Siemens has announced that the World Economic Forum (WEF) has named Siemens’ Nanjing 73,000m² (c. 785,765ft²) factory in China as a Lighthouse Factory.
WEF recognised the Nanjing factory for achieving exceptional performance in cost and quality through digital twins and continuous AI-driven transformation.
To address these challenges in its high-variety, low-volume manufacturing operations, Siemens implemented a digital excellence strategy.
This involved deploying end-to-end digital twins, modular automation, manufacturing operations management systems, and more than 50 artificial intelligence applications.
Compared to 2022, the initiative has reduced lead times by 78% and time-to-market by 33%, while productivity increased 14% by 2024.
Field failures dropped 46%, and the factory cut its direct and energy-related carbon emissions by 28%.
Siemens AG and CEO Digital Industries, member of the managing board, Cedrik Neike, said: “We call our Nanjing facility a ‘digital-native factory.’
“It was designed, tested, and optimised entirely in the virtual world before a single brick was laid.
“This approach not only enabled us to construct the factory faster and with outstanding cost-efficiency but also to build it under the toughest pandemic conditions.
“By combining our global manufacturing expertise with local insight and a digital-first mindset, we continuously optimise every part of the operation, making it one of the most efficient and flexible factories in the world.”
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