One Step Forward to Smart Factory: Eaton's Recipe for Success

SHANGHAI, Aug. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Intelligent power management company Eaton is accelerating its digital transformation, by employing digitalization technologies and methodologies to power revenue generation, drive internal productivity, build digital culture and most importantly, build up smart factories. The concept of "Smart Factory" was born in the fourth industrial revolution, where cyber-physical system replaces electronic & IT system automation, bringing about the bridging of the physical and digital world.

When imaging the future of manufacturing, one usually will be picturing a scene where autonomous robots working alongside the production lines, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. To make "Smart Factory" work, we need to make People, Technologies and Process smart first.

Smart People means top-level governance to prioritize and measure value, Industry 4.0 business experts to provide professional guidance, as well as employees and managers equipped with digital skills and mindsets.

Smart Technologies refer to Eaton's industry 4.0 solutions that are based on our advanced operational technologies. These technologies allow the factory to sense information from its manufacturing environment, analyze that information, predict behaviors and eventually control the actions, for higher productivity, better quality and speed to market. Eaton expects a 5-10% increase in factory productivity that could be achieved from Industry 4.0 initiatives.

Here're some examples of how Eaton is using Industry 4.0 technologies:

• Augmented Reality: Due to the pandemic, multiple Eaton APAC factories, such as Changzhou, Suzhou, Pingdingshan, Bao'an plants, chose to conduct remote Gemba Walk (workplace walkthrough) using Microsoft's HoloLens 2 AR Goggles, where leaders from other countries can virtually inspect the manufacturing spaces and provide instant feedback and suggestions for the continuous improvement of operations.
• COBOT ( Collaborative Robots): At Eaton Pyungtek plant (Korea), COBOT, designed to interact with humans in a shared space or work safely in proximity, were used to handle complex and repetitive tasks. This resulted in improved consistency and accuracy during the manufacturing process.
• Additive Manufacturing (also known as 3D printing): This technology was leveraged to expedite processes by designing and producing tools internally on polymer and metal materials, allowing fast reactions (shorter lead times), reduced purchase costs and highly customized solutions.
• Digital Work Instruction: AR Projection Intelligent Guide was used by Eaton Philippines plant, which provided audio and visual prompts, pacing and direction to guide operators through every step of a manual manufacturing process. It majorly eliminated the need for hard copy or monitor-based work instructions, making factory floors smarter, safer and more efficient.

Smart Process requires a pragmatic, integrated and structured approach. Here in Eaton, we set up a 5-step method, including: identify needs by looking at business drivers and problem statements, establish governance to align and prioritize, define critical areas for improvements, select proper Industry 4.0 technologies for integration into model line, and finally scale out model lines to smart factories. 

In APAC, Eaton has deployed 27 I4.0 model lines this year, with plans to set 39 more the next. After converting current lines into model lines, the next phase will be connecting all these lines, enabling the flow of digital data not just within the smart factory itself, but also with customers, suppliers and warehouse, in other words, integrating into the whole value chain. The goal is to make our manufacturing processes more efficient, accurate and sustainable. This notion broadly aligns with Eaton's commitment to securing the best for all customers and delivering more than expected.

About Eaton

Eaton's mission is to improve the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services. Eaton provides sustainable solutions that help its customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical power – more safely, more efficiently, and more reliably. Eaton's 2020 revenues were $17.9 billion, and the company sells products to customers in more than 175 countries. Eaton has approximately 85,000 employees.

Eaton entered the Asia-Pacific market during the 1970s, and has grown significantly since then. Eaton moved its Asia-Pacific headquarters from Hong Kong to Shanghai in 2014. Today, Eaton has nearly 17,000 employees and 34 manufacturing facilities in the Asia-Pacific region.

For more information, visit Eaton.com.