BMW Brilliance Charts a Course for the Future of Manufacturing with
Digital Plant Concept Digital Technologies are Driving Value Creation at BMW Brilliance Plants

(Shenyang) As a manufacturing pioneer, BMW Brilliance is driving forward with the digitalization of its production and logistics value stream. During Digital Plant 2021, an event held in Plant Tiexi from July 19th to 21st, BMW Brilliance set out its vision for the manufacturing of tomorrow with its concept Digital Plant. It also vividly showcased its latest digital production technologies and applications from across the production base, thereby demonstrating clear progress on its digitalization journey and underlining its commitment to high-quality development.

Dr. Franz Decker, Senior Vice President of Technology & Production, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. said: “At BMW Brilliance we have united 100 years of BMW manufacturing experience with latest technologies to build-up one of China’s most advanced and intelligent automotive production bases. With our Digital Plant concept, we will take a further step forward by fully harnessing the power of cutting-edge digital technologies. With this, we will achieve new high-levels of quality, efficiency and sustainability, and create more value for our customers, our business and for the automotive industry”.

Interconnection of Digital Technologies is the Lifeblood of Digital Plant

In recent years, digital transformation has become one of the most important tasks for manufacturers that wish to remain competitive and achieve sustainable growth. Guided by BMW Group’s “Lean, Green & Digital” production strategy, BMW Brilliance’s Digital Plant concept sets out a vision for future manufacturing that is empowered by digitalization.

With Digital Plant, BMW Brilliance is aiming to utilize digital technologies and connected data to achieve further gains in terms of quality, efficiency, flexibility, sustainability and people-centricity in its plants and facilities. Digital Plant features an integrated and interconnected system of digital technologies, where information collected from machines, processes and technologies flows into a smart data ecosystem to be automatically processed and analyzed in order to optimize the complete manufacturing and logistics value stream. People working in the Digital Plant will benefit from an enhanced working environment and efficient working methods, with self-service digital tools and data at their fingertips to enable data-driven decision-making. The Digital Plant concept is made up of 5 clusters. The Digital Platform is the central technology hub, where production data flows for processing, analysis and application back into different scenarios. The Digital Platform interlinks the other 4 clusters: Digital Planning, Digital Production, Digital Logistics and Digital Campus.

Digital Planning uses specialist digital tools such as Virtual Reality (VR), 3D modelling and virtual commissioning to develop, test and prototype new products, plants and production scenarios in the virtual world as “digital twins” before realizing them physically. A major benefit of Digital Planning is the time saved in planning and design, which means projects – such as new products – can be completed faster. Digital Production focuses on digital technologies in the manufacturing process, including predictive maintenance of robots and equipment, data analysis for quality control and use of AI for quality inspection and overcoming complexity. Digital Logistics aims to achieve a fully connected, transparent and highly efficient logistics by utilizing a range of digital technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), Big Data and AGVs. Digital Campus involves the digitalization and integration of smart office solutions, real estate services and energy management to build-up a more people-centric plant that is more energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly and sustainable. Ultimately, the Digital Plant connects these 5 clusters across the production and logistics value stream, with the purpose of creating more added value for the BMW Brilliance business and for BMW customers in China.

Digitalization Creates Value at BMW Brilliance

Digital development is driven by technology. When it comes to integrating technology, BMW Brilliance has a clear strategy: to apply new technologies in the right application. It is already making significant progress in this regard, combining advanced production systems and latest technologies to achieve an efficient, flexible, sustainable and high-quality production system.

The integration of new digital technologies is taking the technological level of the production to the next level, which is benefitting customers. In the quality control process, BMW Brilliance is utilizing the self-learning and information processing capabilities of digital technologies such as AI and Big Data analysis to optimize product quality and production efficiency. Take the AI Visual Detection System in the Powertrain Plant as an example. The AI technology is used to identify tiny imperfections on the surface of cylinder heads with an accuracy rate as high as 99.7%. In addition, BMW Brilliance also adopts robot vision and sensors for inline gap-checking and geometric inspection of every car body. In the Digital Plant, fully connected quality data will further optimize this process, for predictive quality control.

The application of digital technology is also enhancing production operations by improving machine availability, with the welding gun predictive maintenance system a case in point. Through the real-time collection and analysis of more than 2000 welding robots across two vehicles plants, the maintenance department can predict failures before they happen, which significantly reduces maintenance downtime.

Digital technology is also boosting efficiency in logistics. For instance, AGVs (Autonomously Guided Vehicles) in the Powertrain Plant are now connected to the production and logistics system, meaning they can automatically respond and take action as soon as parts orders are placed in the system. It is also reversing the normal logistics operation, with the AGVs transporting goods to the operator rather than the operator having to collect themselves. 20 AGVs can complete over 300 orders per hour, which greatly enhances the logistics management.

BMW Brilliance was the world's first automaker to achieve full 5G wireless coverage at its plants. The low latency, high-stability and high-speed information transmission of 5G offers great potential for manufacturers. BMW Brilliance is already using 5G in a number of different scenarios, including for remote real-time diagnosis and maintenance of equipment using 5G-connected AR (Augmented Reality) glasses. 5G technology is also enabling machine-to-machine connections and offers the possibility in the future of a flexible production system featuring wireless robots.

Digitalization Empowers People in the Digital Plant

In addition to creating added value for businesses and customers, digitalization is improving ergonomics for workers, optimizing processes and using data and technology to better connect people with each other and their teams. It also releases people from the most repetitive and physical jobs, freeing them up to do what humans do best – analyse, be creative and solve problems.

People training and development is also benefitting from digital technologies. For instance, VR technology is now being used to visually introduce employees to new vehicle structures and equipment. Workers can even practice simulated assembly to improve their learning efficiency and technical skills. BMW Brilliance has developed a customized mobile office platform called JoyChat, which includes a large number of light apps that allow employees to monitor the real-time production status and even take decisions while on the move. The JoyChat app is boosting productivity by interconnecting business, information and people. This philosophy will be embedded in the Digital Plant concept, which aims to create a holistic digital environment with smarter and more flexible workspace solutions, a safe, secure and healthy working environment and a work setting where people can fully realize their development potential.

To showcase the close connection between human beings and machines in the digital era, during Digital Plant 2021, BMW Brilliance collaborated with innovative digital artists to design and display an interactive digital art installation inspired by data generated in the production process. Visitors to Digital Plant 2021 can interact with the production data, which is visualized in colorful spirals, therefore endowing digital technology with a human touch. The vivid artwork represents the warmth and creativity of human beings, the thrilling potential of technology and the beauty of the environment for a new, harmonious and sensory experience.

Digital Plant Follows BMW Brilliance’s High-Quality Development Path

As well as continuing to be guided by BMW Group’s “Lean, Green, and Digital” production strategy, BMW Brilliance is fully committed to the goals and guidelines set out in China’s “14th Five-Year Plan”. Digitalization is a top priority for the company, with the Digital Plant concept central to its drive to integrate industry-leading digital technology throughout its plants and facilities. BMW Brilliance is also joining hands with leading technology partners and suppliers, with the aim of supporting the development of digital innovations and driving digitalization throughout the value chain. In doing so, the company will create more value for its business, its customers and for society.

As the Digital Plant concept unfolds, BMW Brilliance's vision for future manufacturing is steadily being realized. With its industry-leading production technology and progressive digitalization strategy, BMW Brilliance aims to lead the digital transformation of manufacturing in Shenyang and Liaoning, continue on its high-quality development pathway, and fully support the acceleration of the automotive manufacturing industry in China.