Everyone says this is the era of the "post-waves," but they don't realize that we are all in the same current, whether it's the "post-waves" or the "pre-waves," every surging wave deserves applause. However, the reason why the "pre-waves" are called the "pre-waves" is because they are the ones who walk at the forefront of history and stand in front of obstacles.
This issue's protagonist - Tian Jinsong, founder of Johnson Smart- embarked on his entrepreneurial journey in his forties with the accumulation of years of experience. It was not only driven by his inner passion and mission, but also by a firm and resilient spirit of daring to be the first.
Perhaps in the eyes of many people, starting a business is something for young people, but in fact, as long as you are still surging and fighting, and still pursuing your dreams, you are a "young person." I believe that Tian Jinsong is such a "young person" who pursues his dreams with passion.
About us
Johnson Smart Technology (Jiaxing) Co., Ltd. is a technology-innovative enterprise specializing in Industry 4.0 intelligent factories, intelligent manufacturing, robot applications, and information technology. It provides integrated intelligent factory solutions for the food industry at home and abroad. The company not only has rich experience in technological innovation in the food field but also has strong technical strength in intelligent manufacturing, factory automation, and information technology. It is the food and drug industry intelligent factory technology center designated by the China Smart Factory Research Institute. Johnson Smart is committed to providing domestic and foreign food industry enterprises with fully automated production lines, intelligent production lines, and intelligent factory solutions.
How do you think entrepreneurship differs between the 60s and 90s generations?The main differences are in experience and mindset. For entrepreneurs, 60 may be considered a bit older, but I don't feel that I'm that different from young people. Because of my nearly 30 years of work experience, I feel that the chances of success by seizing opportunities are much greater. People of our generation all hope to give back to society what we have learned and accumulated over the years.
Entrepreneurship is also based on years of technical experience, putting what we have already done well into practice in an industry, which is a very fulfilling process. The intelligent manufacturing industry requires more accumulation of experience, technology, and resources than the Internet industry, so it may be more difficult for young people to start a business in this field.
When we encounter difficulties, we also tend to have a calmer. We will not easily change our direction due to some external factors. However, the work enthusiasm, positivity, and sense of responsibility of the 90s generation are all very good, and their willingness to learn is also very strong. This generation has less survival pressure, but instead hopes to achieve a sense of accomplishment in their career or work, which is completely different from our mindset in the 60s.
What are the feelings of switching between different roles after 15 years of executive career and 4 years of entrepreneurial experience?My biggest feeling is that I have gained the trust and support of my family and friends. Although I worked as an executive in my previous company for 15 years, I also started from scratch. At that time, I was in my early thirties, full of energy but inexperienced. I took many detours and eventually achieved an annual output value of 200 million yuan, and I also gained some experience from it.When I started my own business again, my mindset and approach were completely different from 20 years ago. Entrepreneurship for me now is actually doing something more meaningful. I don't think entrepreneurship is that hard, and we actually have more experience and technical ideas in intelligent manufacturing. We hope to put our efforts into practice, which is our biggest gain.
How do you view the development of the intelligent manufacturing industry under the macro development strategies of "China Manufacturing 2025" and the "Major Country of China Creation" mentioned by Dong Mingzhu? The market drives the demand for technology, and demand drives product progress
Intelligent manufacturing can be promoted to the entire national strategy because the country has seen changes in market demand. In recent years, all products have emphasized one word: experience, which has put forward higher requirements for the entire manufacturing industry. In the past 30 years or so, China's manufacturing has been engaged in some simple, repetitive, and low-tech products. Most manufacturing industries imitate foreign equipment and use the advantages of demographic dividends and low costs to obtain market resources. However, due to changes in market demand, the customer groups we face are also different. At the same time, our country's demographic dividend is also becoming smaller and smaller, and the original production technology is becoming less and less recognized by the market. Intelligent manufacturing is developed based on market changes and demand development. The market drives the demand for technology, and demand drives product progress. In the context of intelligent manufacturing, every enterprise needs more creativity.
Liberating cheap labor and solving the demand for flexible productionIn the past, the manufacturing industry relied on cheap labor to gain market share, and the flexible production of products was also achieved through manual labor. However, cheap labor is slowly disappearing, as all grassroots workers also hope to improve their living standards. Nowadays, many enterprises have difficulty recruiting workers, not because there are no people, but because very few people are willing to enter such a repetitive, mechanical, and boring work environment under the existing working conditions and treatment. For some manufacturing enterprises, the primary task is to improve the working environment of laborers.
The food industry is a typical example of an industry with a wide variety of products and frequent changes. In the past, flexible production in this industry was achieved through manual labor, and two-thirds of the workers were concentrated in the packaging segment, resulting in very high labor costs. The old salary and welfare systems are no longer able to meet people's needs for work, which is also forcing many companies to make changes. We use intelligent manufacturing technology to liberate workers from their original jobs, which not only reduces the labor costs of enterprises but also solves the demand for flexible production from a technical perspective.
