SHANGHAI, May 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) has started operations at a new automated production line for small-sized enclosures at its ZPMC Transmission Machinery facility in Nantong. Unlike conventional assembly lines that rely on custom tooling or pre-drilled locating holes, this system offers a high degree of manufacturing flexibility, placing it among the more advanced production systems currently operating in China.

The production line is built around two 5-axis machining centers and integrates a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) with an automated RGV (Rail Guided Vehicle) material handling system. Together, they enable fully automated machining operations across multiple production stages. With a single clamping operation, the line completes all precision processes, including milling and drilling. It is suitable for small enclosures, planetary carriers, reducer housings, and other core components across multiple product series, significantly improving machining accuracy and consistency.

Key features include automatic workpiece alignment and compensation regardless of clamping orientation, as well as the ability to accommodate order changes, machine downtime, and mixed-model, variable-batch production. These capabilities have significantly improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). With smart scheduling and offline calibration, the line can run unattended for 24 hours. Only one operator is required per shift, reducing labor costs by 50%, while productivity has increased by more than 33%. Annual output is expected to exceed 8,600 units.

ZPMC Transmission Machinery (Nantong) now operates eight automated production lines, including a robotic welding line, a flexible automated line for small gear shafts, a gear cutting and machining line, a gear ring manufacturing line, a heat treatment line for enclosed components, a high-temperature nitriding line, a small reducer assembly line, and an environmentally compliant coating line. The new production line for small enclosures marks an important step in ZPMC Transmission Machinery's move toward more advanced and flexible enclosure machining operations. It is expected to reduce production costs, increase efficiency, and maintain product consistency, supporting the manufacture of critical components for high-performance reducers.

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