In recent years, intelligent manufacturing has become a focal point in the global competition for technological innovation and economic development. Developed countries are using intelligent manufacturing to lead their "re-industrialization" strategies, while my country has made intelligent manufacturing a key focus of its "Made in China 2025" initiative. In the "Made in China 2025" plan, intelligent manufacturing is a major trend and core component of future manufacturing development, and it represents the fundamental path for my country's manufacturing industry to transform from a large-scale industry to a strong one.

What exactly is intelligent manufacturing? In simple terms, intelligent manufacturing refers to a manufacturing system or model that achieves optimization goals through the integration of artificial intelligence and manufacturing technologies. With the emergence of new manufacturing models and the continuous development of information technology, the meaning of intelligent manufacturing has become increasingly widespread.

There are many perspectives on intelligent manufacturing, including the relationship between intelligent manufacturing and artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing and big data, intelligent manufacturing and enterprise management, and intelligent manufacturing and industrial automation. Everyone has different perspectives. Let's follow our editor's steps to explore the different perspectives on intelligent manufacturing.

Chai Tianyou, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

Intelligent manufacturing, internationally, means "smart manufacturing." my country's basic manufacturing sector is still some distance away from achieving intelligent manufacturing. To successfully implement intelligent manufacturing, research, technological development, and industrialization must be coordinated. Only through strict coordination can we achieve the deep integration of computing and physical resources. Physical resources should be controlled by enterprises, computing technology by high-tech companies, and scientific research institutes should be responsible for solving scientific challenges. Only by combining these three can we truly solve problems.

Wang Yingchun, Vice President of Beijing Kangtuo Technology Co., Ltd. and Director of the Chinese Society of Automation

Intelligent manufacturing can promote efficient interaction among innovators, rapid product iteration, profound model transformation, and user engagement. It can also stimulate social vitality, increase innovation resources, and shorten the technology commercialization cycle. Intelligent manufacturing is key to industrial automation. Many provinces, in their efforts to transform and upgrade their manufacturing industries, have made intelligent manufacturing a fundamental path to optimizing production. In particular, with the integration of the internet and product manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing has become a key focus of industrial transformation. However, my country's intelligent manufacturing development is still in its infancy, and intelligent manufacturing requires improved control systems and upgraded information systems. If China wants to achieve faster development in a shorter period of time and compete with other countries, it must prioritize comprehensive efforts and make significant progress in the key area of industrial automation.

Shen Liechu, Former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Machinery Industry

Intelligent manufacturing is a long-term, systematic process and cannot be achieved overnight. It should be implemented based on input-output economics, taking into account enterprise benefits (quality, cost, and delivery time), and should not be pursued simply for the sake of it. China's equipment industry is currently strengthening scientific and information-based management, and there is still a long way to go before achieving intelligentization. Intelligent manufacturing requires well-rounded talent.

Many companies are still in the early stages of intelligent management, still in the planning phase and far from achieving a fully informationized level. It is important to understand that intelligentization presupposes a high degree of informationization (digitalization and networking), and informationization presupposes scientific management, such as lean production (LP) and just-in-time (JIT).

Xin Guobin, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

Intelligent manufacturing is not simply the application of advanced technologies and equipment, but a transformation to a new model. Currently, some companies are conducting pioneering trials, making beneficial attempts, and achieving promising results. It also calls for actively exploring new paths for the development of intelligent manufacturing under the new circumstances: first, efficient and flexible production models; second, effective collaboration and integration of the industrial chain; third, new production-service-oriented manufacturing; and fourth, collaborative development and cloud manufacturing.

Dong Jingchen, Professor of the Manufacturing Office of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

"Intelligent manufacturing" is the main focus of Made in China 2025 and the keystone of "Internet Plus." Intelligent manufacturing requires deep self-awareness, intelligent decision-making, and precise self-execution. This is the vision of intelligent manufacturing. my country is still far from achieving intelligent manufacturing, but it is the direction of development for my country's manufacturing industry. Intelligent manufacturing has many foundations. Based on my country's national conditions, the development strategy of intelligent manufacturing must integrate Industry 2.0, Industry 3.0, and Industry 4.0.

Intelligent manufacturing must be pragmatic and closely focused on enterprise competitiveness. It aims to achieve two improvements and three reductions. The two improvements are increased production efficiency and improved energy utilization. The three reductions are reduced operating costs, shortened product development cycles, and lower product defect rates.

Li Dong, Director of the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology

Intelligent manufacturing has become a key competitive focus in the global manufacturing industry. Especially with the development of new technologies such as cloud computing, big data, and the internet, the national manufacturing development strategies and plans issued by countries like the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan have all called for the vigorous promotion of intelligent manufacturing. "It can be said that intelligent manufacturing will determine the future competitive landscape of the manufacturing industry and is the core and key to the reshaping of the entire manufacturing industry."

Summary:

Intelligent manufacturing today is more than just a concept. With the continuous advancement of information technology and manufacturing technology, intelligent manufacturing has become a highly anticipated industry, shouldering a crucial role in China's transformation and upgrading to high-end manufacturing. Currently, my country's intelligent manufacturing still lags behind developed countries. Based on our national conditions and practical considerations, we should simultaneously advance "Industry 2.0," "Industry 3.0," and "Industry 4.0," accelerate the development of intelligent manufacturing, and propel my country's manufacturing industry towards high-end development.