Gardner: 2016 World Machine Tool Survey (Data & Ranking by Country)

[xyxmt]

View attachment 368124
They’ve produced airplanes, launched satellites and churned out some of the best smartphones, so it seems almost incredible that China has been stumped by the humble ballpoint pen. Until now.

China, while being the world’s biggest manufacturer of ballpoint pens, has not been able to manufacture the pen tips without relying on foreign imports.

Taiyuan Iron and Steel, one of the country’s biggest stainless steelmakers, has announced that it's finally able to develop the pen tips after five years of trying.

Ballpoint tips require extremely high grade stainless steel and precision equipment, the company told the Xinhua news agency.

For years, China has spent millions importing the stainless steel and other equipment from Japan and Switzerland.

View attachment 368125

Beifa Group, one of the country’s largest ballpoint pen makers, said it has ordered the first batchof pen tips from Taiyuan, and expects to completely replace the need for imported steel within the next two years.

The issue has been a thorn in China’s side for years, with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang saying it reflected badly on Chinese manufacturing.

China even set up a national initiative to move its domestic pen makers up the industry value chain in 2011.

Now you can finally say that your pen is 100% Made in China.

http://mashable.com/2017/01/10/china-manufactures-ballpoint-pen/#IWWnESWOFqq0

US spent two million dollars on research to produce a pen that could write in space, Russians went for Pencil.

 

[Gasoline]

Shocking news !

Congrats for the achievement. China makes life easy, thanks.

 

[faithfulguy]

Article says China had been importing tips.

Besides Japan, no other Asian country can make 100% of the pen. China just joined the group.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Piano is actually a Pakistani brand
View attachment 368133
http://sayyed.com.pk/

Never knew it was such a big deal.

The point is that ANYONE can make a ball point tip, BUT then machinery and material required is often imported. I can bet anything, that this pakistani company would be importing its machinery and materials.

Besides Japan, no other Asian country can make 100% of the pen. China just joined the group.

China still can't make 100% of the pen.

China has got the material, but it still lags behind in its precision engineering capability. The machines tools for this process would most likely be imported from Japan, and Switzerland.

 

[lonelyman]

surprising why a ball in a tube could be such a complex issue. May China has spent so much time making big things (biggest cities, biggest bridges, biggest dams , biggest railways etc) that it lost sight of how to make little things.

It's just simply difficult and market is not that big,
By the way, they are talking about material, China can manufacture pen tips but used to import steel from Japan and Swiss

 

[Dungeness]

China still can't make 100% of the pen.

China has got the material, but it still lags behind in its precision engineering capability. The machines tools for this process would most likely be imported from Japan, and Switzerland.

You win!

Even if Chinese members here could prove to you that China made those machine tools as well, you would still say that some chips in those machine tools were imported from foreign countries.

 

[Shotgunner51]

You win!

Even if Chinese members here could prove to you that China made those machine tools as well, you would still say that some chips in those machine tools were imported from foreign countries.

Japan and Germany are top two leaders in CNC machine tool industry, both are also top exporters. China despite being world's largest machine tool producer, for many years also import hi-precision machines from top firms like Fanuc (Japan), Yamazaki Mazk (Japan), Siemens (Germany), and record trade deficits. As late starter, Chinese machine tool firms have made massive progress in the past two decades, have opened many exports markets, but exporting to Japan and Germany is almost mission impossible.

Finally until 2013, Dalian Kede successfully won an order (VGW-400U high-speed five-axis vertical machining center) and scored the 1st ever Chinese CNC export to Germany, even Japan placed an order subsequently.

China-made advanced machine tool exported to Germany
English.news.cn 2013-07-31 20:23:02

DALIAN, July 31 (Xinhua) -- An advanced computer numerical control (CNC) machine tool was shipped to Germany from northeast China's port city of Dalian on Wednesday in the country's first export of cutting-edge equipment to a developed economy. The high-speed five-axis vertical machining center, which consists of a numerical control system, a servo drive and an electric motor manufactured by Dalian Kede Numerical Control Co. Ltd, will be transported to Knuth Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh, a leading global machine tools supplier based in Germany.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-07/31/c_132591130.htm​

 

[AndrewJin]

Besides Japan, no other Asian country can make 100% of the pen. China just joined the group.

Finally!

 

[faithfulguy]

The point is that ANYONE can make a ball point tip, BUT then machinery and material required is often imported. I can bet anything, that this pakistani company would be importing its machinery and materials.




China still can't make 100% of the pen.

China has got the material, but it still lags behind in its precision engineering capability. The machines tools for this process would most likely be imported from Japan, and Switzerland.

Nope, the precision tools must be imported from India.

