects market demand, innovative operating models, and green and sustainable development.

At present, Xiong Youjun found through research that there are a total of 90 "lighthouse factories" in the world, of which 3 are sustainable lighthouses. The number of "lighthouse factories" in China has reached 31, making it the country with the most "lighthouse factories". They are mainly distributed in 3C electronics, home appliances, automobiles, steel, new energy and other industries, of which there are 28 mainland factories. From a vertical perspective, a total of 10 new companies will be added in the two batches in 2020, and a total of 15 new companies will be added in the two batches in 2021. The growth rate is obvious.

AU Optronics ( Taichung )

In order to cope with challenges such as labor shortages, highly customized product requirements and extreme climatic conditions, as well as the challenges of the display panel industry Highly competitive, AU Optronics Radio No. 3 Factory invested in building customized automation capabilities and built a digital analysis and artificial intelligence development platform, which increased production efficiency by 32% and increased the output of advanced products by 60%. At the same time, respectively Water consumption and carbon emissions were reduced by 23% and 20%.

CATL ( Ningde )

In order to cope with increasingly complex manufacturing processes and meet the demand for high-quality products, CATL leveraged technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and edge/cloud computing to achieve the goal of producing every unit within three years. The battery consumes only one part per billion defect rate at a speed of 1.7 seconds, while increasing labor productivity by 75% and reducing annual energy consumption by 10%.

CITIC Dicastal ( Qinhuangdao )

In view of the increasing desire of automotive OEMs to obtain small-volume, high-quality products, CITIC Dicastal has adopted technologies such as flexible automation, artificial intelligence and 5G to create a digital manufacturing system that not only improves It improves production flexibility and reduces manufacturing costs by 33%.

Foxconn (Wuhan)

In order to meet customer requirements, improve the level of customization, and shorten delivery cycles, Foxconn's Wuhan factory has introduced advanced analysis and flexible automation technology on a large scale, redesigned the manufacturing system, and increased direct labor productivity by 86%. Reduced quality loss by 38% and shortened lead time to 48 hours (a 29% reduction).

Foxconn (Zhengzhou)

In order to solve the problems of lack of skilled workers, unstable quality performance and uncertain market demand, Foxconn Zhengzhou adopted flexible automation technology to increase labor productivity by 102%, and used digitalization and artificial intelligence technology to improve quality Defects were reduced by 38% and overall equipment efficiency increased by 27%.

Haier (Tianjin)

In order to meet customer expectations and provide more diversified products, faster delivery and higher quality services, Haier 's new washing machine factory in Tianjin combines 5G, industrial IoT, automation and advanced analytics The combination of technologies has increased product design speed by 50%, reduced quality defects by 26%, and reduced energy consumption per unit product by 18%.

Innolux ( Kaohsiung )

Faced with fierce competition in the panel industry, higher quality requirements from customers and a severe decline in gross profits, Innolux’s No. 8 factory has invested in the use of advanced automation, Internet of Things and advanced analytics technologies , increasing processing capacity by 40% and reducing yield loss by 33%, thereby increasing production capacity of niche products.

Sany (Beijing)

Against the background of increasing market demand and complexity of multi-category and small-volume heavy machinery, Sany Beijing has deployed advanced human-machine collaboration automation technology, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things technology to improve labor productivity By 85%, the production cycle has been shortened by 77%, from the original 30 days to 7 days.

Schneider Electric (Wuxi)

Schneider Electric has a 20-year history in its electronic components factory in Wuxi, China. Today, in order to cope with increasingly frequent production changes and order configuration needs , established a flexible production line, comprehensively adopted fourth industrial revolution technologies such as modular human-machine cooperation workstations and artificial intelligence visual inspection, shortening product time to market by 25%, and used advanced analysis technology to automatically analyze the root causes of problems and detect The abnormal situation in the entire supply chain increased the on-time delivery rate of by 30%.

Unilever (Taicang)

In order to seize the booming business opportunities in e-commerce and large-scale store channels, Unilever Taicang Ice Cream Factory deployed a one-time scanning and one-stop viewing platform to create end-to-end solutions for customers in manufacturing and food processing. It has established a transparent supply chain at the end of the year and created a flexible digital R&D platform based on consumers' digital needs, shortening the innovation cycle by 75% from the original 12 months to 3 months.

"Lighthouse Factory" Xiong Youjun

"Lighthouse Factory" is a demonstration benchmark for "digital manufacturing" and "Globalization 4.0" jointly selected by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey Consulting. It is regarded as the leader of the fourth industrial revolution and represents the digitalization of the world. Manufactured to the highest level.The judging criteria include whether it has all the necessary characteristics of the fourth industrial revolution, including automation, Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), digitalization, big data analysis, 5G and other technologies.

