(Source: Handan Internet Radio and Television Station)
Reprinted from: Handan Internet Radio and Television Station
Recently, in the production workshop of Hongguang Casting Co., Ltd. in Jize County, Hebei Province, the automated production line is operating in an orderly manner, and production of a batch of smart manhole covers that will be sent to Thailand is being stepped up. Sensor modules are embedded inside these seemingly ordinary manhole covers, which can monitor displacement, water level, harmful gases and other data in real time, realizing the intelligent function of “being able to think and judge”.
“After we incorporate technological elements, the added value of our products has increased by more than 30%.” Zhao Liqiang, general manager of the company, said that this kind of smart manhole cover is widely used in smart city construction and has been exported to Southeast Asia, European and American markets.
In addition to technological empowerment, Jize's manhole covers also incorporate cultural elements. Hongguang Casting has integrated Handan's unique culture of idioms and allusions into product design, and engraved idioms such as “Mao Sui recommends himself” and “Hufu riding and shooting” on the manhole covers, breaking people's stereotype of manhole covers as “silly, big, clumsy”. Today, Jize's characteristic manhole covers have been installed in parks, scenic spots and historical and cultural blocks across the country.
The picture shows the spraying operation of painted idiom manhole covers on the automated production line of Jize County Hongguang Casting Co., Ltd. Photo by Qi PengfeiIt is reported that Jize's foundry industry originated in the 1970s and currently has 149 foundry and equipment manufacturing companies. In response to environmental protection pressure and market competition, Jize has taken “one county, one specialty” as the starting point to promote industrial transformation and upgrading.
The county has completely phased out coal-fired cupolas and replaced them with electric furnaces to achieve cleaner production; guided companies to add industrial robots and automated production lines; and supported companies in developing high-end products such as auto parts, high-speed rail accessories, smart drilling rigs, and special valves. In the past five years, a total of 68 casting industry transformation and upgrading projects have been implemented, and energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of output value has dropped significantly.
Data show that there are currently 41 high-tech enterprises in the foundry industry in Jize County and 32 provincial-level specialized and new enterprises. The annual production capacity of casting and equipment manufacturing enterprises reaches 600,000 tons, with an annual output value of nearly 6 billion yuan. Municipal castings account for 28% of the national market.
The picture shows customers learning about the products in the product exhibition hall of Jize County Hongguang Casting Co., Ltd. Photo by Qi PengfeiTechnological innovation has become the core driving force for industrial transformation. Jize has established cooperation with more than 10 universities and research institutes, including China Agricultural University, Zhejiang University, and Shandong University, and has established academician workstations and R&D institutions. The establishment of a branch of the National Key Laboratory of High-end Engineering Machinery Intelligent Manufacturing of Shandong University has achieved a breakthrough for the Jize National Key Laboratory.
Yue Sujing, director of the Development and Reform Bureau of Jize County, said that the county will promote the high-end, intelligent, and green transformation of the foundry and equipment manufacturing industries, and strive to increase corporate production efficiency by 50% by 2030, maintain an average annual growth rate of industrial output value above 15%, and create an important high-end foundry industry base in the north. (over)
Translated by Wang Tian, China News Service, Wei Xiao