Make small and medium-sized enterprises the mainstay of intelligent manufacturing

          Intelligent manufacturing is the main direction of China's digital transformation and the main embodiment of the implementation of digital economy strategy at the manufacturing level. As a means of integrating the new generation of information technology with the manufacturing industry, enterprises have implemented intelligent manufacturing in modules such as design, manufacturing, logistics, operation, and service, achieving changes in production methods, improving management and operational efficiency, and reducing production and logistics costs.

 

           At the same time, in the entire lifecycle of the product process, massive amounts of heterogeneous data from multiple sources such as images, text, numbers, and videos are collected, stored, and connected, It enriches the development foundation of the digital economy and provides a key link for data-driven socio-economic transformation.

            During the 13th Five Year Plan period, China has successively carried out intelligent manufacturing projects and pilot projects, achieving the integration and application of new generation information technology for leading and key enterprises in the industrial chain supply chain. During this period, most of the digital and networked transformation were carried out by large enterprises, with a single project investment of over 100 million yuan, which is generally concentrated within the enterprise, providing important basic support for optimizing decision-making for large enterprises.

 

             Small and medium-sized enterprises are the main implementers of intelligent manufacturing during the 14th Five Year Plan period  Small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of the country. The main carriers of economic development, employment solutions, and innovation cultivation in developed countries are small and medium-sized enterprises.

 

              The United States positions small and medium-sized enterprises as the "backbone of the national economy", Germany regards small and medium-sized enterprises as "important economic pillars of the country", and Japan refers to small and medium-sized enterprises as the foundation of its "outsourcing" industrial chain. Statistical data shows that in the industrial sector, in 2020, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises in China accounted for 97.99% of the total number of enterprises above designated size, with total assets accounting for 53.63%, operating income accounting for 58.3%, and profits accounting for 57.62%. It can be seen that small and medium-sized enterprises are the driving force for the development of China's manufacturing industry.

 

              Intelligent manufacturing is an important path for small and medium-sized enterprises to enhance their endogenous power. Through digital technology and artificial intelligence technology, enterprise processes can be optimized and production efficiency can be improved. Operators of small and medium-sized enterprises can intuitively feel the cash flow, material flow, and process flow of the enterprise through information flow, and make improvements based on operating results. Real time online testing instruments can better ensure the stability and reliability of product quality. At the same time, The construction of intelligent manufacturing infrastructure provides a carrier for small and medium-sized enterprises to apply advanced artificial intelligence models and algorithms. By introducing user needs, it will significantly improve the satisfaction of end customers with products.

 

                 Intelligent manufacturing for small and medium-sized enterprises is a key link in the smooth flow of data elements in the industrial chain supply chain. By carrying out intelligent manufacturing for a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises, enterprises have achieved the collection and storage of multi-source heterogeneous data such as design, data, and management. Through the industrial internet, data is shared with upstream, midstream, and downstream enterprises in the supply chain, and several interconnected supply chains form a new dimension of data owned by the industrial chain network. In terms of data dimension, small and medium-sized enterprises can collaborate with leading enterprises online and offline in design, production, office, and talent collaboration. The product needs of leading enterprises can be timely responded to by small and medium-sized enterprises, and product innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises can be quickly responded to in leading enterprise products

 

 

                 Intelligent manufacturing for small and medium-sized enterprises is a key link in the smooth flow of data elements in the industrial chain supply chain. By carrying out intelligent manufacturing for a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises, enterprises have achieved the collection and storage of multi-source heterogeneous data such as design, data, and management. Through the industrial internet, data is shared with upstream, midstream, and downstream enterprises in the supply chain, and several interconnected supply chains form a new dimension of data owned by the industrial chain network. In terms of data dimension, small and medium-sized enterprises can collaborate with leading enterprises online and offline in design, production, office, and talent collaboration.

 

 

            The product needs of leading enterprises can be timely responded to by small and medium-sized enterprises, and product innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises can be quickly applied in leading enterprise products. Integrating and analyzing the data of small and medium-sized enterprises with the data of leading and key enterprises, starting from the data elements, to break through the "information silos" of the industrial chain supply chain, will deepen the overall technological level, value capability, and collaborative efficiency of the industrial chain supply chain.
Specialized, refined, and innovative "Little Giant" enterprises are the vanguard of intelligent manufacturing for small and medium-sized enterprises

 

                     Specialized, refined, and innovative "Little Giant" enterprises are the third step in the construction of small and medium-sized enterprises. They are demonstration representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises focusing on segmented markets, main businesses, enhancing innovation capabilities, enhancing core competitiveness, improving business management, and improving product quality. Since 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has recognized a total of 4762 national level specialized, refined, and new "little giants" enterprises, with the leading product segment market share ranking in the top three, and the main business income or net profit growth rate reaching over 5%. It is particularly noteworthy that most of these enterprises invest in research and development at around 5%, and have already adopted information systems such as ERP and MES to support their core business processes.

