Electricity + Control October 2019

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION Product News

Automation technologies advance automotive manufacture VinFast, Vietnam’s first volume car manufacturer, has produced its first cars ahead of schedule – including e-scooters, compact cars, sedans and SUVs. Battery- powered electric passenger cars and electric buses are also on the production schedule. 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 the company increase speed and flexibility in development, optimise manufacturing processes and use the insights gained from product and plant operations to improve future performance.

of factory operations such as robots or conveyor lines, with safety functionality. VinFast uses the engineering framework TIA Portal to program automation tasks from the press shop through to final assembly. Simatic HMIs are also widely used in the factory, enabling production staff to operate and observe the status of machines and entire systems. In addition, using Siemens’ industrial identification products, VinFast can track and trace parts and optimise the flow of materials. Sinumerik controls guarantee highest efficiency and quality in the powertrain machinery. Further Siemens products in use include network components, power supplies, control products, low voltage distribution and switchgears, an energy distribution system as well as motors and drives. Siemens’ comprehensive range of automation components enabled VinFast to build its factory to high quality global standards. Bernd Mangler, Senior Vice President Automotive Solutions at Siemens Digital Industries, says, “VinFast and its new production site are a great example of how the automotive industry is driving the digital transformation of manufacturing.

With the support of Siemens’ portfolio of integrated software and hardware, VinFast achieved its production timeline – for the building of the factory, car design and start of the production – in only 21 months, well ahead of an already ambitious schedule. This is half the average time it takes to build such a manufacturing plant. The VinFast plant in Hai Phong went live in June 2019. It has a total design capacity to produce 250 000 cars per year. The entire value chain of the manufacturing facility has been integrated and digitalised with Siemens’ Digital Enterprise portfolio, which includes Xcelerator software and Totally Integrated Automation (TIA). Xcelerator enables the 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 the backbone of collaboration for product

The automotive manufacturer has also implemented Siemens Opcenter software (formerly Simatic IT Unified Architecture) to increase production speed and quality. This MES (manufacturing execution system) solution supports closed-loop manufacturing by driving real-time production data to the digital twin of the product and enables innovation in product design and production operations. The modular and flexible Totally Integrated Automation controls and drives all production. VinFast has deployed Siemens’ automation equipment for its manufacturing lines in all shops: the press shop, paint shop, body shop, assembly shop, sub-assembly- and engine shop. Simatic controllers enable the automation

We are proud that we contributed to creating the virtual and real production lines as well as the technology for continuous optimisation along the entire lifecycle of the equipment – and of course, it all had to happen at record speed.” VinFast is part of the Vingroup – the largest private enterprise and one of the leading technology, industry and service groups in Vietnam. For more information visit Siemens Digital Industries: www.siemens. com/automotive VinFast, in Vietnam, has produced its first cars ahead of schedule using Siemens’ port- folio of integrated digitalisation and automation software and hardware. (Photo: VinFast)

14 Electricity + Control

OCTOBER 2019