TKK Corporation joins forces with partners to share experiences in transforming industrial production with intelligent systems, moving towards Smart Manufacturing.

At the Manufacturing Expo 2024, a machinery and technology expo for manufacturing held recently at BITEC Bangna, in addition to providing space for personnel and entrepreneurs from the industrial sector to visit and update their knowledge of technology and industrial machinery from over 2,000 brands from 30 countries worldwide, the same event also provided food for thought with over 50 top academic seminars.

One of the topics that attracted considerable attention from attendees was the seminar titled "Revolutionizing Production: The Future of Smart Manufacturing: Transforming Industrial Production with Intelligent Systems," which featured highly qualified speakers from leading companies both nationally and internationally. They shared their experiences using Smart Manufacturing technology and solutions to modernize production processes and increase business productivity sustainably.

Introducing 4 speakers to share their experiences in using intelligent systems to transform the industrial sector and move towards Manufacturing 4.0.

The seminar began with Dr. Niphat Rasamikomen, General Manager of PTT Res Co., Ltd., who briefly introduced PTT Res to the seminar participants.

“PTT Res Co., Ltd. is a joint venture between the PTT Group and the Mitsui Group, a Japanese conglomerate with a long history of operations in Thailand. When PTT Group sought to establish a new business with target groups in the S-curve industries seeking to transform their manufacturing processes using modern technologies such as AI, automation, or robotics, PTT Res was established to serve as a systems integrator for customers seeking to implement robotics, automation systems, AI, or IoT in their manufacturing processes. Our customers include both PTT Group and organizations and agencies that have also incorporated these technologies into their manufacturing processes.”

“And since the robotics and automation business is a new area of business that PTT sees as having growth potential, we initially planned to work with technology manufacturers both domestically and internationally. For example, today we participated in a discussion with our partners, DENSO Innovative Manufacturing Solutions Asia Co., Ltd. and TKK Corporation Co., Ltd..”

Later, Kanlayanee Kongsomjit, CEO of TKK Corporation Co., Ltd., another Thai System Integrator (SI) company, gave a brief introduction to the company as follows:

"Today, TKK Corporation has strategically evolved into the TKK Group, with subsidiaries equipped to become fully integrated Thai System Integrators (SIs). This will serve alongside the Thai manufacturing sector and help elevate Thai industry towards Industry 4.0, or the Digital Industry, in the near future."

“The TKK Group divides its business into two groups, each of which we place equal importance on. The first group is TKK Corporation, which manufactures all types of smart industrial equipment and automation. The second group is digital technology products, for which we have established a subsidiary, KSI Solution Co., Ltd., in which TKK holds shares. KSI's work has been recognized by entrepreneurs at all levels, thanks to our team of engineers and programmers. This has enabled us to become a trusted SI company for clients of all levels.”

"Therefore, it's safe to say that TKK is well-prepared to be a partner or consultant for the Thai industrial sector. With our experience as a distributor of spare parts and factory automation equipment, we are an agent for over 50 world-renowned brands. TKK has a supply chain that allows us to import products at very low costs, and we have a 24/7 inventory system ready for delivery."

“We have to admit that we are fortunate to have found the right direction for our business, enabling us to align with the current digital landscape and the development trends in the manufacturing and industrial sectors, which are evolving towards Industry 4.0 in various dimensions.”

We have arrived at another major leader in the processed food industry in Thailand, CPRAM. In this seminar, we were honored to have Phiphak Charoonlakkhana, Deputy General Manager of Factory 1, CPRAM Co., Ltd., who introduced everyone to a common picture of CPRAM's operations in the processed food production industry.

CPRAM is a subsidiary of the Charoen Pokphand Group, manufacturing and distributing ready-to-eat meals and fresh-baked bakery products. CPRAM is committed to delivering delicious, flavorful, and nutritious food. We strive to create quality through world-class production standards and our own research and development unit. Our business spans both manufacturing for leading global brands and developing our own brands.

“CPRAM currently comprises two main product groups: the ready-to-eat food group, which manufactures and distributes frozen and chilled ready-to-eat food. These products are cooked and ready to eat, processed through freezing and refrigeration, preserving their freshness and nutritional value. Simply heat them up and they're ready to eat. These products are exported and distributed domestically.”

