China leads global tech evolution with lighthouse factories

China

China leads global tech evolution with lighthouse factories

2024-09-28 17:06 Last Updated At：23:17

China's manufacturing prowess has placed it at the forefront of global technological advancements, driving the sector towards smarter and more eco-friendly practices.

"Lighthouse" is the designation given to factories that have evolved and successfully implemented Fourth Industrial Revolution technology. Currently China boasts around 40 percent of the global lighthouse factories, ranking first in the world.

In the 100,000 square meter manufacturing plant of Sany Group in Hunan Province, the maximum output has been as high as 800 trucks per month since 2021.

Yao Zhiheng, director of Intelligent Manufacturing of Sany Group, likens the production of pump trucks to the art of tailored suits, but with a futuristic twist. The key to this innovation is the main control room.

"In the control room, we allocate specific tasks to the operating machines through our advanced systems – transforming steel plates into diverse, customized parts with remarkable efficiency," said Yao.

Efficiency is key, and the factory's smart optimization techniques have boosted steel utilization rates from 70 percent to over 80 percent, leading to significant cost savings.

"By increasing steel utilization by just one percentage point, we're able to reduce our costs by nearly 20 million yuan, about 2.8 million U.S. dollars," said Yao.

From cutting to welding to assembling, the factory's nine major manufacturing processes and 32 production scenarios have achieved full automation.

"The company's digitalization efforts span 368 projects with a total investment of 664 million yuan(about 95 million US dollars). These projects aim to foster high-quality development and align with our country's push for new industrialization," said Jiang Qingbin, vice president of Sany Group.

However, Jiang acknowledges that the heavy industry's upgrade path is not without challenges.

"We still face challenges like meeting diverse demands on assembly lines and information barriers across industrial chains," said Jiang.

But Jiang remains confident that China's ongoing reforms aimed at integrating the real and digital economies will help overcome these obstacles.

As China's manufacturing sector continues to lead the world in technological advancements, factories such as Sany Group stand as beacons of hope for a smarter and more sustainable future.

China's Long March-8A rocket launches new internet satellite group

China launched a Long March-8A carrier rocket on Saturday in the southern island province of Hainan, sending a group of internet satellites into space.

The rocket lifted off at 15:53 from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site. It successfully placed the payloads, the 14th group of low-orbit internet satellites, into preset orbit.

Developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the Long March-8A rocket is 50.5 meters long with a takeoff weight of 371 tonnes. It is capable of carrying up to 7 tonnes to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 km.

The rocket completed its maiden flight in February this year and has since entered a high-density launch mode.

This mission marks the first time the Long March-8 series rocket has switched its primary propellant from conventional petroleum-based rocket kerosene to coal-based rocket kerosene.

The new fuel is environmentally friendly, easy to store and transport, and more cost-effective. Its performance remains stable and reliable as petroleum-based rocket kerosene, which can establish a "green power" foundation for subsequent high-frequency launch missions.

Saturday's mission is also the fifth flight of the Long March-8A rocket and the 612th launch of the Long March series of rockets.