We are experiencing the fourth industrial revolution. Traditional manufacturing is facing a wave of transformation and upgrading. Emerging technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things, big data technology, and cloud computing have opened the door to intelligence for the manufacturing industry. In the field of industrial automation, many century-old companies, such as Siemens, General Electric, Bosch Group, Schneider Electric, etc., are promoting the development of digital factories, industrial Internet and Industry 4.0, and they have already become industry leaders. So in the new wave of revolution, who will have the last laugh? According to the 2017 new Fortune 500 list published by the US Fortune magazine, the following are the top 10 companies in the field of industrial automation.
1. General Electric Company
The General Electric Company of the United States was founded in 1892, also known as the GE Company. In 1892, Morgan Sr. invested in the merger of Edison General Electric Company and Thomson Howe. It was formed by the merger of three companies including Stern International Electric Company. General Electric of the United States has swallowed up many domestic and foreign companies in various ways and has become the world's largest multinational company providing technology and services. General Electric insists on diversified development. The company's business ranges from aircraft engines and power generation equipment to financial services, from medical imaging, television programs to plastics.
Seamless collaboration of people, data, and machines - using intelligent machines to define a new form of future industry. In 2013, General Electric Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt proposed the concept of "Industrial Internet", an open, global network that connects people, data and machines. Through big data analysis, Find out the source of energy consumption of the machine and improve the operating efficiency of the equipment.
In April 2015, General Electric (GE), AT&T, Cisco, IBM and Intel announced the establishment of the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC). General Electric (GE) also made a commitment to Its industrial Internet software platform Predix is ??open to all companies. On July 20, 2016, General Electric (GE) officially announced a partnership with Huawei to jointly promote the progress of China’s “Industrial Internet”. GE will actively participate in building China's industrial Internet ecosystem, explore different cooperation models, and seek maximum success.
As we all know, GE’s senior management has undergone a major change this year. The new CEO Flannery has implemented a series of new policies to boost performance, optimize business structure, cut operating costs, and significantly lay off employees. , it may be that the alternation of old and new policies needs to be adjusted, and GE's stock has been falling. However, "a skinny camel is bigger than a horse." Although GE's stock has fallen, its ranking in the industrial control field of total revenue is still No. 1 in the world.
2. Siemens
Siemens AG, founded in 1847, is a global leader in electronic and electrical engineering. In 2014, Siemens sold its shares in BSH, completely withdrawing from the home appliance field and focusing on electrification, automation and digitalization. Siemens digital enterprise solutions cover industrial software, industrial communications, industrial information security and data-based services.
Siemens’ main products include programmable logic controllers (PLC), industrial computers (IPC) and industrial operation panels (HMI), industrial software, CNC machine tools, low-voltage electrical appliances, touch screens, etc. The nine major businesses are power generation and natural gas, wind power and renewable energy, energy management, building technology, transportation, digital factory, process industry and drive, medical and financial services. Digitalization is one of the three major future development directions of Siemens. Siemens regards digitalization as a major growth area in the future and has set a target profit margin of 14%-20% for digital factories.
In order to strengthen its strength in the digital field, Siemens acquired CD-adapco, a global engineering simulation software developer. Siemens digital technology helps companies optimize, simulate and test in a virtual environment before actually going into production. It can also simultaneously optimize the entire enterprise process during the production process, ultimately creating efficient flexible production, achieving rapid innovation and market launch, and forging a lasting enterprise. competitiveness.
In April 2016, Siemens launched the MindSphere industrial cloud platform. MindSphere is designed as an open ecosystem that industrial enterprises can use as a digital service.
On December 25 this year, Siemens announced that the latest version of MindSphere will be launched on Amazon Cloud Service (AWS) for the first time. From then on, it can develop robust industrial IoT solutions for customers in various industries in a shorter time, especially aerospace, aerospace, defense and energy and utilities.
3. Hitachi
Hitachi (HITACHI) is the world's largest comprehensive multinational group from Japan. It came to China in the 1960s and became a small amount of foreign capital that entered the Chinese market in the early years. One of the enterprises. The Hitachi Group consists of numerous business departments and companies, and has a number of technologies, products, and solution technologies. Currently, Hitachi has more than 100 group companies in China, and its members are active in the fields of electric motors, electronic equipment, household appliances, and information communications.
