Carrier Transicold’s Global Container Refrigeration factory in Singapore, a key manufacturing site for Carrier’s refrigerated container systems globally, is embracing Industry 5.0, which refers to people working alongside robots and smart machines to deliver more customized, sustainable and resilient operations.
The Carrier Transicold Global Container Refrigeration factory launched a 5-year automation roadmap in 2019 to set the vision for its transformation strategy and to kickstart the technological infrastructure required for automation. In 2021, the factory welcomed its first collaborative robot (cobot). The cobot, which works together with employees in small spaces to assist in attaching access doors on refrigeration units, frees up workers to focus on other core and higher-value manufacturing operations. In its first year, the cobot completed its programmed task approximately 900,000 times.
Key benefits of the automation and digital transformation include:
- An incremental 3% manufacturing standard hours being automated.
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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to streamline tracking of inventory, reducing human error and increasing operational efficiency.
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Digital First-Pass-Yield to streamline tests yield to overall factory quality performance, providing real-time feedback for quicker response and better factory quality.
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Expanded production capacity, resulting in 10% greater output.
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Cobots have contributed more than 8,000 annualized hours of productivity in the factory. Additional automation or digitalization are in development and scheduled for launch in the next year.
