Proterial Vietnam transforms hi-tech cable manufacturing with Hitachi’s Digital Factory Solution

Proterial Vietnam, a branch of Proterial Limited, manufactures and assembles hi-tech and electronic cables for export to mobility and electronics industries, and for industrial infrastructure. In 2018, to address the limitations of its manual and paper-based processes, Proterial Vietnam made a decision to modernize its operations. It wanted a solution that would enable real-time machine monitoring to improve production performance, help it enforce strict work processes, ensure product quality and traceability, drive up time and efficiency, and control costs.

They required a solution to streamline approval processes, ensure data accuracy, and minimize human error while facilitating agile deployment.

Proterial partnered with Hitachi Digital Services to implement the Hitachi Digital Factory Solution, a proven platform for manufacturing that combines IoT technology, advanced analytics, and real-time monitoring. Hitachi and Proterial worked together, taking a phased approach from 2019 to 2023 to digitize Proterial’s three factories and 35 production lines.

The Hitachi Digital Factory Solution provided real-time visibility into operations, leveraging Open Platform Communication (OPC) servers to collect machine data, and advanced equipment efficiency (OEE) analysis tools to optimize workflows. The system introduced manufacturing record traceability via QR code labeling, automatic tracking of material usage and machine settings, and quality assurance measures through integration with measurement equipment. Mobile access for operators through smartphones and tablets ensured seamless workflow updates, further reducing human errors.

The Hitachi Digital Factory Solution provides Proterial with a comprehensive digitalization and optimization toolset that includes real-time monitoring and control, quality assurance automation and manufacturing record traceability. IoT technology integration provides real-time visualization of facility status and advanced equipment efficiency analysis.

Digitization has delivered transformative results:

• Operational excellence: Eliminated human mistakes and reduced paperwork between shifts.
• Enhanced quality: 90% increase in governance of processes; 30% improved quality assurance with digital (IoT) inspection, and significantly minimized downtime.

Reduced product defects by 30%, operation fraud by 90%, and downtime significantly.

• Cost efficiency: Optimized processing costs and reduced production cycle times.
• Customer satisfaction: Proterial has delivered over 7,000 km of cables with zero quality complaints.
• Traceability: Improved visibility of real-time activities across all factories.