As the industry 4.0 revolution continues, global manufacturers are increasingly focused on intelligent factories and smart manufacturing, while the key machine tools on production lines are constantly evolving to achieve greater automation, efficiency and precision.
More than 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year and plastic products have become virtually synonymous with convenience. However, only 9% of plastic waste worldwide was ultimately recycled, the OECD said, and is contributing to the growing climate crisis. Efforts to reduce the use of plastic have become a focal point for global discussion, and in early 2022, 175 countries passed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5), committing to formally implement a treaty to end plastic pollution by 2024 and expedite the transition in the plastic industry. But is plastic really going to disappear from our lives?
As the threat from climate change grows, “net zero” has become a hot topic around the world. For machine tools, this means that the industry’s focus on efficiency and price has expanded to take environmental impacts into account, as well as smart, automated features that drive product values faster and higher. Many countries have created legislation to achieve net zero by 2050, while the EU will start collecting a new carbon border tax from 2023. As the world’s fifth largest machine tool exporter, Taiwan also plays an important role in international supply chains and has been involved in the market since the early days.
Since 2019, COVID-19 erupted in many countries. The epidemic prevention measures of many cities caused their factories to stop production. Digitalization of business operations was suddenly on the verge, with smart factories becoming the focus of investment in the manufacturing industry. Coupled with the international commitment for carbon reduction worldwide and Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) demand for sustainable operation, corporations are vying to expand their capital in smart manufacturing. The global smart manufacturing market reached USD$305 billion in 2021, and is expected to reach USD$450 billion by 2025. Taiwan's Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) for laptop computers, mobile phones & consumer electronics has no rival in terms of manufacturing technology, cost control, and supply chain management. After decades of research, it has integrated many smart factory solutions. Among the latest batch of 21 new manufacturing sites to join the Global Lighthouse Network announced by the World Economic Forum 2021, Taiwan's Innolux Kaohsiung factory, AUO Taichung factory (Fab3), and Foxconn Zhengzhou and Wuhan factories were selected. Taiwan’s world-famous chip manufacturer TSMC has moved further towards 3nm and smaller sizes, taking a revolutionary approach to create a smart integrated factory. It’s expected to be more effective and comprehensive in improving productivity, flexibility, efficiency and product quality. There are more companies in Taiwan that have already used smart factories to upgrade their value and regard smart factories as the key to staying ahead of the competition. In the future, it’s expected that the manufacturing industry will frequent more challenges stemming from manufacturing instability due to climate change, infectious diseases, and labor shortages. It is our goal and desire that through this book we may help the international community take stock of Taiwan’s smart manufacturing solution providers and that we embark together in the transformation and upgrade of manufacturing industries.
Software is the key to increased precision in non-contact laser-based processing.
Providing stable production, even quality, and product quality while observing power conservation.
Pneumatic energy is a viable, clean energy alternative to power machinery for industrial automation.
Hydrostatic spindles are ideal machines for high precision - within 2μm - and stable working of WBG materials.
The manufacturer-client collaboration will help both to grow and mature.
Offering robust logistics, provision, and service with the Industrial Internet of Things