This time Foxconn has two factories selected. In addition to the two previously selected, Foxconn currently has a total of 4 "lighthouse factories" selected, making it the Chinese company with the largest number of "lighthouse factories"; Haier's Tianjin washing machine interconnection factory is this So far, Haier has three factories selected, and the number of "lighthouse factories" is second only to Foxconn.

It is worth mentioning that among the Chinese companies selected as "Lighthouse Factory" this time, Sany Heavy Industry Beijing Pile Machine Factory became the first certified "Lighthouse Factory" in the global heavy industry, which is very important for the digital transformation of China's manufacturing industry. , is undoubtedly a new breakthrough.

At the same time, Xiong Youjun believes that the industrial Internet has become the most solid force supporting the "lighthouse factory". Taking the Sany Pile Machinery Factory as an example, it is reported that after upgrading automation, digitization and intelligence, the Sany Pile Machinery Factory has a total of 8 flexible Work center, 16 intelligent production lines, 375 fully networked production equipment. Based on the tree root interconnection industrial Internet platform, production and manufacturing elements are fully connected, and the entire factory has become an "intelligent body" that deeply integrates the Internet, big data and artificial intelligence.

Haier's three "lighthouse factories" have achieved industry leadership in the three major industries of air conditioning, refrigeration and washing. This achievement is also inseparable from the help of its industrial Internet platform - COSMOPlat. It is understood that Haier Tianjin Washing Machine Interconnected Factory is based on the Kaos COSMOPlat industrial Internet platform and ecological resources to jointly build an ecological platform. It applies 5G, AI, big data and other new Industry 4.0 technologies and deeply integrates the advanced manufacturing technology of the factory to connect users through network devices. Experience and drive rapid iteration of products, supporting users’ multi-scenario experience of washing, care, storage, and purchase.

In addition, Haier's Tianjin washing machine interconnection factory, empowered by COSMOPlat, has achieved rapid research and development based on more accurate identification of user needs, a more flexible mixed-flow production model compatible with pulsators and drums, and more efficient three-layer three-dimensional logistics distribution. system, etc., from providing products to providing users with full-cycle scenario solutions, creating a new model of digital transformation led by scenario ecology.

Xiong Youjun, Hebei Industry and Information Technology Bureau, China

3. If the manufacturing industry is strong, the country will be strong

The manufacturing industry is an important foundation and support for economic development. Recently, the Central Economic Work Conference set the tone for economic work in 2022. The meeting pointed out that it is necessary to enhance the core competitiveness of the manufacturing industry, launch a number of industrial base reconstruction projects, and stimulate the emergence of a large number of "specialized, specialized and innovative" enterprises. In recent years, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has focused on building a gradient cultivation system for high-quality enterprises and strengthening the support and demonstration guidance for the cultivation of specialized, special and new "little giants". Currently, 4,762 national-level specialized, special and new "little giant" enterprises have been cultivated, driving the development of "little giants". There are more than 40,000 provincial-level "specialized, special and new" small and medium-sized enterprises, and 117,000 enterprises are included in the database.

Xiong Youjun, a warehousing expert from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, pointed out after long-term observation of the Chinese economy: Some key indicators that reflect the new momentum of economic development, such as "industrial strategic emerging industries added value growth" and "high-tech manufacturing added value growth", etc., are all Faster than the growth rate of GDP. Behind this, "specialization, specialization and innovation" are indispensable. These companies may not be large in scale, but they are more of the "single champions" or "supporting experts" in the industry, and are even leaders in the world. A diverse and differentiated economic ecology helps China's economic body become stronger, more resilient, and more dynamic.

As demonstrators of "digital manufacturing" and "Globalization 4.0", the corporate factories selected for the "Lighthouse Factory" list have all shown extraordinary leadership in large-scale adoption of new technologies and in the transformation of traditional production methods. , innovative design of the entire value chain, and creation of emerging business models with disruptive potential.

According to a survey by the Guangzhou Smart Innovation Development Research Institute, the gap between leading companies with "lighthouse factories" and other manufacturers is widening.There are many reasons, but the key lies in whether to actively adopt the key technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, including digitization, automation, advanced analytics, virtual reality and augmented reality , which are the "building blocks" of the Industrial Internet. The adoption of a series of new technologies aims to open up the end-to-end value chain, which is also the core value of the "Lighthouse Factory". It has only completed the digital transformation and realized the intelligent operation of production equipment, but it is far from being called a "lighthouse factory". After being empowered by a series of technologies, we can achieve all-round changes in business models, product research and development models, production models, quality management models and consumer services, so that the link forms of the industrial chain can flexibly change with consumer needs. Only in this way can we be called It is the "Lighthouse Factory".

