China’s Yiyan machinery group setting up digital factory

Beijing – China’s Yiyang Rubber & Plastics Machinery Group Co, Ltd. (YRPM) and Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) have started a strategic cooperation to build a digital manufacturing base for smart rubber & plastics machinery.

The facility is to be built east of Yiyang, and a total of RMB500 million (€62 million) has been earmarked for the project.

The plant, said ChemChina, is expected to enhance YRPM’s manufacturing capability by introducing digital equipment, processes and management systems. IPA is in charge of the digital factory’s design plan.

The move is part of YRPM’s “multi-dimensional and multi-level” integration with the extrusion division of German machinery supplier KraussMaffei, which ChemChina acquired last year.

A kick-off meeting was held on 15 Aug between the two companies to discuss the plant, said YRPM’s owner ChemChina in a release.