Smart Factory:
Meaning and Market Shift
Manufacturing has always been at the heart of industrial progress. Yet factories of the past were rigid, labor-intensive, and often unsafe. In the era of Industry 4.0, the Smart Factory represents the next leap: dynamic, data-driven, and intelligent environments where machines, systems, and people collaborate seamlessly.
The promise is efficiency and safety at a scale previously unimaginable. But achieving it requires embedding intelligence where the work happens — on the production floor, in the warehouse, and across critical operations.
At DEEPX, we deliver the silicon foundation of this revolution. Our NPUs are engineered to bring real-time AI perception directly into the factory environment, enabling autonomous machines, intelligent logistics, and proactive safety systems — all at ultra-low power and low cost, making mass deployment possible.
The DEEPX Advantage: AI for Industrial Reality
Factories are among the most demanding environments for AI deployment. Systems must handle:
- Heavy machinery automation with low-latency perception.
- Dynamic logistics optimization in fast-moving warehouses.
- Real-time safety monitoring under harsh conditions.
- Scalability and reliability across 24/7 operations.
- DEEPX addresses these challenges with:
- DX-M1 & DX-H1 NPUs delivering 25–100+ TOPS at sub-5W to 15W power envelopes.
- Compact, ruggedizable form factors ideal for industrial equipment.
- Broad AI model support for detection, classification, tracking, and anomaly recognition.
- Developer-friendly SDKs for rapid integration with industrial automation platforms.
It was a design suited for laboratories, but not for mass deployment. The dream of scaling thousands of AMRs to factories, warehouses, and cities risked becoming impractical.
Building Intelligent, Safer, and Autonomous Factories
POSCO DX, a leader in digital transformation for manufacturing, partnered with DEEPX to power the next generation of smart factory applications. Together, we deployed AI at the edge across three critical domains:
1. Unmanned Systems – Crane Automation
Cranes are vital but dangerous assets in steel and heavy manufacturing. By embedding DEEPX accelerators, POSCO DX enabled autonomous crane operations with AI-based perception — detecting obstacles, positioning loads precisely, and reducing risks of collisions or human error.
2. Warehouse Management – Automated Packet Sorting
In logistics centers, POSCO DX integrated DEEPX-powered vision into conveyor and sorting systems. AI models running locally classify and sort packets based on size and shape in real time, dramatically improving throughput and accuracy while cutting manual labor costs.
3. Safety Monitoring – Protecting Workers in Real Time
Factory safety is non-negotiable. With DEEPX NPUs, POSCO DX deployed PPE compliance detection, forbidden zone monitoring, and hazardous situation detection directly at the edge. Workers entering unsafe areas or failing to wear protective gear trigger instant alerts, preventing accidents before they occur.
Results & Impact
- Productivity boost: Automated sorting and crane operations streamline processes, reduce downtime, and increase output.
- Safety transformation: Real-time monitoring reduces incidents and ensures compliance.
- Cost savings: Lower energy use, less reliance on expensive GPUs, and optimized workflows reduce operational costs.
- Scalable adoption: Ruggedized, low-power DEEPX solutions can be deployed across multiple plants with minimal modification.
Conclusion: The Factory of the Future
The collaboration between DEEPX and POSCO DX proves that the Smart Factory is not just an aspiration — it is operational today. By embedding intelligence into unmanned systems, logistics, and worker safety, we are shaping a future where factories are more efficient, safer, and resilient.
With DEEPX NPUs as the invisible enabler, Smart Factories are becoming the backbone of modern industry — intelligent environments where every machine, every process, and every worker is empowered by AI.
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