China Shandong CITIC Bureau Xiong Youjun

4. Creating a digital transformation path for China’s manufacturing industry

The 21st century is an era of great opportunities for China. For us, it is a great opportunity to seize the development wave of the times and ride on the wind. The growth of enterprises from one billion to ten billion, and from tens of billions to hundreds of billions, is not only the superposition of size, but also a major breakthrough in strategic management system . Big fish must have the ambition and strategic vision to look into the sea. Although there are no iconic inventions such as steam engines , generators, internal combustion engines as marking points, the industrial process of mankind has undoubtedly come to a new crossroads - the information age, relying on the increasingly mature large-scale Data, Internet of Things, 5G and other technologies, the embrace of industry and digitalization will release geometric levels of energy, and the proposition of intelligent manufacturing has been written into the core strategies of many countries. This is an especially critical step for China. Xiong Youjun believes that although China has become the world's largest manufacturing country and "the world's factory" for 11 consecutive years, some side effects have also emerged under "Made in China" - big but not complete, complete but not excellent, compared with the United States, For manufacturing powerhouses such as Germany and Japan, the neck-stuck problem cannot be ignored; at the same time, with the aging of the population and rising labor costs, the days of relying solely on demographic dividends to achieve rapid growth are gone forever, and the domestic manufacturing industry needs to find new opportunities. engine, industrial upgrading is urgent.

After research, Dr. Xiong Youjun believes that on the one hand, it is the rapid iteration of intelligent manufacturing under the wave of the times, and on the other hand, there are many difficulties on the road to digital transformation. At this time, the industry needs more successful models as a booster and navigator to help more People understand and practice China's "intelligent" manufacturing methods and concepts.

A "small step" for industry and a "big step" for the economy and people's livelihood

Industry is never just a roaring machine and cold numbers. Every small step of industry affects the national economy and people's livelihood and is progress. A big step. Take engineering machinery such as pile drivers, which are widely used in basic projects such as road construction, dock construction, offshore engineering, and building foundation construction. The piles are inserted into the bottom layer and are ultimately closely connected to the ground building frame. They play a supporting role in the ground building and determine whether the house we live in is strong or not. Compared with the new applications and new business formats that are blooming in the development of the consumer Internet, infrastructure is more like a more stable unsung hero, but it has supported the rise of a big country, and the industrial Internet is refreshing the business card of China's infrastructure again and again.

In 2012, General Electric Company (GE) on the other side of the ocean first proposed the concept of industrial Internet, explaining that ""Industrial Internet is to connect people, data and machines", and took the lead in starting industrial change. Industrial Internet The wave quickly swept across the world, and at the national level The development of the industrial Internet has also been included in policy priorities at the national level. For example, in Germany, the more common term is "Industry 4.0"

In China, the industrial Internet is an important part of new infrastructure and has become digital. The necessary path for China's construction.2018-2020 is the three-year initial stage of the development of the Industrial Internet. With the development of 5G, AI and other technologies as the core driving force, coupled with the continued promotion and guidance of macro policies, China’s Industrial Internet has basically completed the process from concept popularization to practice. The development process of rooting begins to sail into deep waters.

In the 14th Five-Year Plan and the 2035 long-term goal outline issued in March this year, "achieving major breakthroughs in key core technologies and entering the forefront of innovative countries" has been regarded as an important goal by 2035. The fifth chapter of the Outline, "Accelerating Digital Development and Building Digital China," clearly states that we must embrace the digital era, activate the potential of data elements, and use digital transformation to drive changes in production methods, lifestyles, and governance methods as a whole. The industrial Internet is one of the key industries of the digital economy.

Xiong Youjun, Tsinghua University, China

According to data released by the "White Paper on the Economic Development of China's Industrial Internet Industry (2021)", in 2020, the added value of my country's industrial Internet industry reached 3.57 trillion yuan, with a nominal growth rate of 11.66%. It is expected that in 2021 , the added value of the industrial Internet industry will reach 4.13 trillion yuan. As a pioneer and leader in digital transformation, Lighthouse Factory Enterprises boldly applies digital technology to optimize business processes, innovate business models, improve agility and implement customer-centric values, strengthen supply chain resilience, improve productivity and production efficiency, and improve the ecology Efficiency drives sustainable development and therefore serves as a paradigm for transformation in the manufacturing industry. When more lighthouses are gathered together, we can take a deeper look at the transformation tendencies that these successful lighthouses have shown invariably under the common needs and pressures of the industry, as well as the focus and value of lighthouse construction. Based on the "lighthouse" characteristics of these different industries, we can finally explore a more universal lighthouse path that is closer to the digital transformation of China's manufacturing industries.

