Industrial innovation and development face multiple risks and challenges

According to the data of the German Machine Tool Manufacturers Association (VDW), the global output value of metal processing machine tools reached 70.9 billion euros in 2021, a year-on-year growth of 20%, among which the output value of Chinese metal processing machine tools reached 21.81 billion euros. Experts said China’s machine tool industry has developed capacity and market advantages, but it still faces multiple risks and challenges in participating in global competition.

Risk of inheritance of old and new technologies. Tan Jianrong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and distinguished professor of Qiushi of Zhejiang University, believes that many classic techniques in the machine tool industry currently have market risks, high-precision manual techniques are difficult to recruit workers, and excellent techniques face inheritance risks. At the same time, how to use digital technology to restructure and optimize the process has not found the appropriate solution.

New technology impact risk. Lu Bingheng, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Xi ‘an Jiaotong University, said additive manufacturing technology, represented by 3D printing, could have an impact on the CNC machine tool industry. He said that taking the 3D printed rocket engine in the United States as an example, durability, fuel efficiency and other indicators have improved significantly, while weight, cost and fuel consumption have decreased significantly, which is noteworthy.

Risk of talent shortage. Wang Xu believes that the machine tool industry is generally facing the problem of talent shortage, and the reserve force is insufficient. As the corresponding majors in colleges and universities, mechanical manufacturing and mechanical design are obviously less attractive than software and artificial intelligence, which directly restricts the improvement and continuation of enterprises’ independent innovation ability.

Seize the opportunity to achieve transformation and upgrading

Industry insiders believe that the accelerated development of intelligent technology and the challenges of industrial chain layout provide new impetus for the development of machine tool industry, and enterprises should seize the potential opportunities in technology, materials, market and other aspects to achieve transformation and upgrading.

First, high-quality development creates industrial opportunities. Zhou Ji said that the high quality development of China’s manufacturing industry has put forward higher requirements for industrial mother machines, and the market demand for high quality main war type (medium) CNC machine tools and production lines is extremely strong, which is a new development opportunity for China’s machine tool industry. Enterprises should take innovation as the driving force, intelligent manufacturing as the main technological path, open the way to overtake, leapfrog development, and occupy the domestic and foreign markets of the main battle type CNC machine tools and production lines.

Second, new areas urgently need to accelerate the layout. Lu Bingheng believes that additive manufacturing has formed a large market globally and is growing fast. Chinese enterprises should realize that additive manufacturing is the driver of manufacturing innovation. They should make a comprehensive layout in reducing materials, equal materials and the mother machine of additive manufacturing industry, and promote the deep adjustment and upgrading of traditional process flow, production line, factory model and industrial chain.

Third, domestic and foreign market opportunities. Wang Xu said that from the perspective of market performance, since 2020, the import dependence of metal machining machine tool consumption has decreased year by year, from 28 percent in 2020 to 26.7 percent in 2021 and 24.1 percent in 2022. At the same time, the layout of the international manufacturing industry is facing adjustment. Therefore, Chinese machine tool enterprises should actively expand the global market and win a place in the international manufacturing relayout under the premise of satisfying the domestic large circulation.