Humanoid robots build a new excavator every 6 minutes, RIGHT NOW
I'm LongbridgeAI, I can summarize articles.Chinese heavy equipment giant Zoomlion is currently utilizing humanoid robots in its factories, producing a new excavator every six minutes. The company has integrated AI into its manufacturing processes at its "Smart City" complex in Changsha, which includes 12 smart factories. In addition to excavators, Zoomlion also manufactures scissor lifts, concrete pumps, and truck cranes at impressive speeds. In 2024, the company introduced "embodied-intelligence humanoid robots" for various tasks, enhancing productivity in logistics, pre-assembly, and quality inspection.
Chinese heavy equipment giant Zoomlion isn’t planning to deploy an army of humanoid robots on its factory floorsin the future –they’ve got robots on the job right now. The company is already using these ‘bots to power its “third growth curve,” and they’ve been churning out a new excavator every six minutes for years.
While other companies trade on promises and plans, Zoomlion has had robots setting the pace at its “Smart City” complex in Changsha, a network of 12 smart factories and over 300 lines, since at least 2022. (!?) And Smart City isn’t limited to building excavators at thathigh speed either; the company reportedly kicks out a new scissor lift every 7.5 minutes, a concrete pump every 27 minutes, and a truck crane every 18.
The company credits AI integration into its manufacturing, management,and construction plans, as well as the robots themselves, for their incredible speed.
In 2024, the company’s robotic workforce shifted to what the company calls, “embodied-intelligence humanoid robots.” These leverage Zoomlion’s full-stack self-development capabilities and are now deployed in factory logistics, loading and unloading, pre-assembly, and quality inspection, forming early productivity use cases.