Hitachi is fully committed to social innovation, integrating information and communication systems, The advantages of the two major fields of "social infrastructure" and "IT infrastructure" related to power systems, environment, industry, transportation systems, society, and urban systems are integrated and innovated, and unremitting efforts are made to create a low-carbon society and a green economy. Through long-term research on portrait feature extraction algorithms and high-speed retrieval engines, Hitachi combined with the application of new technologies such as deep learning and automatic correction, the face retrieval and recognition technology has overcome the limitations of many usage conditions, and the core functions and performance of the system have been improved. A qualitative leap.
Hitachi inverters dominate the inverter market with their stable performance, rich combination of functions, high-performance vector control technology, low-speed and high-torque output, good dynamic characteristics and super overload capability. occupy an important position. It has won many awards around the world, especially the Hitachi inverter with speed sensorless vector control technology, which is the first of its kind and has global patents. Hitachi SJ700B series is widely used in metal processing machinery, winding machinery, plastic extrusion machinery, handling machinery, woodworking machinery, air conditioning equipment, fans, water pumps and other application fields.
The Internet of Things in the industrial world has huge potential, and Hitachi Insight Group is spending heavily on investment in the Industrial Internet of Things. Hitachi will invest US$2.8 billion over the next two years to provide predictive solutions to its customer base. Factories using big data and predictive analytics have increased productivity by 10% in daily operations. From the macro perspective of things, a 10% improvement does not seem like much, but this effect will eventually be passed on to the end consumers, which is of great significance.
4. Bosch Company
Bosch is one of Germany's largest industrial companies, engaged in automotive technology, industrial technology, consumer goods and construction technology industries. When Mr. Robert Bosch, who was only 25 years old, founded the company in Stuttgart in 1886, he positioned the company as a "factory for precision machinery and electrical engineering." Headquartered in Stuttgart, southern Germany, Bosch employs more than 230,000 people in more than 50 countries. Bosch is world-renowned for its innovative and cutting-edge products and system solutions.
The Bosch Group is an important initiator of Germany’s Industry 4.0 strategy and has a unique positioning in the field of Industry 4.0. Bosch Rexroth's hydraulic valve production line in Humboldt, Germany, was awarded the "Industry 4.0 Award" by a well-known German industry magazine for achieving the best interconnection between people, machines, objects and IT systems. The production line can produce 2,000 different products from 6 major product families with zero switching, and can realize small-batch customized production or even single-product production, improving production efficiency by 10% while reducing inventory by 30%.
Bosch Rexroth has developed a series of synchronous servo motors that provide temperature and saturation data on the motor to the company's IndraDrive controller, allowing it to improve torque accuracy and operate within a tighter tolerance range than before. At present, Bosch has promoted the practice of Industry 4.0 in more than 100 factories around the world, and the Suzhou Automotive Electronics Factory is one of the pilots. In a production environment, the intelligent machines, warehousing systems, and manufacturing facilities that make up this cyber-physical system work together to exchange information, trigger processes, and automatically control functions. Industry 4.0 will connect people, machines, and things throughout the entire value chain, from suppliers to customers.
In May 2017, Bosch announced its 2016 financial report at the 2017 press conference with the theme of "Creating and Sharing the Internet" held in Shanghai. Taking advantage of Industry 4.0 and Made in China 2025, Bosch Sales revenue in the Chinese market increased by 19% in 2016, reaching 91.5 billion yuan, a huge success.
5. Panasonic
Panasonic Group is a global electronics manufacturer engaged in the production and sales of various electrical products. In 1978, Chinese state leaders visited the Panasonic Group's Japanese television factory. During the meeting between the two parties, entrepreneur Konosuke Matsushita expressed his determination to contribute to China. Subsequently, Panasonic Group entered the initial stage of its business in China. In the past few years, the group has been committed to product exports and technical cooperation with Chinese factories, and established its first joint venture factory in 1987. As of today, Panasonic Group's business activities in China involve research and development, manufacturing, sales, services, logistics, publicity and other aspects. Panasonic's products in the field of industrial automation include relays, connectors, machine sensors, switches, programmable controllers, programmable intelligent operation panels, image processing devices, ultraviolet curing devices, etc.
Tangshan Panasonic Welding Systems (Tangshan) Co., Ltd. (PWST) is a Sino-Japanese joint venture jointly invested and established by Japan's Panasonic Group and Tangshan Kaiyuan Electric Co., Ltd. The company fully adopts Japan's Panasonic's advanced management and technology, and uses world-class manufacturing, debugging and testing equipment to produce various arc welding machines, resistance welding machines, plasma cutting machines, robots and genuine parts for welding and cutting with the trademark "Panasonic" . Since 1996, the economic efficiency has continuously ranked first in China's electric welding machine industry.
