Recently, Tianjin Agile Cloud Technology Co., Ltd., a company in Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone, delivered its independently developed flexible manufacturing unit to a medical device enterprise in the city. This customized flexible manufacturing unit, equipped with CNC machining, robots, tool exchange and storage stations, has solved the problems of unmanned night shift production and automatic tool changing for this medical equipment enterprise, helping it further explore the digital workshop.

Tianjin Agile Cloud developed insert forging and casting flexible wire for Tianqi Model

Independent research and development joint venture enterprises achieve self-sufficiency

When it comes to the flexible manufacturing unit of Tianjin Agile Cloud Technology Co., Ltd., we must first start with its parent company, Tianjin Automotive Mold Co., Ltd., which independently developed a flexible non-standard insert intelligent production line. This independently developed production line has pioneered a standardized production model for non-standard automotive mold inserts in China.

It is understood that Tianqi Mold is mainly engaged in the design and manufacturing of automotive molds, as well as the development and manufacturing of vehicle process equipment. Previously, the production and manufacturing of automotive molds had always belonged to the traditional manufacturing mode, relying on the expansion of personnel, equipment, etc. to achieve increased manufacturing capacity. Against the backdrop of a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, intelligent manufacturing characterized by digitization, networking, and intelligence has become a future development trend. As a barometer of the manufacturing industry, the mold manufacturing industry is also facing the development demand for a deep transformation from labor-intensive to technology intensive. In 2017, Tianqi Mold organized multiple departments of the enterprise to form the Tianqi Mold Intelligent Manufacturing Research and Development Group, fully utilizing the enterprise's own experience and technological advantages in the mold and fixture manufacturing industry, deploying backbone forces, and focusing on tackling challenges. The enterprise independently developed a flexible non-standard insert intelligent production line (hereinafter referred to as the Tianqi Model Intelligent Manufacturing Line) and mastered its core technology, which also became the first intelligent production line for non-standard inserts in the automotive mold industry in China at that time. Thus, the production and manufacturing of automotive molds have also entered the ranks of intelligent manufacturing.

Addressing pain points in the traditional mold industry and introducing the concept of intelligent manufacturing

Flexible production line is a technically complex and highly automated system that ideally and satisfactorily solves the contradiction between high automation and high flexibility in mechanical manufacturing. How does the Tianqi Model Intelligent Manufacturing Line organically combine non-standard production with standardized assembly line production? Changqing, the general manager of Tianjin Agile Cloud Technology Co., Ltd., who has participated in the research and development of the Tianqi Model Intelligent Manufacturing Line, revealed the answer. According to Changqing, the intelligent manufacturing line of Tianqi Mold is connected with multiple devices, including various system CNC machine tools, visual recognition, multi axis robots, etc. It is processed and coordinated by the central control for production, and can complete the batch production line mode of single non-standard production. It effectively solves the problems of low efficiency, uneven quality, high cost, and unstable accuracy in the traditional mold industry.

The software control system of Tianqi Model's intelligent manufacturing line is also independently developed, from front-end CAE, CAD, CAM plugin development, to one click programming research, to workshop ERP management system, tool life management, workshop MES manufacturing execution system, and finally integrated into a digital intelligent factory that includes IoT management, flexible automation production line, AGV intelligent logistics vehicle and other technologies. All of these are independently developed by Tianqi Model, and the enterprise has mastered key core technologies, solving the manufacturing problems of traditional industries.

Tianjin Agile Cloud's high-precision tool holder production line upgrade and renovation project developed for local enterprises

Continuously expanding the intelligent manufacturing market and entering the multi industry manufacturing field

With the support of national policies and accumulated experience in the field of intelligent manufacturing, Tianqi Mold has strategically proposed a smart factory construction plan for the entire industry, aiming to explore a digital smart factory path that serves the entire mold industry, transforming "manufacturing" into "intelligent" manufacturing, and assisting the overall development of the industry. In order to better explore intelligent manufacturing, Tianqi Model will completely transfer its intelligent manufacturing business to its wholly-owned subsidiary Tianjin Agile Cloud Technology Co., Ltd. for operation. The first cross industry project we received after operating was extremely challenging. We had to design an intelligent flexible production factory for a tool company in our city that could produce over 3000 types of tools, including flexible scheduling, AGV logistics management, and a flexible production line composed of multiple automation units, as well as a twin and remote decision control room composed of digital acquisition. In the end, we gained recognition from the customer and successfully obtained this contract worth nearly ten million yuan Recalling the scene when the company was founded, Chang Qing, the general manager of Tianjin Agile Cloud Technology Co., Ltd., still has a vivid memory.

Changqing told reporters that Tianjin Agile Cloud Technology Co., Ltd. mainly produces automotive automation welding fixtures, flexible manufacturing and welding units, design and manufacturing of flexible CNC machining lines, as well as customized production control software development, IoT system integration, intelligent factory planning, design and implementation. Since its establishment, the company has relied on an experienced R&D team to continuously transform around the relevant difficulties and challenges in the automotive mold industry chain, seeking new ways, methods, and development ideas in production and manufacturing. The existing intelligent manufacturing business of the enterprise has further expanded the intelligent manufacturing market based on the needs of the parent company's automotive mold production and manufacturing, stamping parts automation production, and aviation parts production and manufacturing. By utilizing its rich system research and development experience and deep accumulation of CNC machining, it has successfully broken through industry barriers and entered the manufacturing field of multiple industries, becoming an intelligent manufacturing supplier that meets customers' rigid needs through flexible production lines.

In recent years, the intelligent manufacturing sector in Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone has developed rapidly. During the 14th Five Year Plan period, the bonded zone will deeply tap into the advantages of coastal and air transportation, gather and develop advantageous manufacturing industry clusters facing the forefront and high-end, based on the regional high-end equipment manufacturing advantages, give full play to the leading role of leading enterprises, attract upstream and downstream resources, extend the industrial chain, improve the agglomeration level of automobile parts, rail transit equipment, engineering machinery, intelligent processing and measurement equipment manufacturing and other fields, form a high-end equipment industry system with high-end complete sets of equipment as the main body, key core components as the foundation, and manufacturing services as the extension, and create a high-end equipment manufacturing agglomeration zone in the Beijing Tianjin Hebei region. (Image provided by Tianjin Agile Cloud)