Multinational Automotive Wheel Manufacturer Sunrise Group Monitors its Operations and Asset Management through Smart Factory Equipment Upgrades

In discrete manufacturing industries such as vehicle assembly, the production process relies heavily on precise and complex machinery. Therefore, companies require a highly efficient equipment management system to ensure stable operations, which is crucial for ensuring both product quality and production efficiency. To address these needs, the automotive wheel and steel structure manufacturer, Sunrise Group, has implemented Advantech's WISE-IoT Smart Equipment Management Solution (iMachine). This solution enables efficient monitoring and management of factory equipment assets, improving operational and maintenance efficiency while ensuring that each piece of equipment maximizes its value.

Company Overview

• Established: 1995
• Industry: Automotive parts manufacturing
• Headquarters: Xiamen, China
• Operations: Specializes in the research, development, manufacturing, and sale of automotive wheels and steel structures
• Company Size: Multinational corporation with 19 subsidiaries worldwide

Sunrise Group, which owns 19 subsidiaries and has steel wheel production bases in cities such as Sichuan, Xiamen, and Zhangzhou in China, as well as in Vietnam, has faced four major challenges in managing factory equipment.

First, information on assets and spare parts was scattered, leading to inconsistent and fragmented data, often resulting in oversights in asset management.

Second, relying on manual and passive operation and maintenance processes not only lacked efficiency but also hindered timely issue resolution, leading to high equipment operation and maintenance costs, as well as difficulties in accumulating and passing on maintenance experience.

Third, the absence of a comprehensive equipment performance management system made it difficult to accurately assess the production status and performance of equipment, teams, and production lines.

Fourth, the production workshop contained a vast array of equipment. Without effective tools for gathering energy consumption statistics and performing analysis, effectively reducing energy consumption was challenging, leading to unnecessary energy waste.

To overcome these challenges, Sunrise Group implemented iMachine, a solution based on the IoTSuite data platform. iMachine provides various functional modules, including asset management, equipment management, maintenance services, performance monitoring, health assessment, spare parts management, and an equipment knowledge base. These modules establish a comprehensive life-cycle management mechanism for equipment, improving the efficiency and value of equipment maintenance.

Sunrise Group initially began upgrading its factories at the Hua'an plant in Zhangzhou, where the system quickly delivered five key benefits.

First, ID cards were assigned to equipment for asset management. Each piece of equipment in the factory received a unique "ID card" through QR codes and NFC tags, enabling more precise management. Spare parts were also given unique identification information, allowing for accurate tracking of inventory movements. Factory personnel can now easily monitor spare parts consumption across different factory locations and production lines by reviewing detailed reports.

Second, surveillance cameras were installed on equipment for real-time management. By integrating iMachine with Advantech's ECU industrial gateways, the operational status and key parameters of production and utility equipment are uploaded in real time to a cloud-based system. This system provides 24/7 monitoring, and if any anomalies occur, it immediately sends alarm notifications to the responsible personnel. On-site staff can use an app to quickly assess the situation and resolve issues, enhancing both operational efficiency and convenience.

Third, it assigns a "housekeeper" to each piece of equipment to improve maintenance efficiency. When an anomaly is detected, the system automatically generates and dispatches maintenance work orders, recording the entire repair process in detail. This ensures that engineers follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) during maintenance and helps identify areas for maintenance and helps identify areas for optimization within the maintenance, ultimately enhancing maintenance efficiency.

Fourth, it brings in an "auditor" for equipment to enhance production efficiency. In discrete manufacturing, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) management directly reflects production performance. At the Hua'an plant, OEE for the entire factory, production lines, and individual equipment is integrated into a single interface. This allows administrators to easily monitor the production status, quickly identify inefficiencies, and implement improvements to boost production efficiency.

Fifth, it employs an "energy auditor" to prevent energy waste. Through energy monitoring in production workshops, real-time tracking of edge meter data enables the statistical analysis of energy consumption across different factory locations, production lines, and equipment. If any abnormalities in energy consumption are detected, the system promptly issues alerts, allowing administrators to quickly address the issue and prevent energy waste.

• WISE-IoT iMachine
The WISE-IoT iMachine is a smart equipment management solution built on the IoTSuite low-code data platform. It enables the integration of edge assets into the cloud for unified management, creating digital twin models of assets. This solution offers intelligent lifecycle management and maintenance services for various types of equipment in factories and enterprises.

• Easy access to equipment data
• Comprehensive control over equipment maintenance
• Directly enhances production performance
• Clear visibility of energy consumption