Title: Core Technologies of Industrial Digitalization — The Key to Unlocking the Future of Industry

Speaker: Mr. Liu Jixiong (Vice President and General Manager of Innovation R&D Center, Guangzhou Gases & Energy Co., Ltd.)

Invited by: Associate Prof. Zhou Xin

Time: June 9, 2026 (Tuesday), 7:00 PM

Venue: F3-b102, International Campus, South China University of Technology

Organizer: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Abstract:

In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, industrial digitalization has become the core engine reshaping the global industrial value landscape. This presentation systematically discusses the evolutionary logic from Industry 1.0 mechanization to Industry 4.0 intelligentization, focusing on analyzing the technical architecture with Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) at its core, and thoroughly explores the synergistic mechanisms of five key technological pillars: Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence, and digital twin.

The report combines the engineering practices of Guangzhou Gases in the electronic bulk gas field to elaborate on the in-depth application of core enabling technologies such as the Remote Operations Center (ROC), Industrial Data Center (IDC), Smart Operations Digitalization (SOD), and AI Agent: the ROC constructs a perception–transmission–decision–execution closed loop, enabling cross-regional intensive management, reducing on-site inspection manpower by 70%, and lowering safety incident rates by over 60%; the IDC breaks down information silos, serving as an enterprise operations cockpit to provide real-time monitoring and traceability analysis; the SOD integrates intelligent load balancing with an online computing hub, improving energy efficiency by 5%–8% in energy-intensive industries such as air separation; the AI Agent transitions from a passive tool to a digital employee, enhancing efficiency by over 90% in intelligent scenarios.

Research demonstrates that building a data-driven autonomous intelligent system is the key pathway to achieving high-quality, green, and sustainable development in manufacturing. Although digital transformation faces challenges such as the digital divide, talent shortage, and data security, its evolution toward human–machine symbiosis, autonomous intelligence, and green low-carbon development is irreversible.

Biography:

Liu Jixiong currently serves as Vice President and General Manager of the Innovation R&D Center at Guangzhou Gases & Energy Co., Ltd. (a STAR Market-listed company, stock code: 688548), and is a core technical personnel of the company. From 2007 to 2020, he successively held positions at Shanghai Owens Corning Fiberglass Co., Ltd., Linde Gas (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and Messer, serving as Process Engineer, Quality Engineer, Application Technology Engineer, and Application Technology Market Manager. He joined Guangzhou Gases in June 2020, successively serving as General Manager of the Application Technology R&D Center and General Manager of the Innovation R&D Center, and has been Vice President of the company since October 2024. He has long been dedicated to the innovation of industrial gas application technologies and the digital transformation of gas production sites, leading the establishment of the digitalized operations system within the company's 1+4+N scientific and technological innovation platform. He possesses extensive engineering experience in the industrial application of Remote Operations Centers (ROC), Industrial Data Centers (IDC), and AI Agents. Guangzhou Gases is a leading domestic enterprise in electronic bulk gases, having achieved full-chain domestic production of electronic bulk gases with purity reaching 9N grade, and has cumulatively served more than ten 12-inch wafer fabrication plants.

Announced by: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering