Technological innovation leads Chinas steel industry to break the waves

CMN

In the past 40 years of reform and opening up, China's steel industry has undergone earth-shaking changes and achieved great achievements that have attracted worldwide attention, which has strongly supported the rapid development of the national economy. The development history of the iron and steel industry in the past 40 years is not only a history of reform and struggle that breaks the constraints of the original planned economy, and continues to innovate and break through the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is also a step from the introduction to go out and continue to forge ahead and climb the peak. The history of open cooperation.

In the past 40 years, China's steel output has increased from more than 30 million tons in 1978 to more than 800 million tons today. It has become the world's largest steel producer for 22 consecutive years. The production capacity and scale of the steel industry have been continuously expanded, and the level of equipment has been continuously improved. Whether it is product structure, technological innovation, management system, business model, etc., these 40 years have made great progress. Especially since the 18th National Party Congress, the steel industry has made considerable progress in the supply-side structural reform, the promotion of mixed ownership reform, technological innovation, energy conservation and environmental protection, and internationalization.

In order to show the achievements of the steel industry since the reform and opening up 40 years ago, especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, this newspaper has launched the column of "Revelation of the 40th Anniversary of the Reform and Opening up", focusing on the historical process and greatness of the reform and opening up of the steel industry. Achievements and valuable experience, inspiring future high quality development.


On October 24th, the world-famous Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge was officially opened to traffic. This world-class sea-crossing bridge has created the “six of the most”: it is the world's longest span, the longest steel bridge, and the longest submarine bridge in the submarine immersed tunnel. It is also the most technically complicated and constructional in the history of world highway construction. The bridge with the highest difficulty and the largest engineering scale was named one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” by the British Guardian. The bridges are all made of domestic steel, and "China Steel" has propped up this new world miracle.

  

Time is back 40 years ago. In December 1978, China's 1700 rolling mill system project with the world's advanced technology level introduced in the 1970s at the cost of 4 billion yuan was officially put into operation in WISCO, forming a production capacity of 3 million tons of hot rolled coils, alleviating the nationals at that time. There is a shortage of steel products such as hot-rolled strip, cold-rolled sheet, galvanized sheet, tin-plated sheet and cold-rolled silicon steel sheet that are urgently needed by the economy.

40 years ago, it was necessary to introduce advanced technology from the West to alleviate the shortage of steel varieties. Now relying on independent innovation, "China Steel" has propped up the miracle of the world... In the 40 years of reform and opening up, technological innovation has led the "China" steel giant to break the waves.

Introduction + transformation to open a new situation in the development of China's steel industry

Throughout the development of China's steel industry since the reform and opening up, such as the same magnificent picture, technical progress is the most distinctive logo, but also the most significant feature.

 

In 1978, China made a strategic decision to build Shanghai Baoshan Iron and Steel Plant by using imported advanced technology and equipment to produce iron from imported iron ore. The Baosteel project integrates the new technology of the world steel industry in the early 1980s and is a major step in China's reform and opening up. In 1986, the Tianjin Seamless Steel Tube Plant project, which introduced foreign advanced technology, signed an agreement. In 1995, the project passed the completion acceptance, and Tianguan became another ultra-large metallurgical enterprise with world advanced level after China's Baosteel construction.

At the same time, the state creates conditions to encourage enterprises to use foreign capital and foreign advanced technology and equipment to transform the backward industrial base and narrow the gap with foreign advanced levels. From 1984 to 1992, the steel industry took three major steps in grasping the technological transformation of existing steel enterprises and taking the connotation of expanding and re-production.

The first big step began in 1984. In December 1984, the party group of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry proposed that the steel industry should be based on the existing enterprises, tapping the potential, transforming, supporting and expanding, and set off a wave of technological transformation in the whole industry.

The second big step began in 1987. During the five years from 1987 to 1991, the three major "incompatibility" problems of product quantity, variety structure and product quality were solved, and the large-scale and high-start technological transformation of old enterprises was carried out.

The third major step began in 1992. In order to "upper four new steps" (a new level of modernization level, a new level of quality of the upper varieties, a step of intensive management and economies of scale, and a new level of comprehensive economic efficiency), the high starting point of the steel industry is accelerating There are technical transformations in iron and steel enterprises to improve the technological level and technical equipment level of the steel industry.

