SANY’s Lighthouse Factory in Changsha Leads the Way of Intelligent Manufacturing

In face of the challenges posed by labour shortages and rising construction costs, construction industrialisation and digitalisation become a significant solution. A delegation led by Ir Prof. Thomas Ho, Chairman of CIC, and Ir Albert Cheng, Executive Director of CIC, went to Changsha, Hunan previously to visit SANY's Industrial Park and smart construction sites, etc., to learn about the latest development of areas including automation, digital twin technology and new energy in the Mainland.

Big Data Management Platform

As a leading equipment manufacturing enterprise in the Mainland, SANY specialises in mechanical and heavy truck manufacturing, and has contributed to various important projects in the world. SANY’s piling rig workshop in Beijing, together with the "No.18 Workshop", have both been named as a “Lighthouse Factory” by the World Economic Forum for their leading positions in the application of IoT, big data and A.I. among their counterparts, setting a bar high for global intelligent manufacturing and digitalisation.

Soon after arriving Changsha, the delegation first visited the renowned "No.18 Workshop". As one the largest “Lighthouse Factory” in the world, the workshop covers an area of 100,000 square metres. Underwent large scale upgrading in 2019, the workshop extensively utilised digitalisation, automation and A.I. on the production lines. A large screen is set up in the middle of the workshop, displaying the real time information of the “SANY Equipments’ Data Management Platform”. As introduced by the representative of SANY, the platform links approximately a million of equipment around the world through the IoT sensors, and is capable of showing their locations and conditions, reflecting the construction volume, providing a hint to understand the infrastructure and urban development of different places. Besides, the platform can also show the operating conditions of the production lines of different workshops, and reflects environmental statistics.

Precast Columns

MiC is gaining importance in the Hong Kong construction industry, for its advantages in reducing safety risks and lowering labour demand. The application of the precast modules is also becoming more popular in the Mainland. Delegation visited the Yungu School project, where the “SPCS SANY Construction Industrialisation System” is employed, and precast modules are largely used to replace in-situ bar bending and formwork works. The method has greatly improved the installation efficiency and accuracy, and lowered the overall costs, leading the way of industrialisation of construction.

Electric Vehicles for Green Travel

On the second day of the visit, the delegation visited the SANY Heavy Truck factory in the morning to witness the new era of smart manufacturing. The use of new energy holds a crucial role in promoting sustainable development, and the development of electric vehicles is becoming the trend of the world. SANY manufactures a variety of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, including excavators, construction cranes and mixer trucks, which is favourable in reducing carbon emissions. The factory has implemented large-scale automation and digital twin technologies, resulting in stable production and has significantly improved efficiency and working conditions. Apart from visiting the factory, the delegation also had the opportunity to understand the battery swap processes and test ride these green transportation options firsthand.

The delegation later visited Sany Construction Industrial Park in Miluo, where the “159 Intelligent Construction Solution” is applied, with automation and "unmanned" operations being the main focus. The park includes a factory for precast-wall, showcasing its mature application of the industrialisation of construction. Alongside various equipment, a “Mobile Solid Waste Recycle Machine” is also showcased, which can be used in handling construction wastes, tunnel and road works.

The various digital applications have broadened the horizons of the delegation, and deepened their understanding of the development of intelligent manufacturing in the Mainland. With the extensive application of technologies like IoT, Digital Twin, Big Data Analysis and A.I., “Industrial 4.0” will surely create a tremendous opportunity for different sectors.