Cathay Industrial Biotech (Cathay) is China’s leader in the field of bio-manufacturing. Its areas of expertise include producing polyamide from biomass, which takes place in a totally digital plant using laboratory, automation and control technology from Siemens. Extensive plant-wide digitalisation and automation have simplified research and maintenance, while also increasing the yield. This has enabled Cathay to produce polyamide and fibre using a method that is both sustainable and ecological.
Polyamide is required across a range of areas, including the manufacture of clothing, shoes and automotive components. Traditionally, polyamide is synthesised from fossil fuels in petrochemical plants. Cathay is taking a completely new approach using renewable biomass, or corn to be more precise. But the process required is a complex one, due largely to the organisms used. Digitalisation can open up wide-ranging opportunities in this field. “With big data, we can learn more about the laws guiding production,” says Liu Xiucai, chairman and CEO of Cathay. “The efficiency of bio-manufacturing can only be improved by integrating the whole production chain with hardware and software control, collecting, processing and analysing data automatically, and then feeding the results back to production.”
Integrated solution for integrated digitalisation
The digitalisation solution required to make this possible comes from Siemens. Using Simatic Sipat software with Process Analytical Technology (PAT), the researchers at Cathay investigate microorganisms best suited to industrial production. The plant engineering software Comos enables the construction of a digital twin. The Simit simulation software is then used to test and optimise the systems. The Simatic PCS 7 process control system secures stable production. The MES Simatic IT is responsible for ensuring stable production processes by sending out electronic work orders and evaluating and recording the quality. Using the XHQ operational intelligence software, Cathay can acquire information from all systems and create detailed reports and dashboards for further optimistion. Siemens also provides smart sensors, process instruments as well as LV and MV electrical equipment for the new plant, and supports Cathay with technical services and system integration.
Ideally placed for the future
This integrated solution provides Cathay with the benefits of real-time feedback from production, a minimised maintenance workload, simplified troubleshooting and fixing of faults, as well as automation of many of its production steps. With these advances, the factory is setting new standards on many levels. Not only is it an ultra-modern production facility, it is also a trailblazer for the future of biotechnology: “Biotechnology can be used to manufacture better materials and also for mass production,” concludes Liu.
Five data centre trends to watch in 2025
IT in Manufacturing
Any innovation that comes out in 2025 – whether it’s flying cars, highly advanced AI or a breakthrough medical treatment – will be built on the back of an equally innovative IT foundation driven by data. Data that needs to be stored, managed and made accessible in the data centre, in the cloud or at the edge. Is it too much of a stretch to say the future of humankind is dependent on data storage? We don’t think so.
Read more...Recovering from a cyberattack
IT in Manufacturing
While many organisations have invested heavily in frontline defence tools to try to keep out bad actors, they have spent far less time and money preparing for what happens when the criminals eventually get in. And they will get in.
Read more...The value of proactive maintenance management Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Maintenance has come a long way from the days when we waited for things to break, and thanks to the ever-increasing capabilities of technology, predictive maintenance has become a viable solution for keeping equipment running smoothly and efficiently around the world.
Read more...Pinpointing pipeline occurrences in seconds, not hours Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
At any given moment, thousands of kilometres of critical assets flow through pipelines that cross veld, mountainous areas, dense forests, and even busy streets. Surprisingly, many of these pipelines operate either unmonitored or with scant oversight, leading to missed opportunities for operational continuity and efficiency.
Read more...Next-generation AI-enhanced electronic systems design software Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software has launched the latest advancement in its electronic systems design portfolio. The next-generation release takes an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, bringing a unified user experience that delivers cloud connectivity and AI capabilities to push the boundaries of innovation in electronic systems design.
Read more...Spatial computing and AI – where no man has sustainably gone before Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Some will argue that we now live in a sci-fi world where we dream of electric sheep, and today’s technology – unlike HAL – can provide us with the answers we seek. To the realist it might seem a bit implausible, but when you start using terms like ‘spatial computing realises sustainable AI’ it doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
Read more...Safeguarding DCS today and tomorrow Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Today’s distributed control systems (DCS) are highly intelligent, converging OT and IT in a centralised manner that allows for simplified management and coordination of operations. It is technology evolution at its finest, but with a caveat, cybersecurity challenges.
Read more...Quantum computing is not as futuristic as it sounds
IT in Manufacturing
The first quantum computer was created almost three decades ago. While its applications are still unknown to many, this advanced field combines computer science, physics and mathematics to deliver solutions the world has been trying to find for aeons – and those it doesn’t yet know it needs.
Read more...Transform field data into actionable business data
IT in Manufacturing
As part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing industry connectivity, Teledyne Gas & Flame Detection is making its new and proprietary Teledyne GDCloud available with the company´s GS700, GS500 and Shipsurveyor portable gas leak detectors, and also its PS200 portable four-gas monitor for personal safety and confined-space applications.
printer friendly version