Intelligent factories can be divided into three levels. The first level is equipment level solutions mainly focused on automation and control. The imported applications include CNC numerical control equipment, as well as PLC, I/O, touchpad, and motion control products; The second layer consists of human-machine interface and monitoring system, with applications including HMI/SCADA, integrated monitoring of factory equipment, collection of real-time and historical data, and integrated analysis of efficiency and energy-saving control; The third layer is a production management solution, imported using MES/EMI, providing fully automated information on production line work orders, feeding, and material preparation.

If we approach from the perspective of software solutions, the upper layer is a real-time information portal website, followed by intelligent factory performance analysis and production execution, comprehensive quality management, asset management, factory database, graphic monitoring equipment, and bottom layer editing and control in order. These work platforms can be built according to the needs of intelligent factories.

The benefits of importing intelligent factory applications are obvious. Taking the LED lighting production line as an example, there are dozens of processes for each LED lighting fixture, and each process needs to be properly allocated. In order to pursue production speed, it may take over 20 people to assemble, but after introducing an automated production line, a LED light fixture can be completed in 7 seconds, and only three people are needed.

But after the introduction of automation, the design of the production line also needs to be redesigned. Taking the LED lighting fixtures mentioned above as an example, the intelligent factory will make the production line in a zigzag shape because it needs to consider the space of the intelligent factory site, the location of the warehouse, how to input and output materials, how to maintain, etc., in order to design a production line shape that meets actual needs.

The next step is to enter SCADA, which is Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. Any platform with system monitoring and data acquisition functions must be matched with corresponding software and hardware to be called SCADA.

The purpose of setting up SCADA is to provide real-time monitoring, control, automatic timing recording, printing and querying of system equipment as a whole through computer monitoring equipment, and to provide real-time operation status of the equipment. Intelligent factories can use this to establish long-term equipment maintenance data, effectively utilize maintenance human resources, improve equipment maintenance quality and operational efficiency. SCADA can meet various system equipment, such as power monitoring systems, air conditioning monitoring systems, fire monitoring systems, access control monitoring systems, process monitoring systems, etc.

Another project that is crucial for the application of intelligent factories is the graphic control system. Experts point out that in order for graphic control interfaces to succeed, it is necessary to first understand that the interface between people and devices actually exists in the correspondence between control devices and screen graphics. When real-world devices, sensors, or controllers are transformed into various objects on computer screens, they must be able to achieve complete correspondence. Engineers need some aesthetic cultivation to present a situation that is close to the real world, so that control personnel can display the operation status of devices and control the operation of devices through screen graphics.

A complete monitoring system requires the composition of many components. Taking the process equipment monitoring system as an example, there should be sensing and braking devices on the process equipment, and data should be converted and transmitted to the control system. The control system should at least have functions such as display, recording, adjustment, and actuation, and the operator should process the data based on the data transmitted from the front end. Therefore, all data must be properly processed when sent to the backend. If 70% of warnings are only false positives, the monitoring system should have the ability to make judgments.

In addition to the aforementioned system platform, the hardware architecture also needs to be carefully considered in order to construct an intelligent factory. Firstly, the basic requirement for online communication is to choose existing communication protocols in the market as much as possible and minimize self-development to avoid problems with online communication between devices.

Secondly, it is important to choose instrumentation and control facilities. Currently, the interfaces of instrumentation and control facilities are very diverse. In addition to the popular Ethernet, RS232/422/485 is still in use in the past. In fact, smart factories may not necessarily be without Ethernet, because considering the construction cost, past investments may not necessarily have to be abandoned. However, different interfaces of instrumentation and control facilities can affect the configuration of communication lines, including equipment, distance, speed, and cost. When importing solutions, factories need to make a good trade-off plan.

In terms of the selection of computer equipment, including the number and configuration of online computers, working environment, computer specifications, and peripheral devices, full consideration should be given. Experts believe that the key to selection depends entirely on the system's affordability. If a server is needed, it must be used. Do not choose cheaper computer equipment just to save procurement costs, because once the selection is wrong, the equipment often malfunctions or crashes, and maintenance costs do not need to be cost-effective.

As for the consideration of monitoring network architecture, the items to be considered include task allocation of workstations, network architecture planning, network traffic control, and network security considerations. When planning the architecture, considerations can be made based on the division of control responsibilities, human-machine interface planning, and network function coordination.

Taking control responsibility as an example, it can be divided into controllers and graph controlled computers. The former emphasizes real-time performance, high reliability, and is suitable for low order logic/analog control, while the latter requires strong data processing capabilities and is suitable for high-order control. As for how many controllers need to be installed in each exchanger, it depends on the speed requirements.

In terms of human-machine interface planning, it is necessary to incorporate the concept of human factors engineering. Whether it is usage habits or graphic size, it should be in line with usage habits and on-site conditions, such as the direction, size, and color of knobs. It should meet the requirements of intuition, simplicity, and error prevention. Other projects such as operating procedures, display methods, and safety controls should also be primarily considered in accordance with user habits.

As for the coordination of network functions, it is recommended to cooperate with the widely used built-in network functions of Windows, and adopt efficient TCP/IP layer to layer communication methods to allow multiple computers to monitor and control each other, in order to achieve resource sharing and mutual backup.

MES is often an application that smart factories need to import. If there are too many problems in the production process of an intelligent factory, such as downtime, production losses, excessive rework, incorrect delivery times, inability to meet industry standards, material shortages, inability to track the use of raw materials, customer complaints, and product recalls, it may be necessary to carefully consider the necessity of importing MES.

Due to the aforementioned issues, managers need to make corresponding strategies. When encountering various problems, they need to rely on MES to understand the reasons and how to improve. For example, when receiving urgent orders, if the information from top to bottom can be well integrated, they can quickly determine whether the relevant materials are sufficient and whether they can accept the order.

Due to the increasing demand for energy conservation and carbon reduction, intelligent energy-saving systems have also become a common import project for smart factories. Taking the energy management system as an example, from collection and measurement, monitoring and analysis, control management, removal to energy conservation, it is actually necessary to integrate their independent systems, such as power and lighting monitoring, air conditioning monitoring, parking management, etc., in order to achieve the goals of energy conservation, carbon reduction, and cost reduction.