2023/12/05
Midea Unveils High-End Intelligent Flexible Production Plant and Celebrates the Completion of 2000 Centrifugal Chillers
China’s chiller industry has made significant strides in recent years. As a representative of domestic manufacturers, Midea Building Technologies has been leading the way through continuous innovation and independent research. In 2019, Midea Building Technologies launched its self-developed Magnetic Bearing Centrifugal Chiller, breaking the monopoly held by foreign companies. In 2021, the Chongqing factory delivered over 1000 units of centrifugal chiller units, marking the first time China’s centrifuges have exceeded the thousands in annual sales.
The company’s latest high-end intelligent flexible compressor production plant saw its grand opening on November 28, marking yet another milestone for Midea Building Technologies in the field of smart manufacturing. Following a five-month upgrade, the plant has seen a 30% increase in production efficiency and a 15% improvement in resource utilization. Midea will also see its 2000th centrifugal chiller unit rolling off production lines in 2023, solidifying its leading position in the chiller industry.
Establishing this high-end intelligent flexible compressor production plant is set to drive significant progress in China’s centrifuge manufacturing. Moving ahead, Midea Building Technologies will leverage its digital technologies to deliver a broader range of efficient, intelligent, and sustainable Made-in-China centrifugal products and support industrial upgrading.
Leading by Example: A Digital Benchmark Factory in 5 Months, Improving Production Efficiency by 30%
The recently completed Midea Building Technologies high-end intelligent flexible compressor production plant has become a benchmark for digital factories. Intelligent, green, and flexible, the pilot plant underscores Midea’s leading role in digitization and intelligent manufacturing.
The plant, fully renovated from an old warehouse within a span of 5 months, has achieved a 30% boost in production efficiency and a 15% enhancement in overall resource utilization. 13 smart manufacturing scenarios have been created through the optimization of 5 key dimensions - smart manufacturing scheduling, production line design, logistics, personnel skillsets, and quality control – resulting in a demonstrative intelligent manufacturing factory characterized by high efficiency, flexibility, agility, responsiveness, human-machine collaboration, and dynamic scheduling.
In a significant stride toward quality improvement, the plant has implemented an advanced quality control system characterized by “rapid response, precise determination, automatic control, and comprehensive traceability”. This achievement has been made possible through intelligent material detection, intelligent control, and a traceability lot code. The plant also enables the flexible production of multiple compressor types through the integration of various elements. In terms of digitalized manufacturing, the facility capitalizes on existing systems to achieve rapid response and precise interventions across the entire production process. Green production efforts have also resulted in energy savings and emissions reductions through technological means.
Through digital transformation, the demonstration factory has successfully attained “cost reduction, quality improvement, and efficiency enhancement”, seeing a 30% boost in production efficiency, a 20% reduction in delivery times, an 18% decrease in R&D cycle times, and a commendable 15% improvement in overall resource utilization. Projections for the new plant indicate an anticipated annual production capacity of 4000 units, reflecting a 60% increase in capacity. The accomplishments further cement Midea Building Technologies’ prominent position in the industry.
An Industry Leader: Independent R&D Drives Quality Development in Chiller Industry
Putting the Midea Building Technologies Demonstrative Intelligent Chiller Factory into use will significantly improve the industry’s production efficiency and energy savings, driving high-quality development in the sector. General Manager Gefeng Li has emphasized that the shift towards digitization and low-carbon practices are key objectives in the ongoing industrial transformation. The establishment of flexible manufacturing capabilities will enable Midea Building Technologies to meet the personalized demands of a diverse product range with short lead times, propelling the industry forward with high growth and technology upgrades.
Centrifugal chillers are a core component of centralized air conditioning systems, dissipating heat through a multi-stage cycle of compressing refrigerants through a centrifugal impeller. The sector has historically been dominated by foreign brands; but through technological breakthroughs, Midea has now emerged as China’s industry leader.
During the inauguration ceremony of the new factory, Deputy Chief Engineer of China Academy Building Research Yanqiang Di announced the appraisal results for Midea by the China Machinery Industry Federation. The evaluation recognizes Midea’s “High-Efficiency & Reliable Electromechanical Control Integrated Magnetic Centrifugal Chiller” and the “Application of Full-Domain and Full-Time Coordinated Optimization Control and Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Technology for Environmental Control System” as global-leading innovations.
These pioneering technologies have enhanced the stability of centrifuges and improved the overall energy efficiency of environmental control systems, extending the lifespan and efficient operation of Midea products. Midea Building Technologies’ new intelligent flexible manufacturing plant is set to drive China’s centrifuge manufacturing to greater heights, developing more efficient, intelligent, and low-carbon products through digitalized operations and inducing an industry-wide upgrade.
Riding on the capabilities of the new intelligent flexible factory, Midea chillers are ushering into a new era of development. Gefeng Li pointed out the significant progress in Midea’s magnetic bearing centrifugal chillers, which are now extensively deployed in large building projects both domestically and internationally including Citigroup Tower Shanghai, Beijing Daxing International Airport, Hefei Metro Line 5, and more. Guided by China’s “dual carbon” targets, the HVAC industry is entering a new phase of green and low-carbon growth. Looking ahead, Midea is committed to driving technological innovation and upgrading manufacturing capabilities, building sustainable and intelligent spaces through digital and intelligent technologies.
With the company’s continuous investment in the research and development of chiller products, Midea has introduced a comprehensive series of magnetic bearing centrifugal chillers that consistently lead the industry’s advancements. In the face of increasingly diverse and nuanced market demands, Midea has been persistently optimizing its manufacturing capabilities and rapidly developing new products that meet evolving consumer needs. Midea will continue elevating its ability to innovate and conduct independent research in support of high-quality development in China’s chiller industry.