Panasonic announced on July 19, 2016 that it would enter the robot control equipment market. Panasonic predicts that the market for such equipment will reach tens of billions of yen by around 2020, and it will strive to capture billions of yen of the market share. Panasonic has developed a "motion sensor" that can measure the three-dimensional position of a robot more accurately than previous devices. Such products can detect and control robot movements, and the company believes demand for robots will increase in areas such as factories and care. It is said that the ability to control the robot's posture will be improved, which can improve work efficiency.
6. Honeywell International Corporation
Honeywell International Corporation was established in 1999 by two of the world's most famous companies - AlliedSignal Corporation and Honeywell The company was merged. The core businesses of the original Honeywell Company are residential and building control technology and industrial control and automation products; the core businesses are aerospace, automotive and engineering materials. Today, Honeywell's businesses include aerospace products and services; residential and building control and industrial control technologies; automation products; specialty chemicals, fibers, plastics, electronics and advanced materials, and transportation and power systems and products.
In a fiercely competitive environment, industrial companies must find automation solutions that can be implemented quickly and are efficient, safe and economical. July 20, 2016 - Honeywell Process Control recently released a new generation of Experion PKSOrion process knowledge system with stronger industrial Internet of Things performance. This new solution not only allows factory owners to keep pace with cutting-edge technology, but also helps them further optimize automation project execution, reduce cycle commissioning time and operational risks, while protecting the company's intellectual property investment. Experion PKSOrion has a scalable range of innovative solutions that help customers improve project execution and commissioning, upgrade control system infrastructure, expand standards compatibility and interoperability, and provide a continuous technology evolution path.
Honeywell has established a new business unit dedicated to industrial Internet of Things and big data. In May 2016, Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) recently announced the launch of a new, integrated process software solution - Uniformance Suite. The system transforms factory data into actionable information, enabling smart operations. Honeywell’s portfolio of Industrial IoT technology products is helping manufacturers operate their factories more safely and efficiently by leveraging data.
Through data collection, advanced analysis capabilities and deep expertise, Honeywell Industrial IoT solutions help owners reduce unplanned downtime and substandard products.
In May 2017, Honeywell released a new programmable logic controller (ControlEdge PLC). Shi Xueyong, PLC product manager of Honeywell Process Control Department, said, "The timely launch of ControlEdge PLC is to comply with the new requirements of smart manufacturing for intelligent, digital and miniaturized PLC products. On the other hand, it is also in line with Honeywell Channel business model. ”
7. Mitsubishi Electric Co., Ltd.
Mitsubishi Electric Co., Ltd. is a leading global manufacturer of electronic and electrical products, always committed to cutting-edge technology and professional fields. research, development and manufacturing. It is mainly engaged in information and communication systems, electronic components, heavy electrical systems, industrial automation systems, automotive electrical equipment and household appliances, and is a world leader in satellites, defense systems, ventilation equipment and other fields. In addition, Mitsubishi Electric has excellent display equipment and display device technology. Mitsubishi Electric's business scope covers industrial automation (FA) products and mechtronics products.
Mitsubishi Electric has more than 30 joint ventures and wholly-owned enterprises in China. They are engaged in the fields of automobile parts, semiconductors and other electronic devices, as well as power transmission and transformation equipment, elevators, railway vehicle electrical products, and industrial products. We are developing various businesses and actively transferring technology in a wide range of electronic and machine fields such as automation equipment and home appliances.
Mitsubishi Electric launched new products of the industrial vertical multi-jointed robot "MELFA-F" series on July 15, 2015, including "RV-35/" with load capacities of 35kg, 50kg and 70kg. 50/70F” and other 12 models. The new model improves the robot's working speed by changing the structure of the wrist and equipping it with a reducer with a larger capacity than the old model. Six of the 12 models can be linked with Mitsubishi Electric's programmable logic controller (PLC). Not only can the high-speed communication function of the PLC be used to shorten I/O processing time, but when used in conjunction with a monitor, the efficiency of operation and maintenance work can also be improved.
In response to "industrial needs for comprehensive equipment and factory control", Mitsubishi Electric Automation released the IQ-R series of products, which integrate sequence, motion, safety, process and C language control into a single platform. The iQ-R Series control platform is suitable for applications requiring comprehensive motion and safety control, tight synchronization between multiple processes and high productivity. It is designed for the automotive manufacturing, food processing, material handling and electronic equipment manufacturing industries. As China's automation market gradually transforms into smart products, the demand for smart products is increasing. Mitsubishi Electric is closely aligned with the Chinese market and launched an extremely cost-effective and economical product in 2017 - the small smart inverter CS80.