In the deep water area of ​​industrial intelligent manufacturing, everything becomes different. The benefits brought by digital transformation and upgrading to pile driver factories are direct.

The production pace of the "Lighthouse Factory" has been significantly accelerated. The highly flexible production enabled by data has increased the efficiency of core processes such as welding, assembly, and machining in the factory by 130%, 100%, and 68% respectively. The output value has doubled in the same factory area. Fan. Advanced human-machine collaboration, automation, artificial intelligence and industrial Internet technologies have increased labor productivity by 85% and shortened the production cycle from 30 days to 7 days, a reduction of 77%. A rotary drilling rig can now be delivered in just 7 days.

In addition to production efficiency issues, the Lighthouse Factory has contributed solutions to energy conservation and emission reduction in the heavy industry. It is through the connection of devices and real-time monitoring of data that energy consumption can be visualized, making accounting and management possible. Coupled with the energy efficiency of the production and manufacturing process and the energy-saving optimization of equipment, as of 2021, the factory has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 3,977.25 tons, and emissions have dropped by 30.5% year-on-year.

The essence of the first industrial revolution is that steam engines entered the production field, and people learned to use thermal energy to convert into mechanical energy; the second industrial revolution is the advent of the electrical age . The third industrial revolution is no longer an innovation in energy power, but the information age that connects people more closely.

Every industrial revolution brings about a substantial increase in productivity, and new countries stand on the main stage of history. From a backward perspective, today's manufacturing companies may have already stood in the wave of the fourth industrial revolution, and the industrial Internet composed of high-tech technologies such as 5G and AI has become a "new driving force."

China’s digital transformation has grown tenfoldXiong Youjun

5. Empowering digital transformation

According to a study by senior McKinsey experts on China’s “lighthouse factories”, compared with other countries, Chinese manufacturers are more willing to embrace end-to-end full value chain digitization transformation. At the same time, the increasing personalized needs of Chinese users, increasingly fierce brand competition, and booming e-commerce business are also forcing Chinese companies to carry out end-to-end digital transformation.

While creating an "end-to-end intelligent manufacturing" production management method, the strategic significance of the industrial Internet platform in resource allocation and production capacity optimization in intelligent manufacturing cannot be ignored. On the one hand, the platform can integrate the concepts, architecture and technology of , cloud computing, , Internet of Things, and big data into industrial production to provide intelligent services for production and decision-making; on the other hand, the platform is interconnected, and the front end can connect to user needs, and the back end can Connect smart factories to achieve flexible and customized production, and also enable collaborative allocation of global resources.

The effect of reducing resource consumption, waste and carbon emissions, and improving production efficiency and corporate profits through digital transformation in traditional manufacturing has been verified in the "Lighthouse Factory". Take Foxconn as an example. According to official data, Foxconn's Wuhan factory has introduced large-scale Advanced analytics and flexible automation technologies redesign manufacturing systems The system increased direct labor productivity by 86%, reduced quality loss by 38%, and shortened the delivery cycle to 48 hours (shortened by 29%); while Foxconn’s Zhengzhou factory adopted flexible automation technology and increased labor productivity by 102%. %, and used digital and artificial intelligence technologies to reduce quality defects by 38% and increase overall equipment efficiency by 27%.

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology shows that the average R&D intensity of "little giant" companies that specialize in new technologies is 6.4%, and they own an average of nearly 12 invention patents. Specialized and new small and medium-sized enterprises have been deeply involved in market segments for a long time. They have strong innovation strength, high market share and mastery of core technologies. They are at the key link of the industrial chain and supply chain and have important support for strengthening the chain and solving the "stuck neck" problem. effect. However, we have also seen that most "specialized, specialized and innovative" companies are small in scale, have few smart devices, weak management foundation, unclear strategic direction, backward organizational construction, lack of medium and long-term incentives for personnel, and unclear equity. Although they want to grow bigger, they cannot Weakhearted. In 2021, Dr. Xiong Youjun conducted a large number of visits to the Changle area of ​​Shandong, the Xingtai area of ​​Hebei, the Hohhot area of ​​Inner Mongolia, and the Shaoye Keqiao area. In particular, he visited on-site enterprises in the local characteristic papermaking industry, gained in-depth insights into the industry, and found a way to support enterprises. An important path for to be listed on the Beijing Stock Exchange and is to cooperate with local government departments and industry think tanks for long-term support and in-depth empowerment.