Smart Tin: 5G Revolutionizing Tin Industry

Gejiu City in Yunnan Province is renowned for its abundant tin resources, earning it the prestigious title of "Tin Capital." These resources serve as a crucial economic cornerstone for Yunnan and position it prominently within the global tin industry. Established in 1883, Yunnan Tin Group (Holding) Company Limited, formerly known as Yunnan Tin, has been a cornerstone of the province's tin industry for 140 years. As a pivotal tin enterprise, it boasts extensive reserves of tin ore and a fully integrated industry chain spanning from exploration to cutting-edge research and development.

Pioneering the Era of Smart Transformation

In the face of significant challenges and the need for transformation in the traditional non-ferrous metal industry, Yunnan Tin Group's subsidiary has embarked on a journey towards high-quality, low-carbon, and sustainable development. Traditional smelting plants have grappled with various challenges, including safety hazards due to sprawling facilities and high energy consumption. Moreover, the difficulty in expanding traditional networks has restricted communication coverage and hindered data exchange within the enterprise.

In collaboration with China Mobile Yunnan and ZTE, the subsidiary has established an intelligent factory leveraging 5G technology. This initiative aims to revolutionize the production methods of the non-ferrous metal industry by incorporating digital technologies into every aspect of tin ore smelting.

Building a Smart Factory

The foundation of the smart factory lies in establishing a robust network infrastructure. Leveraging China Mobile’s Yunnan Branch and ZTE, Yunnan Tin Group's subsidiary achieved comprehensive 5G coverage within the factory premises and deployed Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) technology to accelerate data processing, laying a solid network foundation for the digital factory.

Using 5G as the backbone, the subsidiary has created an integrated data platform comprising a comprehensive data platform, digital twin platform, and three-dimensional visualization platform. This platform acts as the intelligent brain of the factory, facilitating coordinated production scheduling and resource allocation while ensuring seamless integration between production processes and master plans.

The architecture of the "1+1+1+N Smart Factory" consists of a precise industry private network, non-ferrous metal smelting data platform, intelligent central control center, and innovative application fusion solutions. This framework supports unified production scheduling and resource allocation, generating a 20% increase in operational efficiency and a 40% reduction in manpower.

This integration of information technology (IT), operational technology (OT), and communication technology (CT) aligns 5G technology with the core production processes of tin smelting, enabling collaborative automation and intelligence. It facilitates energy conservation, emission reduction, and enhances the efficiency, safety, and convenience of production and management.

Generational Memories of the Factory

The memories of the older generation of tin smelters are deeply ingrained. They often reminisce about the hardships they endured, highlighting the intense working conditions and constant vigilance against potential hazards. Tin smelting operations involve working in extremely high-temperature environments, posing risks of heat stress and dehydration.

Now, with the implementation of the 5G+ furnace life monitoring system, real-time temperature monitoring, analysis, and early warning have been made possible. This system enhances production safety and efficiency by enabling remote monitoring of temperature fluctuations.

In traditional tin smelting processes, operating heavy machinery and equipment such as smelting furnaces and ore crushers is labor-intensive. The transportation of tin ingots alone requires significant manpower. However, with the 5G+ intelligent warehouse solution, autonomous transportation systems, smart warehouse systems, and remote crane control have streamlined operations, requiring only one operator per production line to efficiently manage operations and improve storage efficiency.

The Continuing Saga of the Smart Factory

In the vibrant expanse of this fertile land, the captivating narrative of wisdom unfolds at the Yunnan Tin Group subsidiary. Here, the concept of the smart factory has transcended the realm of the future, becoming a present reality. The convergence of digitization with the distinctive characteristics of tin smelting breathes new life into traditional industries, promising a harmonious coexistence of ecology and technology.

Matching 5G with the core production processes of tin smelting and implementing comprehensive intelligent manufacturing systems and application solutions, the subsidiary achieves energy conservation, emission reduction, cost-effectiveness, and high-yield production operations. This paves the way for a replicable and scalable digital transformation model for non-ferrous metal smelting factories.

By bridging the gap between tradition and innovation, the smart factory at Yunnan Tin Group subsidiary not only ensures the sustainability of the tin industry but also heralds a new era of industrial excellence.