Through these three major steps, China's key steel enterprises have basically mastered the advanced production technology of large blast furnace ironmaking, converter steelmaking, furnace refining, continuous casting, strip hot strip rolling, cold continuous rolling, seamless steel pipe, and technical equipment. It is also becoming more and more large, efficient, automated, continuous, compact, and longevity.

In the era of struggling to catch up, with the "flat change" as the starting point, Angang has embarked on a road of technological transformation of old enterprises with "high starting point, low input, fast output, high efficiency", and has undergone a revolutionary change. On December 28, 2001, China's last open hearth exited the historical stage in Baotou Steel, marking that China's steel industry has completely completed the technical transformation of the open hearth change converter.

On the question of how to deal with the relationship between introduction and innovation, Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s inscription for Baosteel is the best answer: “Mastering new technologies should be good at learning, but also be good at innovation.” This has injected innovative genes into the development of China’s steel industry. In the construction process of Baosteel, only Baosteel Phase I and Phase II projects digested and absorbed 172 imported technology patents and 249 technical know-how. The localization rate of equipment increased from 12% of the first phase to the second phase. 61%. In 2001, Shanghai Baosteel Phase III project with a total investment of more than 52 billion yuan passed the completion check and acceptance, and the localization rate of equipment for the entire project reached 80%. In 2016, the first phase of Baosteel Zhanjiang Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. was put into operation, and the localization rate of equipment was as high as 96.2%.

 

In the era of struggling, the introduction of technological innovation and independent innovation has gradually become the main theme of China's steel industry technological progress. In particular, through the localization of equipment such as continuous rolling mill, blast furnace, converter, and high-efficiency continuous casting technology, blast furnace coal injection technology, converter slag splashing furnace technology, pellet sintering technology, rod and wire continuous rolling technology, process integrated energy-saving technology, etc. 6 The independent development of large-key common technologies has enabled China's steel industry to master the core key process technologies, increase product varieties, improve product quality, save resources, reduce costs, and improve overall competitiveness. In November 2000, Angang completed the first 1700 hot rolling production line with independent design and international advanced level. In January 2006, the 1700 medium and thin slab continuous casting and rolling project of Jinan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., which was contracted by Anshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., was put into operation and changed. The history of major metallurgical complete sets of equipment relies on foreign imports for a long time, reflecting the results of integrated innovation at this stage.

“A shoulder to shoulder” international marks a new starting point for China's steel industry

After entering the 21st century, China's steel output increased rapidly. In 2000, China's crude steel output reached 126 million tons. In 2008, it exceeded 500 million tons. In 2012, it reached 731 million tons. It is the world's number one steel-producing country. The development of the national economy. In particular, the successful independent production of a large number of high-end steel products has provided support for the upgrading of the major steel industry technologies and products in the national economy, and some products have reached the international advanced level.

During the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan” (2006-2010), the pace of technological progress in the steel industry was further accelerated.

  

The completion of two 20 million-ton advanced steel enterprises in Caofeidian and Bayuquan marks the outstanding achievements of China's steel industry in the transformation of the circular economy-oriented model. Explain the connotation and function of the steel industry with a new concept, analyze the whole process of steel production with process theory, and give the steel enterprises three functions of steel production, energy conversion and social waste consumption under the guidance of the circular economy concept, representing 21 The general trend of the development of the steel industry in the century. These two corporate concepts are advanced and timely, and have become a demonstration project for the sustainable development of China's steel industry, which has also attracted international attention.

The level of equipment localization has been improved, and the main processes of main processes such as coking, sintering, iron making, continuous casting and steel rolling have been basically realized. The localization rate of large-scale metallurgical equipment has reached more than 90%, and the cost per ton of steel has dropped significantly.

In terms of process technology, China has vigorously promoted high-efficiency and low-cost clean steel production technology, a new generation of controlled rolling and cooling equipment and process technology, performance forecasting and control and consistent production management technology, extra large billet and extra large round billet continuous casting equipment and Process technology, large-scale vacuum refining equipment and process technology, cold continuous rolling mill and oriented silicon steel production independent integration technology.