“Another group is the Bakery Products Group, which produces and distributes hundreds of freshly baked bakery products, including snacks and ready-to-eat bakery products, daily. Every product is carefully controlled and meticulously prepared, from research and development to selecting the finest formulas and ingredients, through quality-controlled manufacturing processes at every stage, and at every factory. This ensures deliciousness and freshness, with consistent quality and standards nationwide.”

“In manufacturing, we certainly rely heavily on automation and robotics to produce high-quality products that meet industry-standard production standards. CPRAM currently has 16 factories in seven locations across Thailand, primarily producing and distributing fresh food products throughout Thailand in 7-Eleven stores.”

And the next speaker who will come to share his experience in transforming industrial production into Smart Manufacturing is Wiwat Phansara, Deputy Managing Director of DENSO Innovative Manufacturing Solutions Asia Co., Ltd., who clearly stated that

"Thailand is DENSO's first overseas investment outside of Japan, with a clear goal of expanding investment to meet the demands of the domestic automotive market and prepare for its position as the automotive hub of the ASEAN region. The 10 companies in the DENSO Thailand group have systematically developed production systems to meet the diverse needs of their customers, with the vision of investing to become the automotive manufacturing hub of the ASEAN region."

“In addition to being a leader in providing products, services, and solutions related to the automotive industry, DENSO also provides industrial solutions to factories worldwide, leveraging its manufacturing technology and skills developed for automated parts production, a foundation of continuous improvement practices based on the “KAIZEN” approach.”

"In our past technological developments, DENSO has also prioritized developing our people, as we believe that human development is the foundation of technological development. Our organization's best products are built on the skills, knowledge, and capabilities of our people."

"Recently, DENSO developed the D-QiTs solution. This application is designed to visualize data to raise awareness and encourage production line operators to identify production line abnormalities and understand the root causes of the problem. This enables users to generate problem-solving ideas to increase production potential. The function displays an overview of production progress and production volume on an hourly basis, enabling field workers to understand the overall situation in real time to determine whether production is on schedule."

Share practical perspectives to drive the Thai industrial sector towards Smart Manufacturing from 4 leading companies.

After getting to know four leading companies that will share their experiences in using intelligent systems to transform the industry into Smart Manufacturing, we will then extract important lessons from the executives of these four companies, with interesting perspectives that can be applied to truly elevate the entire Thai manufacturing sector to Industry 4.0.

Starting with Mr. Phiphat, an executive from CPRAM, who shared his experiences and challenges facing CPRAM's food production sector, he also shared lessons learned from overcoming all obstacles, leading to today's recognition and reputation as a leader in Thailand's food and processed food industry, both nationally and internationally.

"CPRAM has been in business for 36 years this year. In the early days of production, our first products were steamed dumplings and steamed buns. Of course, back in the beginning, we used manual labor to shape them. We gradually adapted to modern machinery and technology. For example, the first machine we used was a steamed bun-shaping machine. We initially used a single machine to shape the dumplings, pleat them, and place them on paper. We gradually shifted from a single machine to a fully automated production line, linked by conveyor belts."

"Our continuous learning and focus on incorporating automation into our production lines, and our deep understanding of the processes and raw materials, led us to develop and design our own machinery. For example, the production of steamed buns involves the key steps of rising, steaming, and freezing before packaging. The key steps are to produce as much as possible, as quickly as possible, and with minimal contact to minimize the risk of human contamination. This ensures consumer safety, one of the company's priorities: food safety."

"Therefore, implementing automation in our food production process directly addresses food safety and product quality, giving customers confidence in CPRAM products. To date, we've incorporated robots into our food production processes, such as in the production of cupcakes. At the industrial level, we must produce a massive quantity of at least 100,000 pieces. Technology certainly helps us in this area, but for CPRAM, we had to design and test the machinery or technology to ensure it was optimal for our production process, resulting in optimal performance and minimal waste. This is the most challenging aspect."

“Educate workers to accept and be open to the adoption of modern technology, machinery, or automation systems, which is also a significant challenge for CPRAM.”

