Smart technology renders high-end manufacturing possible

Abstract

Before Liberation, even such small items as nails and matches in China were all manufactured by foreigners, as a result, they were called ‘‘foreign nails’’ and ‘‘foreign matches’’. China’s mechanical manufacturing capabilities picked up after the foundation of new China with the aid of the former Soviet Union. From 1960s onwards, the industry was mainly dependent on self-reliance. In 1978 China’s higher education was resumed and universities began to enroll students. As a result of economic reforms and opening up, China’s manufacturing industry began to learn from foreign examples, and launched the first wave of manufacturing for household electrical appliances between 1978 and 1987. During this period mechanical engineering and science also underwent rapid development. Professor Chongxian Gu at Xian Jiaotong University was one of the earliest scholars studying dynamics of machining tools. His research achievements attracted some world-renowned experts’ (for example the famous Professor Tobias) attention and academic exchange with their Chinese partners. Professor Yushan Tan was invited to build the Machine Tool Laser Measurement Laboratory at the University of Birmingham. During the 1980s Hanhe Yang founded the ‘‘Mechanical Control Engineering’’, highly praised by Prof. Shuzi Yang, the academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering. His work was considered as the classic works of mechanical dynamics. Two alumni of Xian Jiaotong University namely Yansun Lu (former chief engineer and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Mechanical Industry) and Mr. Guobao Zhang, former Deputy Director of National Development and Reform Commission and Director of National Energy Administration. Both men had devoted their entire lives and energy to Chinese manufacturing industry, and earned the accolade of ‘‘Engineers of the Republic’’. The second wave of manufacturing in modern Chinese history is automotive manufacturing (1987–1997). During this period of time, foreign manufacturers came to China in droves, and many privately-owned manufacturers began to sprout up. One must recognize that the astounding success in both waves of manufacturing in China—so successful are they that China is now the world’s largest manufacturing nation—is mainly attributed to China’s large population and cheap rural labor. It is important to note that the State ‘‘985’’ and ‘‘211’’ programs were aimed at developing world-class academic disciplines in key universities. After more than 30 years of development, China’s manufacturing industry has become the largest in the world constituting 19.4 % of the global manufacturing in 2010 (see Fig. 1). It expanded further to 19.8 % in 2011. In many other products China’s production volume also topped the world (see Table 1). Nevertheless at this point, China is only a large manufacturing nation but not a manufacturing power. Aerospace manufacturing is the third wave for China’s manufacturing industry. It represents a high level of manufacturing technology and indeed powers its development. Manufacture of large aircrafts, aircraft engines, rotor blades and turbine disc is an extremely difficult process, especially considering that they require materials such as high-temperature alloy and titanium alloy and that they possess curved surfaces. Nevertheless China’s aerospace industry is beginning to move away from its early days and is moving towards becoming a full-fledged industry. B.-H. Lu (&) School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, People’s Republic of China e-mail: bhlu@mail.xjtu.edu.cn