By the end of the “Eleventh Five-Year Plan”, China's steel industry has the ability to build a world-class, modern steel mill with an annual output of 10 million tons, and to realize the industrialization of a new generation of steel process technology and equipment technology. At the same time, the steel industry has made remarkable progress in energy conservation and emission reduction, and the environmental quality has been significantly improved. A number of clean production and environment-friendly enterprises with international advanced levels have been built, and the social image of steel enterprises has been greatly improved. In general, China's steel enterprises, especially key steel companies, have entered the international advanced ranks, and the Chinese steel industry has stood at a new historical starting point.

Looking back at the history of the reform and opening up to the end of the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan", China's steel industry has achieved a large number of technological achievements, a wide range, and an unprecedented reach, from the "one poor and two whites" to the "shoulders" international. The torrents have pushed the Chinese steel industry to make new progress and take a new step.

 

Innovation Drives to Create a New Engine for China's Steel Industry Development

Since the party's 18th National Congress in 2012, innovation has become a strong voice and social consensus. Innovation is placed at the core of the country's overall development and has become the "first power" to lead development. The innovation drive has also pointed out the development direction for the Chinese steel industry that has reached the "crossroads" and has become a new engine that will transform its development mode.

On March 4, 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that during the discussion of the Association of Science and Technology and the members of the scientific and technological circles in the 12th session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, we have relied more on resources, capital, labor, etc. for more than 30 years of reform and opening up. Supporting rapid economic growth and scale expansion. Since the reform and opening up to the present day, the conditions of these factors have undergone great changes. It is necessary to develop with these factors as the past, and there is no such condition as before, and the resources and environment are unbearable. We must accelerate the transformation from factor-driven development to innovation-driven development, and play a supporting role in technological innovation.

At this time, China's steel industry is facing deep-seated contradictions accumulated by long-term extensive development, and resources and environmental capacity can no longer support this extensive development. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s profound grasp of the times has enabled the Chinese steel industry to find a new breakthrough in development, that is, to transform and develop with innovation as the driving force.

 

With the new engine driven by innovation, since the 18th National Party Congress, the achievements in scientific and technological innovation in the steel industry have been gratifying. Let's take a look at a series of data from the China Iron and Steel Association:

The structure of the steel industry has been continuously optimized, the quality of the products has been significantly improved, and energy conservation and environmental protection have taken great steps, and technological innovations have emerged. In product innovation, a large number of high-end steel products research and development production guarantees the upgrading and development of the major steel industries in the national economy, and the steel plates for research and development produced by Baowu, Anshan Iron and Steel, Shougang, Hegang, Maanshan Iron and Steel, Benxi Steel, etc. The high quality oriented silicon steel developed and produced by Baowu, Shougang and other enterprises has become the first phalanx in the world. In terms of energy conservation and emission reduction, the unit's comprehensive energy consumption and unit main pollutant emissions have dropped significantly. In 2016, the average energy consumption per ton of steel of steel association members fell to 572 kg of standard coal, and the new water consumption per ton of steel was 3.52 tons. The emission is 0.85 kg. In the forward-looking technology, technologies such as thin strip casting and thin slab semi-headless continuous casting and rolling have been highly valued and applied by enterprises. In terms of technology patents, as of the end of 2016, the number of effective patents in the Chinese steel industry reached 46,600, with an average annual growth rate of 30%.

As the forerunner of China's supply-side structural reforms, the iron and steel industry has broken through the excess capacity and vigorously promoted the “three to one, one reduction and one supplement”, and the product structure has been further optimized. Taking rebar as an example, after the “strip steel” was banned, high-quality long products dominated the market, and high-strength rebar led the market. At present, the production of high-strength steel bars of 400 MPa and above in the steel association members accounted for more than 95%, exceeding the target of more than 80% of the steel “12th Five-Year Plan”. The output of high-strength ship plates has increased significantly, accounting for about half of the ship's production. High-end products such as electrical steel sheets, cold rolled coils, and galvanized sheets are gradually replacing imports, and the domestic market share continues to increase.

