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Taiwan credits ‘Smart Machinery 4.0’ campaign for success of growth in plastics products

Taiwanese industrial associations are crediting their “Smart Manufacturing 4.0” campaign with bringing success for the plastics sector in the country.

The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (Taitra) claims that the country is now one of the world’s leading manufacturers of plastics products.

Last year, the country generated more than $1.9 billion in revenue, positioning the country as the world’s sixth largest exporter of the plastics and rubber processing. 

According to Trading Economics, Taiwan exports soared to a record high of $30 billion dollars with a 17 per cent sales increase from the rubber and plastics industries alone in 2016.

According to Taitra Taiwan Trade Center Miami, the exponential growth in one of Taiwan’s largest industries is attributed to Taiwan Smart Machinery 4.0.

Taiwan Smart Machinery 4.0 combines web-based synergies of data sharing, IoT, with robotics and artificial intelligence. This new direction in integrated manufacturing can be summed up in three words for factories – faster, smarter, better.

Taitra says Taiwan Smart Machinery 4.0 provides a totally automated solution to manufacturing.

Prior to Taiwan Smart Machinery 4.0, the productivity of small and mid-size companies was stifled by time, costs and labour.

John Chen, vice president of the Taiwan Association of Machinery, says: “Now, infusing factories with affordable technology and automation, serves as a global gateway for small to mid-size factories to compete worldwide.”

Industry experts believe that implementing innovative strategies like “Intelligent Manufacturing”, which combines human intelligence with automation and process, helps companies to increase their speed to market with precision and accuracy.

With this new strategy, parts and product demands can now be produced in a more streamlined manner throughout the production cycle.

This level of excellence helps factories to successfully fulfill orders faster than ever, while significantly reducing the number of defects resulting from human error.

Four of the leading Taiwanese manufacturing firms – Foxnum Technology, Huarong Group, Sun Lung Gear, and Shin Man Machinery Manufacturer – presented their best practices and strategies for reaching sales milestones during an International press conference entitled, “Taiwan Smart Machinery: Make Tomorrow Yours”, at an industry event called NPE2018: The Plastics Show, which will take place in Orlando from May 7-11.

Taiwan Smart Machinery 4.0 made for plastics manufacturing continues to gain worldwide momentum.

Taitra says that, in just three years, Taiwan machinery sales to the US have reached almost $64 million.

The greatest demand is for machine models for injection moulding, extruders, blowing and plastics recycling machines.