Dr. Niphat from PTT Res shared an interesting perspective: "In the past, we must accept that the adoption of automation and robotics technologies in the manufacturing process may have been viewed by many entrepreneurs or individuals as an option that could be adapted or not. However, today, as Thailand and global trends are rapidly changing, the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, such as robotics, automation, AI, and IoT, in the manufacturing sector is no longer an option. If businesses fail to adapt in this way, they will be unable to compete with others."

"Therefore, it's linked to the issue of people. Business owners with production lines must first adjust their mindset to the fact that changing production processes through the adoption of various technologies is essential. Once this mindset is established, it will lead to preparing and training people to have the skills and abilities to work with these machines or technologies."

"Furthermore, the current shortage of skilled, knowledgeable, and capable personnel in robotics and automation technologies is a significant problem and obstacle in the development of Thailand's industrial sector towards Manufacturing 4.0. Past production of these workers has either been insufficient, or the resulting workforce lacks the skills to meet the needs of the industrial sector."

"Therefore, in this regard, as a System Integrator (SI) company of the PTT Group, I believe it is something we must promote and support. I'm pleased that the education sector is now adapting and collaborating with the industrial sector to jointly adjust curricula and develop talent. We're also upskilling and reskilling industrial workers with skills in automation, robotics, AI, and IoT. This ecosystem building will help propel industrial development in a direction aligned with national development and global trends in the digital age."

Mr. Wiwat, an executive from DENSO, shared his thoughts as the innovator of technology and solutions that will help the Thai industrial sector move towards Industry 4.0.

"The standard for a country to be a global industrial leader is to have at least 1,000 SI companies. However, in Thailand, there are currently only 100 SI companies. Therefore, the challenge is how to address these weaknesses and pain points to propel Thailand towards Industry 4.0."

"While it must be acknowledged that the Thai manufacturing sector as a whole is still relatively unfamiliar with automation, the image that comes to mind is likely pre-packaged technology purchased from foreign companies, installed, and ready for use. However, the reality is that the direction in which technology is applied to manufacturing processes in Thailand's industrial sector should not be this way. Every factory and company must be supported to invent and design its own technology."

"Because of our 70 years of experience in developing our own technology, we began making our own robots 50 years ago. We then developed and expanded them into industrial robots that can be commercially sold. Today, we prioritize leveraging IoT technology to enhance efficiency in industrial production processes, visualizing IoT, such as the D-QiTs solution we introduced earlier. We've experimented, tested, and developed the system until we're confident in it. We then further developed the product and will distribute it to the industrial sector for further productivity enhancement."

And it's time to listen to the perspective of a strong female executive from TKK Corporation. Ms. Kalyanee spoke on an interesting point:

"And today, as TKK is a Thai company with 100% Thai ownership, we are confident that everything we do will lead to a collaborative, interconnected network that will undoubtedly elevate any industry sector to Smart Manufacturing. We have established a pyramid model consisting of machining, or modern machinery, at the center of the pyramid, robotics, automation, and IoT at the top, leading to a larger picture of development. We believe that competition can be achieved domestically and that this advantage can be used to enhance the country's competitiveness."

"Currently, the potential of AI robots and visualization technology has become a new trend in the industrial sector. This is the adoption of Smart Robot AI, which features AI camera and AI vision functions. It's incredibly simple to use, requiring no coding or programming. Instead, it can handle any workpiece, using a cobot. This cutting-edge innovation has been developed by KSI Solution, a TKK subsidiary, and is already being used by major automotive manufacturers. This technology offers easier, more efficient access, and is affordable."

“The next trend I'd like to highlight is AMR, which stands for Autonomous Mobile Robot. These robots are mobile and practically utilitarian in industrial applications, particularly in transportation and logistics. Currently, these robots are very well-received, as they can help humans with heavy lifting.”

"Finally, I'd like to encourage you to keep an eye on the adoption of IoT technology for industrial data management. This technology trend will continue to evolve from here on out. I'd like to emphasize three key words that everyone should be talking about and will influence the development and transformation of the industrial sector from now on: Digital, Green, and Revolution. Digital refers to Generative AI, Cyber Security, and various automation systems. Green refers to driving industrial progress, taking into account energy efficiency, Net Zero Emission, or zero greenhouse gas and carbon emissions, and Revolution refers to various revolutions in the industrial sector."