Dark factory technology applied in sluice gate
Publish Time: 2025-08-18
Dark factory technology is being increasingly applied in China, with more and more such factories set up. Xiaomi automobile factory in Beijing is a typical example. It is called a dark factory because there are no people on the assembly lines and even no lights. The car SU7 is assembled automatically on the production lines day and night when Xiaomi has enough orders, showing the high automation of dark factories.Dark factory represents advanced technology in the world. It frees people from assembly lines, as no one is needed on site, while all processes are controlled by a central center or office. Staff in the control center can monitor and control every step of automobile assembly, ensuring smooth production.This dark factory technology has been tried in sluice gate control in Meixi, Shantou city, achieving automatic control of the sluice gate day and night, which is very useful for the sluice unit. The application involves four steps.First, a Local/remote control cabinet, called TB-RCU cabinet, is selected. It can open or close the sluice gate through remote control, allowing operators in the control center to manipulate the gate without being on site.Second, a main control station cabinet, named TB-MCU cabinet, is chosen. It can sample water level and rain data, and based on these, control each sluice gate via the TB-RCU cabinet. This ensures that the gate operations are based on real-time and accurate information.Third, a surveillance system is selected. Each gate is equipped with a camera, so staff in the control center can see the sluice gate through this system, keeping an eye on its working condition.Fourth, TB-station is selected. The SCADA and management computer here can automatically control the sluice gate. All data is recorded in the database every five minutes, and all opening and closing of the sluice gates are controlled by the TB-station. Staff in the control center can see and control each sluice gate through it.The SCADA and management computer system also has automatic control programs and algorithms for the sluice gate, realizing auto-open or auto-close according to water conservancy orders.Meixi sluice gate is at the end of Hanjing River in Shantou city. Keeping Hanjing River at the set water level is crucial as it ensures people in the city have clean drinking water. After adopting dark factory technology, the automatic system can control the river at the set level effectively. There are many lights in the sluice gate house, but most are turned off most of the time, and there is no one in the local gate house. Each sluice gate is controlled by the remote control center, fully embodying the characteristics of dark factory technology in sluice gate management.