 

[AndrewJin]

Japan and Germany are top two leaders in CNC machine tool industry, both are also top exporters. China despite being world's largest machine tool producer, for many years also import hi-precision machines from top firms like Fanuc (Japan), Yamazaki Mazk (Japan), Siemens (Germany), and record trade deficits. As late starter, Chinese machine tool firms have made massive progress in the past two decades, have opened many exports markets, but exporting to Japan and Germany is almost mission impossible.

Finally until 2013, Dalian Kede successfully won an order (VGW-400U high-speed five-axis vertical machining center) and scored the 1st ever Chinese CNC export to Germany, even Japan placed an order subsequently.

China-made advanced machine tool exported to Germany
English.news.cn 2013-07-31 20:23:02
View attachment 368183
DALIAN, July 31 (Xinhua) -- An advanced computer numerical control (CNC) machine tool was shipped to Germany from northeast China's port city of Dalian on Wednesday in the country's first export of cutting-edge equipment to a developed economy. The high-speed five-axis vertical machining center, which consists of a numerical control system, a servo drive and an electric motor manufactured by Dalian Kede Numerical Control Co. Ltd, will be transported to Knuth Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh, a leading global machine tools supplier based in Germany.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-07/31/c_132591130.htm​

This is unpresidented.
@TaiShang

 

[SBUS-CXK]

The point is that ANYONE can make a ball point tip, BUT then machinery and material required is often imported. I can bet anything, that this pakistani company would be importing its machinery and materials.




China still can't make 100% of the pen.

China has got the material, but it still lags behind in its precision engineering capability. The machines tools for this process would most likely be imported from Japan, and Switzerland.

I said, China can produce Ballpoint tips or chip. This means: China can be completed independently of him, don‘t need to rely on foreign technology, but don’t need OEM. And say it's made by myself. If we still need foreign technology... This will not be news. So please don't speculate.

 

[cirr]

Chinese bearing giant rides with railway boom

2017-01-13 13:59

chinadaily.com.cn Editor: Li Yan

A worker tests a new production line for train bearings in ZWZ Group's factory in Wafangdian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 12, 2017. (Photo/chinadaily.com.cn)

Chinese industry giant is set to place first home-developed bearings into the country's bullet trains.

With the new production line going through trial run, ZWZ Group will manufacture the first batch and conduct on board test in the second half of this year, said Meng Wei, the company's chairman, on Thursday.

"Such a move will end an era of high-speed train makers in China relying on importing the crucial part," Meng told China Daily.

Headquartered in Wafangdian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, ZWZ is the country's number one bearing company. It reported 5.5 billion yuan revenue and 100 million yuan net profit in 2016.

The company signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the country's train manufacturer CRRC Corp last July. Train and automobile bearings now account for 20 percent of its sales, said Meng.

"The two sides have committed 20 million yuan on equipment purchase, and experts of Taylor Hobson will help with our employees' training," said Meng.

The moves come as the 79-year-old State-owned enterprise (SOE) seeks to upscale and optimize its business structure, coinciding with an overall effort to revitalize northeast economy.

Once known as the country's "eldest son" since its founding, Liaoning was an industrial bastion in the 1950s and 1960s, before losing its steam due to inefficient State driven economy and an exodus of young talent.

"Difficulty in attracting top tier talent remains the company's biggest problem," said Meng,"We need to play catchup on promoting soft environment."

http://www.ecns.cn/business/2017/01-13/241566.shtml

@AndrewJin

 

[Shotgunner51]

Chinese bearing giant rides with railway boom

2017-01-13 13:59

chinadaily.com.cn Editor: Li Yan

A worker tests a new production line for train bearings in ZWZ Group's factory in Wafangdian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 12, 2017. (Photo/chinadaily.com.cn)

Chinese industry giant is set to place first home-developed bearings into the country's bullet trains.

With the new production line going through trial run, ZWZ Group will manufacture the first batch and conduct on board test in the second half of this year, said Meng Wei, the company's chairman, on Thursday.

"Such a move will end an era of high-speed train makers in China relying on importing the crucial part," Meng told China Daily.

Headquartered in Wafangdian, Northeast China's Liaoning province, ZWZ is the country's number one bearing company. It reported 5.5 billion yuan revenue and 100 million yuan net profit in 2016.

The company signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the country's train manufacturer CRRC Corp last July. Train and automobile bearings now account for 20 percent of its sales, said Meng.

"The two sides have committed 20 million yuan on equipment purchase, and experts of Taylor Hobson will help with our employees' training," said Meng.

The moves come as the 79-year-old State-owned enterprise (SOE) seeks to upscale and optimize its business structure, coinciding with an overall effort to revitalize northeast economy.

Once known as the country's "eldest son" since its founding, Liaoning was an industrial bastion in the 1950s and 1960s, before losing its steam due to inefficient State driven economy and an exodus of young talent.

