On September 9, People's Daily launched the column 'Striving on the Road to a Strong Nation, Striding on a New Journey,' vividly showcasing the tremendous changes in all sectors and fields of our country over the 75 years since the founding of New China, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. It encourages cadres and the masses to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, gather strength, forge ahead, and write more splendid chapters on the new journey of advancing Chinese modernization.

September 11

People's Daily

'Striving on the Road to a Strong Nation, Striding on a New Journey' Column

Focuses on CRCHI

Overcoming Key Core Technologies of Shield Machine Main Bearings

Creating the 'Heart' of Major Equipment Made in China

Helping Transform and Upgrade Made in China

Full Text Below

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Two Bearings Show the Transformation and Upgrade of Made in China

From a Manufacturing Giant to a Manufacturing Power

(Striving on the Road to a Strong Nation, Striding on a New Journey)

　　Manufacturing is the foundation of a nation and the basis for its strength. Riding the wave of 'digitalization' and moving toward 'innovation,' China's manufacturing transformation and upgrading is advancing with firm steps.

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, 'China cannot do without manufacturing at any time,' 'We must unswervingly make manufacturing and the real economy stronger, better, and larger,' and 'accelerate the building of a manufacturing power.'

　　Bearings are the 'joints' of industry.

　　In June this year, at the Liu'ao offshore wind farm in Zhangzhou, Fujian, 16-megawatt wind turbines equipped with domestically produced main shaft bearings achieved batch operation and full-capacity grid connection.

　　On Suzhou Metro Line 6 in Jiangsu, the 'CRCC 872' shield machine equipped with domestically produced 3-meter-class main bearings made new achievements.

　　Two bearings, from nonexistence to existence and from existence to excellence, reflect the solid pace of China's manufacturing from small to large and from large to strong over the 75 years since the founding of New China.

　　With the world's most complete industrial system, the overall scale of manufacturing has ranked first in the world for 14 consecutive years, and the output of more than 220 products ranks first globally... The solid confidence, innovative momentum, and surging vitality demonstrated by Made in China provide strong support for advancing Chinese modernization.

Seeing the Solid Confidence of Made in China from a Complete Industrial System

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: 'Manufacturing is the lifeline of the national economy,' 'Our country is a large country, and we must develop the real economy, continuously advance industrial modernization, and improve the level of manufacturing.'

　　Luoyang Bearing Group (LYC) is a manufacturer of main shaft bearings for 16-megawatt wind turbines. Wang Xinying, Party Secretary and Chairman of the group, admitted: 'More than 10 years ago, we could not even touch high-end bearings, but no matter how difficult, we must crack this hard nut.'

　　'Strengthening internal strength' by establishing innovation platforms such as national key laboratories; 'borrowing external forces' by working closely with universities and institutes such as Tsinghua University. From new energy vehicle bearings to wind power main shaft bearings and rail transit bearings, LYC's new products have rolled off the production line one after another and been applied to major equipment such as Chang'e, Tiangong, and China's Sky Eye.

　　LYC has perfected 'one type of product,' while CRCHI focuses on 'one product'—shield machines.

　　Developing main bearings to fill 'the last piece of the puzzle' in the localization of the shield machine industry chain. In 2019, CRCHI specially established a research and design institute, and after more than 1,000 days and nights, finally successfully developed a 9-meter-class shield machine main bearing.

The world's largest diameter shield machine main bearing

　　'This is the shield machine main bearing with the largest diameter and highest load capacity in the world, and can be used for the world's largest shield machine.' Liu Feixiang, Chief Scientist of CRCHI, said with emotion, 'In the past, we used whatever equipment was available for construction; now, we can manufacture whatever equipment is needed for construction.'
　　Behind the two bearings is the solid confidence demonstrated by China's complete manufacturing industrial system.

　　In 1949, the first molten iron of New China poured out at Anshan Iron and Steel. Today, China has ranked first in the world in steel production for 28 consecutive years, and 'hand-tearable steel' continues to set world records; in 1956, the first Jiefang truck rolled off the FAW production line. Today, China's automobile production and sales have ranked first globally for 15 consecutive years, and the production and sales of new energy vehicles have ranked first in the world for 9 consecutive years.

　　From 'unable to manufacture' to 'able to manufacture' and then to 'able to manufacture well,' we have completed the industrialization process that developed countries took hundreds of years in just a few decades. Manufacturing has 31 major categories, 179 medium categories, and 609 subcategories, with the most complete industrial categories and the most complete industrial system globally, and the resilience and competitiveness of the industrial chain and supply chain continue to improve. In 2023, the added value of manufacturing accounted for 26.2% of GDP and about 30% of the global total.

　　With a strong physique and sturdy bones, today's Made in China has a rock-solid foundation and confidence.

Seeing the Innovative Momentum of Made in China from Industrial Chain Collaboration

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: 'The core of manufacturing is innovation, which is mastering key core technologies. We must rely on self-reliance and independent innovation.'