8. South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries Group
South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries Group was founded in 1972. It initially started in the shipbuilding business. Through the technology accumulated in the shipbuilding industry, it gradually expanded into marine equipment. In the fields of industrial complete sets of equipment, engines, electronic and electrical equipment, construction machinery and new energy, it has grown into the world's leading comprehensive heavy industry enterprise.
In 1984, Hyundai Heavy Industries officially entered the field of industrial robots, providing automation and robot system project services to users around the world. Its products include: welding robot systems, handling robot systems, assembly robot systems, palletizing robot systems, LCD handling robot system, medical robot system, etc.
Currently, South Korean industrial robot manufacturers account for about 5% of the global market share. Hyundai Heavy Industries can already supply robots in the fields of welding, handling, sealing, palletizing, stamping, grinding, loading and unloading, etc., which are widely used in the automotive, electronics, and communications industries, greatly increasing the self-sufficiency rate of Korean industrial robots. But overall, there is still a big gap between South Korean technology and leading countries such as Japan and Europe. In 2003, Hyundai Heavy Industries robots officially entered the Chinese market.
9. Swiss ABB Group
ABB Group was founded in 1988 by the merger of Swedish ASEA company and Swiss BBC Brown Boveri company.
ABB is a world-leading company in the field of power and automation technology. It is committed to providing solutions to customers in the industrial and power industries. It is an electrical engineering group with global operations
ABB has invented and manufactured many products and technologies. These include the world's first three-phase power transmission system, the world's first self-cooling transformer, high-voltage direct current transmission technology and the first electric industrial robot, and were the first to put them into commercial applications. ABB has a wide range of product lines, including a full range of power transformers and distribution transformers, high, medium and low voltage switchgear products, AC and DC power transmission and distribution systems, power automation systems, various measuring equipment and sensors, real-time control and optimization systems , robot software, hardware and simulation systems, energy-efficient motors and transmission systems, power quality, conversion and synchronization systems, fuses and switching equipment to protect the safety of the power system. These products have been widely used in industrial, commercial, power and public utilities.
In April 2015, ABB launched YuMi, the first dual-arm industrial robot that truly realizes human-machine collaboration. YuMi is a collaborative dual-arm assembly solution with vision and touch. From the precision parts of mechanical watches to the processing of parts for mobile phones, tablets and desktop computers, YuMi handles it all with ease, even when threading needles. The robot is specifically designed for assembly and testing of small parts in industries such as electronics and toy manufacturing. It can be used for force-guided assembly tasks such as sorting, part insertion, inspection, parts distribution, packaging, and tightening bolts.
This year ABB has strengthened its strength through a series of strategic mergers and acquisitions. In July 2017, ABB announced the completion of the acquisition of B&R, a company that focuses on providing leading products for machinery and factory automation. The world's largest independent supplier of electronics and software; on September 25, 2017, ABB announced the acquisition of GE's industrial systems business in Zurich, Switzerland, to further consolidate its global leadership in electrification.
10. Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric Co., Ltd. was founded in 1836 and is headquartered in Rueil, France. It is a global leader in energy efficiency management. Schneider Electric provides total solutions for the energy and infrastructure, industrial, data center and network, building and residential markets in more than 100 countries, including in energy and infrastructure, industrial process control, building automation and data center and It is a world leader in markets such as networking and has strong market capabilities in residential applications.
Schneider Electric will spend 65 million euros (approximately S$100 million) before 2020 to establish a software solutions center, a new East Asia headquarters and a regional control center in Singapore. Jean-Pascal Tricoire, the company's global chairman and CEO, said that he chose Singapore because the company has a 40-year history in the local area. Singapore has a friendly and efficient business environment, a superior location, a complete logistics platform, and With talent advantages, we decided to expand our investment in Singapore.
As a global expert in energy efficiency management and automation, Schneider Electric hopes to leverage its expertise in sustainable energy management, industrial automation, and software and services to achieve technological innovation and bring value to customers.
On October 11, 2017, Schneider Electric announced the launch of the EcoStruxure Industrial Software Platform. The platform provides high-reliability solution capabilities for engineering, planning and operations, asset performance, and control and information management. With more than 2 million software licenses deployed at more than 100,000 sites worldwide, the industrial software platform can support complex It operates within the scope necessary for mission-critical industrial operations, processing more than 10 trillion daily transactions and covering more than 20 billion operating parameters.