"Difficulty in attracting top tier talent remains the company's biggest problem," said Meng,"We need to play catchup on promoting soft environment."

http://www.ecns.cn/business/2017/01-13/241566.shtml

@AndrewJin

Good to see more firms in Northeast - an old industrial base of China - evolving so fast. Precision components like ball bearings are big tech challenges (machining, and metallurgy), congrats to ZWZ guys.

By the way, just a minor issue but I think they should seriously re-design their CI for better marketing, look at other Northeast industrial firm who sells globally - DMTG. SMTCL - far better.

http://en.dmtg.com/
http://en.smtcl.com/

 

[Martian2]

China's Shenyang i5M8 CNC Machine Tool has a precision of 0.003 mm

China's Shenyang Machine Tool Co. Ltd. (SMTCL) has introduced the indigenous i5M8 CNC machine tool. It is important for the following reasons.

a. Shenyang's i5M8 has incredible precision of 3 microns.
"For example, it can make gadget parts with a machining precision of 0.003 mm, equivalent to 1/25th of a human hair's width."

b. Shenyang's i5M8 operates with Chinese software.
"Shenyang Machine Tool developed the i5 smart numerical control system in 2007 by investing 1.15 billion yuan.

The i5 broke the monopoly of companies such as Siemens and Fanuc over machine tool motion control systems, and demonstrated that numerical controlled machine tools could have a 'Chinese brain'."

c. Shenyang's i5M8 is flexible.
"I5M8 can not only produce eight different models of a tool but make them in three-, four- or five-axis format, said Guan Xiyou, president of the company. 'Its unique feature is multi-usage, it's like a wild card.'"

d. Shenyang's i5M8 improves efficiency by replacing 10 machine tools with two or three i5M8s.
"This could mean companies that hitherto needed eight to 10 such toolmakers, could now do with just two to three units of i5M8, saving on costs, labor and factory floor space."

e. Shenyang's i5M8 allows for ease of monitoring via smartphone.
"The intelligent platform allows users to monitor its functioning on smartphones or other smart devices, Guan said."

f. Shenyang's i5M8 can be used in numerous high-tech industries.
"The toolmaker is expected to be used primarily in aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics and other industries that require high-precision parts like valves and pumps.

Toolmakers such as i5M8 are expected to find wide applications in the consumer electronics industry. So far, Japanese companies such as Fanuc dominated the segment of toolmakers."
----------

Shenyang company offers world's first smart machine tool - Business - Chinadaily.com.cn

 

[Shotgunner51]

China's Shenyang i5M8 CNC Machine Tool has a precision of 0.003 mm

China's Shenyang Machine Tool Co. Ltd. (SMTCL) has introduced the indigenous i5M8 CNC machine tool. It is important for the following reasons.

a. Shenyang's i5M8 has incredible precision of 3 microns.
"For example, it can make gadget parts with a machining precision of 0.003 mm, equivalent to 1/25th of a human hair's width."

b. Shenyang's i5M8 operates with Chinese software.
"Shenyang Machine Tool developed the i5 smart numerical control system in 2007 by investing 1.15 billion yuan.

The i5 broke the monopoly of companies such as Siemens and Fanuc over machine tool motion control systems, and demonstrated that numerical controlled machine tools could have a 'Chinese brain'."

c. Shenyang's i5M8 is flexible.
"I5M8 can not only produce eight different models of a tool but make them in three-, four- or five-axis format, said Guan Xiyou, president of the company. 'Its unique feature is multi-usage, it's like a wild card.'"

d. Shenyang's i5M8 improves efficiency by replacing 10 machine tools with two or three i5M8s.
"This could mean companies that hitherto needed eight to 10 such toolmakers, could now do with just two to three units of i5M8, saving on costs, labor and factory floor space."

e. Shenyang's i5M8 allows for ease of monitoring via smartphone.
"The intelligent platform allows users to monitor its functioning on smartphones or other smart devices, Guan said."

f. Shenyang's i5M8 can be used in numerous high-tech industries.
"The toolmaker is expected to be used primarily in aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics and other industries that require high-precision parts like valves and pumps.

Toolmakers such as i5M8 are expected to find wide applications in the consumer electronics industry. So far, Japanese companies such as Fanuc dominated the segment of toolmakers."
----------

Shenyang company offers world's first smart machine tool - Business - Chinadaily.com.cn

Good news on SMTCL, high precision CNC machine is the apex of all manufacturing.

China (Mainland) is world's largest producer of machine tools (see post #1), but at the same time a even bigger user/consumer due to massive demand across all industries in gigantic downstream manufacturing base, even more than next five nations combined! In fact after IC ($200B annual deficit, largely with Taiwan, Korea), machine tool is a major imports and deficit item for China, biggest deficits are with Japan, Germany.

There's been a lot of talks about China IC strategy, what about machine tool? When do you think the trade situation will improve vs Japan & Germany? Can Taiwan, very good in machine tool tech and world's 3rd largest net exporter, increase production in Mainland?