Siemens support enterprises unlock the potential of digitalization

Digitalization is transforming all areas of our life as well as existing business models. Manufacturing industries can largely benefit from taking advantage of technology trends such as generative design and intelligent models. Production becomes more innovative through additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and new service models are being developed with the use of cloud solutions and knowledge automation.

Dr. Pham Thai Lai, president and CEO of Siemens Vietnam

In order to enable companies to fully make use of the digitalization potential, Siemens is offering the Digital Enterprise – a holistic portfolio of software and automation solutions. The portfolio enables industrial companies of all sizes to implement current and future technologies for automation and digitalization. Thus, they can tap into the full potential of Industry 4.0 and get ready for the next level of their digital transformation journey.

The Siemens Digital Enterprise holistic approach comprises of offerings for product design, production planning, plant design, production engineering, automation, commissioning, and services. Suppliers and logistics can also be integrated based on a consistent collaboration platform. Companies can start with digitalization at any step of their value chain, for greenfield and brownfield plants, and based on standardized and open interfaces.

The Siemens Electronics Works (EWA) digital factory in the German city of Amberg is a prime example. Whether it is optimized throughput, ambitious cycle times, or reliable security measures, the future of manufacturing is already a reality in many areas of the EWA thanks to numerous solutions from the Digital Enterprise portfolio.

The EWA was founded in 1989 and manufactures products that include Simatic programmable logic controllers. Every year, the factory manufactures around 17 million Simatic products, meaning that one product is dispatched every second. Over 1,000 product variants are manufactured there and are used to control plants and machinery as well as automate production facilities, saving time and costs, and improving product quality.

Amberg Factory

Production processes at Amberg itself are also controlled by about 2,800 Simatic components. Production functions on a largely automated basis, with 75 per cent of the value chain handled independently by machines and robots. In any 24-hour period, products are prepared for dispatch to approximately 60,000 customers worldwide. EWA manufactures to a quality standard of 99.999 per cent and, as the result of sustainable work quality and comprehensive data integration, this achievement sets a new benchmark for industrial production.

At EWA, hardware and software solutions, industrial communication, cybersecurity, and services are optimally coordinated. Groundbreaking technologies such as AI, industrial edge computing, and a cloud solution are already enabling highly flexible and extremely efficient and reliable production sequences. This makes EWA a strong example of a Siemens Digital Enterprise that will continue to consistently lead the way towards future digital transformation.

The most significant impact of digitizing the factory floor at Amberg is that productivity has risen by 1,400 per cent, and this success story can be replicated elsewhere around the globe, including in Vietnam.

VinFast, Vietnam’s first volume car manufacturer, has successfully produced its first cars ahead of schedule using Siemens’ portfolio of integrated software and hardware. By deploying its portfolio, Siemens helped VinFast achieve its automotive production timeline for building the factory, car design and start of the production in only 21 months, which is half of the average time to build such a manufacturing plant.

VinFast deployed Siemens’ Digital Enterprise portfolio for its manufacturing plant in Hai Phong

The entire value chain has been integrated and digitalized with Siemens’ Digital Enterprise portfolio, which includes the Xcelerator portfolio of software and Totally Integrated Automation (TIA).

Xcelerator enables creation of the most accurate digital twin, melding model-based simulations with test data and real performance analytics with intelligent edge control. VinFast is using Teamcenter software as backbone of collaboration for product lifecycle management and NX software, a leading integrated solution for computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering (CAD/CAM/CAE), to develop the digital twin of cars and production. Teamcenter connects the digital twin with a consistent digital thread, which is helping VinFast increase speed and flexibility in development, optimize manufacturing processes and use the insights gained from product and plant operations to improve future performance. VinFast has also implemented Siemens Opcenter software to increase production speed and quality.

Automation is realized by the modular and flexible automation concept Totally Integrated Automation (TIA), that controls and drives all productions. VinFast deployed Siemens’ automation equipment for its manufacturing lines in all shops: press shop, paint shop, body shop, assembly shop, sub-assembly and engine shop. Simatic Controllers enable VinFast to automate factory operations such as robots or conveyor lines, including safety functionality. VinFast uses the engineering framework TIA Portal to program automation tasks from the press shop through to the final assembly. Simatic HMI’s are widely used in the factory, allowing VinFast to operate and observe the status of machines and entire systems for the production staff. Using Siemens’ Industrial Identification products, VinFast can track and trace parts and optimize the entire flow of materials. In addition, Sinumerik controls guarantee highest efficiency and quality in their powertrain machinery. The comprehensive automation components from Siemens enable VinFast to build up the factory with high quality of global standards.

VinSmart is another company member of Vingroup, which was founded in June last year with the mission to become a technology company on a global scale. Siemens has been supporting VinSmart in realizing this mission by providing a range of software from its Digital Enterprise portfolio that includes PLM Teamcenter, Polarion Application Lifecycle Management, NX CAD, and Mentor Xpedition.

Meanwhile, Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO) – a well-established auto manufacture, ­assembly, and distribution enterprise in Vietnam – has been a valued Siemens customer for many years. THACO, with 14,900 employees and distribution system of 89 showrooms and 53 dealers nationwide, has deployed Siemens PLM ­Teamcenter, Siemens integrated computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering analysis (CAD/CAM) solution, Simcenter 1D and 3D, and the Siemens LMS Test to build up the corporation’s R&D Centre.