　　The breakthrough in the 9-meter-class shield machine main bearing is precisely an innovation 'relay' involving raw materials, industrial mother machines, engineering applications, and other links—

　　'Uncrushable and ungrindable,' the material must first be hard enough. Take the internal gear ring of the main bearing as an example: for an 8mm thick ring layer, the Rockwell hardness must be greater than 58, and conventional medium-carbon bearing steel is far from meeting the standard.

　　What to do? CRCHI cooperated with universities, and after more than 2 years, over 30 sets of tests, and millions of fatigue tests, selected the best steel element ratio. Multiple steel companies, after dozens of technical discussions and tests, turned the formula into products.

　　With materials, precision machining is also needed. R&D started in 2020, products rolled off the line in 2022, and the localization rate exceeds 90%. The domestically produced 9-meter high-speed CNC gear milling machine jointly developed by CRCHI and partners helped the main bearing roll off the line smoothly.

Shield machine production workshop

　　The development of the 16-megawatt wind power main shaft bearing is likewise inseparable from the 'group operation' of relevant parties.

　　'For large-megawatt wind turbine main shaft bearings, there was no relevant reference material. At the critical moment, the main machine manufacturer Goldwind sent various types of wind turbine operation data, solving the 'urgent need.'' Yao Dong, Minister of the Wind Power Department of LYC Sales Corporation, said with emotion, 'Working together and collaborative innovation, Made in China has infinite possibilities.'

　　Large, medium, and small enterprises integrate innovation, and industry, academia, and research cooperate fully. Large aircraft soar in the blue sky, high-speed maglev trains skim the ground, and domestically produced large cruise ships are put into commercial operation... A large number of major landmark innovation achievements have led Made in China to continuously reach new heights. In 2023, the added value of high-tech manufacturing accounted for 15.7% of the added value of industrial enterprises above designated size, an increase of 6.3 percentage points over 2012.

　　Innovating and upgrading traditional industries; keeping pace with the times and strengthening emerging industries; focusing on the frontier and laying out future industries... China develops new quality productive forces according to local conditions and continuously shapes new momentum and new advantages for development. At present, strategic emerging industries account for about 13% of GDP, and the number of high-tech enterprises nationwide has reached 463,000.

　　Striving to climb with the spirit of self-improvement, today's Made in China is full of ever-changing creations.

Seeing the Surging Vitality of Made in China from High-End, Intelligent, and Green Development

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, 'Promote the high-end, intelligent, and green development of manufacturing.'

　　Comprehensive improvement, high-end layout, bearing products continue to 'update':

　　On March 10, the bearing for the Changbai Mountain 40-meter-aperture radio telescope developed by LYC passed acceptance. In the future, this radio telescope will precisely 'guide the way' for lunar probes.

　　On March 14, the world's first 25-megawatt wind power main shaft bearing rolled off the line smoothly at Luoyang Bearing Science & Technology, setting a new world record for the largest single-unit capacity of wind power bearings.

　　Products are more high-end, and production must also be more intelligent. Entering the final assembly workshop of CRCHI's Changsha Second Industrial Park, there is a real workshop and a digital workshop, online and offline, synchronized in real time.

　　'Look, this is a set of digital twin images of the front of a shield machine cutterhead. The different shades of color represent the force and wear of the blades.' Wang Yongsheng, Deputy Director of the Digital Twin Research Institute of CRCHI, said that by analyzing these data in real time, engineers can optimize the next generation of products in a targeted manner.

Digital twin image of a shield machine

　　'The two bearings' are a microcosm. Continuously promoting industrial optimization and upgrading, Made in China has achieved fruitful results.
　　Climbing to both ends of the 'smile curve.' The energy density of mass-produced power battery cells has reached 300 watt-hours per kilogram, at an internationally leading level; the efficiency of crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem cells has reached 34.6%, repeatedly setting world records; the annual export of the 'new three'—new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic products—has exceeded the trillion-yuan mark... Made in China is accelerating toward the mid-to-high end of the global industry.

　　Advancing deeply toward the 'integration of digital and real economies.' The penetration rate of digital R&D and design tools in key industrial enterprises has reached 80.1%, the numerical control rate of key processes has reached 62.9%, and the industrial internet has achieved full coverage of major industrial categories... The pace of industrial digitalization and digital industrialization is constantly accelerating.

　　Making continuous efforts toward 'green and low-carbon.' Promoting green and low-carbon transformation, building a green manufacturing system, cultivating and strengthening green industries... In the first two years of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the energy consumption per unit of added value of industrial enterprises above designated size decreased by 6.8% cumulatively.

　　Aiming at 'high technology,' pursuing 'high efficiency,' and moving toward 'high quality,' today's Made in China shows a new look, opens new space, and surges with new vitality.

　　'We will focus on advancing new industrialization, developing new quality productive forces, maintaining a reasonable proportion of manufacturing, organically combine building a manufacturing power with developing the digital economy and industrial informatization, and accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as the backbone.' said Jin Zhuanglong, Party Secretary and Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.