Mendix Accelerates Yanfeng Automotive’s Road to Digital Transformation

Yanfeng Automotive, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yanfeng, serves clients worldwide and specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing of automotive safety systems.

With over 80 years of experience in the automotive industry, Yanfeng has earned a reputation as a forward-thinking, innovative organization that embraces the value of digitalization.

However, like many similar organizations, Yanfeng’s manufacturing division faced challenges in recent years, with disconnected systems and processes that required cross-departmental collaboration. Despite having solid core systems, manual workflows were prone to errors and inefficiencies.

To streamline its operations and enhance its digital strategy, Yanfeng adopted the Mendix development platform, creating solutions that span from the production line to risk prediction systems.

Removing Operational Barriers with Low-Code

To streamline workflows, Yanfeng’s manufacturing director, Chen Kui, initially experimented with simple tools like Access and Excel. However, these proved insufficient for functionality and scalability. Proposals for ERP-based custom development were shelved due to prohibitive costs exceeding millions in RMB. Yet, the need for digital transformation persisted in Chen’s strategic plans.

“Intelligent manufacturing and software-driven processes must embed software and data management into every operational detail,” Kui shared.

Chen first came across Mendix while discussing the BOP (Bill of Process) module with Siemens Digital Industries Software. The low-code platform stood out because it allowed business teams to build systems on their own, cutting down on the need for IT involvement. After thorough discussions, Yanfeng realized that Mendix wasn’t just a good fit for their needs—it was the perfect solution for keeping pace with the rise of smart manufacturing.

Automated Manufacturing Workflows

Yanfeng developed four key applications using Mendix, each designed to streamline workflows and cut down on development costs:

1. MQ Quality Tracking System: In the past, inspectors relied on Excel to record issues during production audits and manually track corrections and improvements. Now, the entire quality tracking process is system-driven, allowing for simultaneous inputs without data discrepancies. This has boosted efficiency, reduced workloads, standardized processes, and enabled data visualization.
2. Supply Chain Risk Prediction System: Tackling supply chain disruptions used to require at least 24 hours of manual data gathering and analysis. With the new system, that time has been reduced to just two hours, integrating WMS, MES, and SAP systems seamlessly.
3. Freight Analysis System: Automating freight data collection and reporting has eliminated the need for repetitive manual tasks, saving significant time and effort.
4. Production Line Equipment Log System: Engineers used to spend hours pulling and analyzing equipment data from multiple systems. The new system offers a unified interface for real-time data access and multidimensional analysis, allowing workers to focus on higher-value tasks.

These applications tackled long-standing issues with cross-departmental collaboration and operational inefficiencies. For example, the quality tracking system was developed by a recent graduate in just two weeks, which solidified the team’s confidence about Mendix’s potential.

“Every young engineer should master low-code development. I hope this platform will see broader application across production and business fields,” Kui shared.

Together, the four systems reduced development time by 25% and labor costs by 50%. As the team grows more proficient, these savings are expected to increase even further.

Charting a Digital Future

With a renewed focus on future mobility, Mendix has become a cornerstone of Yanfeng’s strategic digital roadmap, with several projects underway across key business areas, including:

• Logistics: Yanfeng is exploring low-code solutions to enhance its transportation management system, including real-time alerts and freight settlement capabilities.
• Inventory: The team is planning to build more analytical applications, such as tools for inventory aging and structure analysis.
• Equipment Management: Using Mendix, Yanfeng will develop lightweight, efficient digital solutions to improve the maintenance of key production equipment and boost overall equipment effectiveness.
• Intelligent Manufacturing: They also aim to bridge system gaps with Mendix-powered solutions for secondary development, featuring data-driven workflows and visual dashboards to support smarter decision-making.

“The Mendix platform’s simplicity and intuitiveness makes it accessible for a range of teams to develop solutions with minimal training,” Kui said.

Today, Yanfeng has transformed its operations and development approach, ultimately showcasing how low-code innovation in automotive manufacturing can accelerate digital transformation.