An automobile manufacturer in Guangzhou has introduced the world’s first “smart manufacturing island” concept, transforming the traditional vehicle assembly line into a highly intelligent production system capable of mixed-model manufacturing and rapid changeovers.

In the past, trial production of new vehicle models was both costly and time-consuming, as small production batches and frequent design iterations required extensive manual labor for finishing and assembly. The “production island” integrates 48 key welding processes—including spot welding, arc welding, riveting, and gluing—into a single compact system. After technicians input parameters such as production procedures and operation sequences for a new model, the equipment automatically completes the entire trial production process, significantly reducing testing costs.

By leveraging the advantages of the “production island,” the company has shifted its focus from selling production equipment to developing an industrial IoT platform and equipment testing center. Today, the company uses its IoT platform to upgrade and optimize production lines, while the testing center helps domestic equipment enter overseas markets. Digital and intelligent support services have become the company’s new competitive edge, positioning it as a leading example of the transition from traditional manufacturing to digitalization.