Extend equipment lifecycle Reduce enterprise production costs and fixed asset investmentTo increase the added value of products and provide users with a better experience, enterprises naturally have higher requirements for equipment and facilities. In the past, during the process of large-scale production, automation technology could fully meet the needs of the market. However, due to the increasing demand for products, the diversity of products is inevitable, which brings about technical challenges to the manufacturing industry.
In the past, the life cycle of equipment was considered to be its service life, but in fact, many pieces of equipment are now discarded even though they can still be used very well. For example, people replace their electronic products every two or three years, not because they cannot be used, but because they no longer meet people's needs. The same is true for production equipment. In the past, many automated equipment was tied to products. Once the products were eliminated, the equipment was also eliminated, which brought a lot of burden to enterprises. Therefore, the intelligent flexible production lines we provide for the food industry greatly extend the life cycle of equipment, not only improving the service life and stability of equipment, but also having a wide range of applicability to products, meeting the needs of enterprises for product changes.
Therefore, intelligent manufacturing technology can bring about many changes for customers, but the first and foremost is a change in concept. How can we make enterprises realize that intelligent manufacturing technology can be combined with enterprise operating costs and meet the market's demand for product changes? This is very important. We need to spread the correct technical concept to them and let domestic manufacturing and production enterprises use these new technologies as soon as possible.
What is the watershed moment from "Made in China" to "Intelligent Manufacturing in China"?From simple imitation to creation, from a single fixed product to a product that changes with demand, this is all change. But the first question to be addressed is: can we respond quickly to market demands? Intelligent equipment is the foundation of all manufacturing, and it is also the foundation of all information. We do informationization and intelligent manufacturing based on the analysis of market data, and at the same time, we understand production data, product data and R&D data according to data analysis, and then arrange R&D and production, so that enterprises can quickly respond to the market and speed up the speed of new product launch. , enhance the user experience.
Disrupting, innovating, and transforming an industry is not easy. In the food processing industry, between 2016 and 2020, what was the biggest challenge faced by Kensong Intelligent?
Since we are working on the application of intelligent manufacturing in the food industry, many traditional automation equipment cannot be used in the intelligent flexible production line due to the single applicability of the products, and many flexible workstation module equipment must be developed. It is very simple in theory, but very difficult to implement. Because traditional equipment can only meet the production needs of a single product, and the production lines we make must meet the needs of changing products, and many mechatronics modules must be re-developed.
Transformation of Technical Engineer ConceptsTechnical engineers face high demands during the research and development process. Their biggest challenge lies in conceptual change, particularly for mechanical engineers who initially resist flexible manufacturing and highly compatible composite equipment. Traditionally, robots in China have only been used for their operational capabilities. However, the most significant feature of robots, especially articulated robots, is their flexibility. Compared to other equipment, their primary advantage is the ability to adapt posture and path according to different process and production requirements. This facilitates the transformation of robots into multifunctional workstations and flexible units. Robots, as flexible units, are indispensable components in the overall production and intelligent equipment landscape.
A Comprehensive Knowledge System
The mechatronic modules we develop differ significantly from traditional equipment. Their primary characteristic is enhanced compatibility, enabling them to adapt to the evolving product requirements of food enterprises over an extended period. Developing this equipment demands a breakthrough in thinking and necessitates a comprehensive understanding of technology and knowledge. While mechanical design has traditionally dominated manufacturing, particularly equipment manufacturing, relying solely on mechanical designers to create solutions is insufficient in the context of intelligent manufacturing. Not only is a broader perspective required in mechanical design, but also high demands are placed on control, software, robotics applications, and process understanding. Consequently, the knowledge base for intelligent equipment is vast, which explains the challenges associated with promoting this industry in China.
While China boasts a large pool of information technology professionals, there is a significant shortage of talent in the field of intelligent equipment. This stems from the fact that intelligent equipment necessitates continuous product adaptation, representing a revolutionary change. Instilling this concept in engineers and leading research teams to design new products is a formidable undertaking. Each production line requires collaboration and coordination among engineers with diverse skillsets. Product development is, in essence, a process of personal growth for engineers and a journey towards a deeper understanding of the entire process and equipment. Once these processes are completed, we can not only launch new products but also cultivate a true intelligent manufacturing team, which is essential for future product development. Once modular products mature, the speed at which we can provide intelligent equipment production lines to users will continue to accelerate.
Johnson Smart has reached a critical juncture in its development. Through one to two years of rigorous training, many engineers have gained a clearer understanding of technology and concepts. However, during the implementation process, some may still lack experience and ideas. The company has established a dedicated technical committee where engineers can engage in multi-party discussions to tackle challenging projects. The primary goal of these discussions is not only to broaden perspectives but also to facilitate collective progress. User requirements should not be compromised due to limitations in the company's capabilities. Currently, five new products are under development, and together with the four existing products, Kensong Intelligent expects to cover 80% of the market for leisure and bakery foods next year.
For Johnson Smart, the current research and development phase represents a significant milestone. Once these products are fully launched into the market, they will not only introduce new products and technologies to the industry but also propel Kensong's development to new heights.
