Suggestions for Improving the eight major industrial technology policies in the Construction Machinery industry

The construction machinery industry is one of the main pillar industries of the machinery industry. In 2005, China's sales reached 126.2 billion yuan, profits 4.55 billion yuan, and export earnings amounted to 2.94 billion US dollars. In 2006, the main business income continued to grow at a rate of 28.36%, reaching a new high of 162 billion yuan. China is one of the four major bases of the international construction machinery manufacturing industry (the United States, Japan, the European Union, and China). However, in domestic and international market competition, the technical level and core technology of products are the key factors restricting the improvement of competitiveness. Compared with the international advanced level, the average gap is about 15 years, mainly reflected in the reliability of product use, the lifespan of the whole machine, the appearance quality and the level of information technology. These gaps are mainly reflected in the technical level of basic components. Therefore, to revitalize the development of the construction machinery industry, the focus should be placed on enhancing the technological level of basic components, intensifying technological innovation efforts, and supplemented by policy support. The policy support previously provided for the development of main machine products should be shifted to the development of basic components. The main key technologies are as follows: Eight items

1. Technical Name: Design and Manufacturing Technology of Power Shift Transmission

Technical Description: The power shift gearbox is a core component for power transmission in construction machinery. Although there are many types and specifications, their functions are the same, and the key technologies in design, research and development, and manufacturing all share commonalities. Nowadays, compared with the international advanced level, domestic power shift gearboxes have more faults, higher noise, shorter service life and oil leakage from time to time. In order to enhance the technical level of major products, the design and manufacturing technology of power shift gearboxes urgently needs to be tackled and improved. The design and manufacturing technology of power shift gearboxes encompasses R&D methods, electro-hydraulic control technology, process manufacturing technology, testing technology, and material handling technology. It is a systematic and comprehensive integrated technology. It is suggested that a development approach combining technology introduction and independent innovation be adopted, with project bidding for implementation, supplemented by policy support and project tracking management, to ensure that the project research and development work is carried out in accordance with the goals.

2. Technical Name: Design and Manufacturing Technology of Wet Brake Drive Axle

Technical Description: The wet brake drive axle is a traveling component of construction machinery products. It features maintenance-free operation, high transmission efficiency, long service life, and significantly reduces the usage and maintenance costs of the main engine. The key technologies lie in the research and development of design software, testing methods, the material and casting technology of bridge housings, the displacement technology of drum-shaped bevel gears, and the material and manufacturing technology of wet friction plates. At present, only the joint venture between Liugong Machinery Co., Ltd. and the German company "ZF" is engaged in production in China. However, the price is high and difficult for downstream enterprises to accept. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out research and development of domestic technology.

3. Technical Name: Design and Manufacturing Technology of Plunger Type Hydraulic Motor and Hydraulic Pump

Technical Description: The plunger type hydraulic motor and hydraulic pump components are key transmission parts of the operation system of construction machinery products. The domestic manufacturing technology of this product has never been up to standard. Currently, most of the main units are purchased internationally. However, with the intensification of international competition, the export volume of Chinese products has increased. Japanese and German suppliers have taken restrictive measures to control supply, raise prices and delay delivery times, which has seriously restricted the development of products such as excavators, concrete mixer trucks, concrete pump trucks, trailer-mounted concrete pumps and horizontal directional drills in our country. This issue urgently needs to be addressed. The key technologies of this motor and pump mainly include: design and development technology, casting technology, processing technology and testing technology, etc.

4. Technical Name: Design and Manufacturing Technology of Slewing Bearings

Technical Description: This product is a key component of hydraulic excavators, wheeled cranes, tower cranes, crawler cranes, port cranes and other products. Although there are professional factories producing it at present, the steel used for slewing bearings, forging technology and heat treatment technology all fail to meet the technical performance indicators of the product. It has defects such as large size, heavy weight, short service life and high noise.

5. Technical Name: Design and Manufacturing Technology of Integral Multi-way Valve

Technical Description: This product is a key basic component for the operation control of construction machinery. Currently, most of the multi-way valves produced domestically are of a sectional assembly structure, which is large in size, short in service life and prone to oil leakage, making the overall products lack competitiveness. The key technologies of this product mainly lie in the process manufacturing technology, including blank casting and cleaning technology, processing and manufacturing technology, assembly technology, etc.

6. Technical Name: Four-Wheel and One-Belt R&D and Manufacturing Technology

Technical Description: The four-wheel and one-belt product consists of idler wheels, drive wheels, tow wheels, guide wheels and running tracks. It is a supporting component of crawler-type walking construction machinery. Among them, the idler wheels, drive wheels and tracks are the key. The product technology involves design and development, materials and process manufacturing technology. At present, the average service life of four-wheel and one-belt products in our country is only half of the international advanced level, which affects the service life and reliability of the entire machine.

7. Technical Name: Product Informationization Technology

Technical Description: The development and application of information technology for international construction machinery products have basically matured. The information feedback of various working condition parameters during construction operations, self-diagnosis of various mechanical and hydraulic faults, and centralized display and operation of the automated information chain have become the mainstream of advanced technology development in international construction machinery today. Although there is partial technical support from the "863" project plan in China, which is currently in the process of trial promotion, the system design, manufacturing and resource allocation are still far from being commercialized and matched, and thus need to be given key support.

8. Technology Name: Modern Integrated Manufacturing System Technology for the Construction Machinery Industry

Technical Description: The construction machinery manufacturing industry is one with the characteristics of multiple varieties and series. All production activities, from market analysis, product research and development, processing and manufacturing, supporting technologies, operation and management, cost control to after-sales service, form an inseparable whole and should be closely linked to create an integrated computer network technology management system, abbreviated as CIMS system.

Major construction machinery manufacturing companies in developed countries have all implemented the CIMS management system, which plays a decisive role in enhancing the core competitiveness of enterprises in the international market. All leading enterprises in China's construction machinery industry should implement and promote it.