PTT unit to adopt more automation in 4.0 move
IRPC Plc, the petrochemical and refinery arm of national oil and gas firm PTT Plc, will embrace robotics and automation to help the country upgrade to Thailand 4.0, the company said yesterday.
Thailand’s use of robotics in industry was officially set in motion by the government on Tuesday when the cabinet approved a 200-billion-baht long term master development plan.
IRPC plans to provide polymers with ultra-strength polyethylene — as strong as steel but lighter — to develop a second prototype of a walking assistance robot (WAR) at Sripatum University. The first pilot model has yet to be commercialised.
A signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding yesterday marked the start of a new collaboration between the Sirindhorn National Medical Rehabilitation Center and Sripatum University.
They said they will develop a cheaper, next-generation WAR prototype in hope of launching it commercially in Thailand in 2018. The three parties said they plan to use lightweight materials and lower production costs.
Current versions available on the Thai market cost from 150,000 baht to 10 million baht. The cheapest is aimed at low-income earners who have social security cards and 30-baht healthcare cards.
Sripatum University has been working on WAR projects since 2014 and its efforts earned it accolades at the National Robot and Automation Contest, held by the Ministry of Science and Technology, as well as Taiwan’s International Invention Show and Techmart 2016.
Such recognition inspired the Department of Medical Services and Sripatum University to invent a domestically produced WAR for commercial purposes.
IRPC president Sukrit Surabotsopon said the collaboration will add value to IRPC’s commodity grade polymer to combat intense competition at the lower end of the market, particularly in Asia.
But the trio have not finalised their business model on how to commercialise the WAR, with an acceptable profit-sharing model yet to be agreed upon.
IRPC vice-president Kraisri Phankitnirundon said the revenue generated from high-value polymer will rise from 43% to 45% of total earnings by year’s end and should reach 60% by 2020.
The company has been allocating 1.5% of total net profit to research and development as part of its capital expenditure budget in recent years. High-value polymer has made a significant contribution since 2012, it said.
Meanwhile, up to 5 million people with disabilities have registered with the national health centre and are likely to receive government support, a survey by the Public Health Ministry showed.