The venture was in partnership with Singapore Estes.the sister company founded by Golden Eagle in 2013. Scheduled to open in July, the Singapore plant will focus on the development of digitally-controlled can body welders within tegrated welding monitoring systems.

“Estes has responded by prioritising the development of intelligent inspection systems that are intuitive, easy to integrate, and engineered for 24/7 operational resilience. Our solutions offer full data traceability and analytics capabilities, while continuously enhancing system stability and human-machine interface (HMl) usability"

Based on the east coast of China, Estes Intelligent Equipment International, which specialises in inspection systems, awide range of systems for canning andmore recently in three-piece can bodywelders, is seeing similar demand for smarttechnology, says founder Frank Chen.

  Across the industry, clients are increasingly demanding smarter, faster,and more user-friendly solutions - with minimal manual intervention and robustreal-time data analytics. There is a growingemphasis on seamless automation,system connectivity, and predictive quality management, all of which are essential for high-volume and multi-specification production environments

  "Estes has responded by prioritising the development of intelligent inspection systems that are intuitive, easy to integrate, and engineered for 24/7 operational resilience. Our solutionsoffer full data traceability and analytics capabilities, while continuously enhancing system stability and human-machine interface (HMl) usability.”

  One of the company's latest innovations is its fully-upgraded, 'digitalised’can welder and enhanced weld monitoring system, which combines visual inspection of the weld seam and temperature monitoring. These are “designed to meet the evolving needs of high-speed, high-precision production lines," says Chen.

“A standout feature of our new digital can welder is its smart automation capability. Once the operator inputs the can's diameter and height, the system mautomatically configures key parameters such as frequency, current, and mechanical alignment. This dramatically reduces reliance on operator experience and ensures consistent, high-quality welds across production runs.

“In parallel, we've made significant improvements to our inspection technologies. Our upgraded welding monitor, now powered by Al, delivers greater accuracy in identifying surface defects, weld misalignments, and inconsistencies. These systems offer realtime feedback, streamline quality control workflows, and significantly enhance overall operational efficiency.

  These advances are backed by ongoing improvements to hardware and software,says Chen. The company operates adedicated vision lab, equipped with industrial-grade cameras, precision lenses, and lighting systems, so the optimum inspection configuration canbe tailored for each application. in the software, the company makes continuous refinements to its proprietary platforms such as integrating Al, enhancing image processing, and developing adaptive algorithms. 

  "For example, our upgraded weldingmonitor now supports faster, more intuitive parameter setup for cans ofvarious sizes and formats - making it idealfor high-mix, fast-paced manufacturing lines," says Chen.

  Growth in the canmaking sector,along with demand for upgrades to smart technology, have created a positive outlook overall, says Chen - with the company opening a new manufacturing and service facility in Singapore to better serve its international partners. Estes has canmaking customers across the world,including Brasilata in Brazil, Falco in ltaly,Blechwarenfabrik Limburg in Germany,Kian Joo in Malaysia, and MC Packaging inSingapore.

  We remain optimistic about the future," says Chen.“Continued growth in the aerosol, beverage, and personal caresectors is driving strong demand for high-performance inspection systems.

“Significant opportunities are emerging from ongoing investments in smart factories and digital transformation across the manufacturing landscape.This industry-wide shift is expanding the market for intelligent inspection systems-particularly in emerging regions where automation and data-driven quality controlare advancing rapidly.

“Naturally, challenges persist - rising component costs and global supplychain volatility among them. Yet Estes is steadfast in its commitment to flexible engineering, responsive technical support,and close collaboration with clients to navigate these uncertainties.