Covestro and Haier have agreed to set up a joint laboratory in Qingdao, China. The laboratory will develop digital solutions for using polyurethanes in household appliance production. The objective is to set a new benchmark for digitalizing the chemical industry by pushing forward smart manufacturing in domestic appliance and mass customization. The project will be supported by the Haier Institute of Industrial Intelligence, jointly built by Haier and Qingdao Sino-German Eco-Park in 2016.
In the Haier-Covestro Digitalization Joint Laboratory, both partners want to develop innovative solutions for data collection and analysis, monitoring foam quality and process workflows, and continuously optimizing processes. The aim is to continuously improve the polyurethane foaming and manufacturing process, improve foam quality, and reduce manufacturing costs.
Haier has launched COSMOPlat, the first industrial internet platform to let users participate in the whole production process. It wants to transform mass manufacturing to mass customization. Through interaction with the platform, customers will create personalized orders for products such as washing machines or refrigerators, embedding their individual preferences. During the manufacturing stage, an open network of online factories will be created to make the process visual and transparent for every consumer. Orders are directly sent by customers to the factory and finished products are directly delivered to clients from the factory, removing the traditional storage and distribution processes.
- Covestro AG, Leverkusen, Germany
- Haier Group, Qingdao, China