 

            Specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprises have exploration and demonstration effects. During the 13th Five Year Plan period, large enterprises summarized some implementation methods for intelligent manufacturing, but these methods often lead to a phenomenon of acclimatization after the operation of small and medium-sized enterprises. For example, large enterprises often deploy a large number of servers locally to support data collection, storage, and computation, which is a large investment that small and medium-sized enterprises cannot afford. The "Little Giant" enterprises have both good capital capabilities and flexibility. By implementing intelligent manufacturing, they can explore low-cost, convenient, fast, and simplified software, sensors, CNC machine tools, and other specialized software and equipment for the intelligent manufacturing industry. Based on the exploration of these enterprises, they can form specialized intelligent manufacturing solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises that can be promoted.

 

               Give full play to the leading role of specialized, refined, and innovative "little giant" enterprise special funds. From 2021 to 2025, the central government has allocated a total of over 10 billion yuan in prize and subsidy funds to support a group of key "small giant" enterprises to increase innovation investment, collaborate with industry leading enterprises for innovation, and promote digital, networked, and intelligent transformation.

 

 

           In the high-quality development process of specialized, refined, and new "little giants" enterprises, special attention should be paid to intelligent manufacturing, which can not only improve the innovation efficiency of enterprises, but also collaborate with leading enterprises through the industrial internet. Therefore, intelligent manufacturing should be a key development direction in special funds, and enterprises should be encouraged to carry out digital transformation and upgrading.

 

 

              Intelligent manufacturing for small and medium-sized enterprises should be promoted layer by layerThe financial strength of small and medium-sized enterprises is relatively weak, and the ability to carry out intelligent manufacturing throughout the entire process is insufficient. To implement intelligent manufacturing in small and medium-sized enterprises, it is necessary to follow a step-by-step approach, starting from the urgently needed parts, and develop enterprise technology transformation plans around intelligent manufacturing, gradually achieving it in 5-10 years.

 

             The primary goal is to introduce digital technology with the goal of ensuring high-quality product supply. Based on the enterprise's own production process, digital technology is used to connect the "simulation analysis verification improvement" design and manufacturing chain of products, shorten the product design cycle, and also improve the efficiency of product research and development production. By introducing advanced finite element analysis technology, coupling analysis and verification of multiple physical fields such as electromagnetic, thermal, fluid, structural, and noise have been achieved. In addition, in-depth research has been conducted in various aspects such as basic product simulation analysis, production manufacturing, process tooling, testing and evaluation, and quality control, solving potential risks in product design and production.

 

                Incorporate digital acquisition equipment for small and medium-sized enterprises into new infrastructure construction for investment.

 

 

           The new infrastructure includes information infrastructure, integration infrastructure, and innovation infrastructure. In information infrastructure, industrial internet, data centers, artificial intelligence, and other representative investment directions, and in integrated infrastructure, the deep application of big data technology is an important means to support the transformation and upgrading of traditional infrastructure. The data of small and medium-sized enterprises has certain public product attributes, and their investment in infrastructure should be included in the national investment in new infrastructure.

 

          Data collection equipment is one of the new types of infrastructure. Data acquisition equipment is the underlying infrastructure for implementing intelligent manufacturing, applying artificial intelligence and big data technology, and is also a key device for converting enterprise equipment and processes into data information. At the same time, edge devices can provide fast data analysis responses, with typical new infrastructure features.

 

            Small and medium-sized enterprise data has certain public product attributes. The data collection, storage, and transmission of small and medium-sized enterprises are a major demand for China's socio-economic transformation. The implementation of the digital economy strategy cannot be separated from the data contribution of the majority of small and medium-sized enterprises. Only by connecting the last mile of data from small and medium-sized enterprises can China's industrial chain data truly generate value and create value. The data value generated by it is shared by the industry, enabling the vast majority of enterprises to share products and services.

             Article source: Economic Reference Daily