The steel industry has a number of internationally launched products and technologies that have a major impact. Among them, China's R & D and production of yoke magnetic pole steel plate, power plant volute steel plate and other products have reached the world's leading level, research and development of nuclear reactor containment, nuclear island key equipment and nuclear power supporting structural parts of the three series of nuclear power steel in the world's first The application was implemented in the third-generation nuclear power project CAP1400. Baowu ultra-high-strength steel new product QP1180GA is the world's first to become the world's only steel enterprise capable of mass production of the first, second and third generation advanced high-strength steel. After four years of research and development, Angang, Steel Research Group and other high-quality corrosion-resistant steel alliances have not only achieved the independent mass production of corrosion-resistant ship plates, but also passed the three-year actual ship construction experiment verification, completely breaking The monopoly of foreign countries, and the innovation of the efficient research and development model of marine steel for production, education and inspection, has achieved a major breakthrough.

In the five years since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, looking at China, the tide of technological innovation in China's steel industry is surging and the weather is tens of thousands.

Stimulating potential, blowing the new era, building a horn of innovative steel

In October 2017, the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China put forward a new thesis that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, depicting the beautiful blueprint of the Chinese dream, and proposing that China will be built into a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful country from 2035 to the middle of this century. A socialist modernization power.

China, which is fast-moving towards a modern and powerful country, is marching at the key turning point of switching development momentum. In the important period of the transformation and development of the steel industry, we need more than ever to stimulate the enormous potential of technology, and more need to innovate to nurture new power.

The study, introduction, digestion and re-innovation in the past 40 years of reform and opening up have greatly enhanced the scientific and technological capabilities of the Chinese steel industry in many fields. However, in the key core technology areas, the shortcomings of the Chinese steel industry are still outstanding.

"The key core technology is the heavy weapon of the country. It is of great significance to promote the high-quality development of China's economy and safeguard national security. It is necessary to effectively improve China's key core technological innovation capabilities and firmly grasp the initiative of science and technology development in its own hands. Providing strong scientific and technological support for China's development.” At the second meeting of the Central Finance and Economic Committee held in July 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping once again discussed the importance of improving the ability of key core technologies to innovate and demanded a sense of urgency and crisis. Strengthen your confidence, catch up and strive to achieve major original breakthroughs.

The technological innovation at the moment of China's steel industry is compelling, challenging and compelling. At the 2017 Steel Industry Technology Innovation Conference, Liu Zhenjiang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary General of the China Iron and Steel Association, pointed out that China's economy is in the process of transforming the development mode, optimizing the economic structure, and transforming the growth momentum. The steel industry is facing a rare opportunity to catch up. Historical opportunities, we must follow the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, stand at the starting point of a new era of national and industrial development, blew the horn of building innovative steel, and once again win the initiative to ensure the strength and strength of steel. The goal of "dream" is fulfilled.

On the road to building innovative steel, we face many challenges. We must concentrate our efforts on the frontiers of world science and technology and steel industry development, strengthen basic research, achieve forward-looking basic research, and make major breakthroughs in leading original achievements; strengthen the construction of national innovation system, build a national-level industry innovation platform in the steel field, and improve original innovation. Independent integration of innovation capabilities, industrial base and key common technology industrialization innovation.

 

We also noticed that there are not many shortcomings and pain points in the research project management system, intellectual property protection, and research results transformation mechanism. When we have more abundant resources and elements of innovation, how to promote the chemical reaction of each element, release the vitality contained in it, and test the steel people of the new era.

At the same time, the high-level innovative talents in China's steel industry are still insufficient. There are many reasons for the shortcomings of talents: the evaluation mechanism is unreasonable, but the phenomenon of essays, only professional titles, and only academic qualifications is serious; the management system cannot adapt to the requirements of innovation, and the phenomenon of not complying with the laws of scientific and technological innovation still exists; The lack of ways to obtain reasonable returns, the reward mechanism needs to be improved... Respecting the law of talent growth, and solving the structural contradictions of scientific research system and talent team building are the top priorities for the construction of innovative talents.

Standing at the new starting point of the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up, China's steel industry has a long way to go to complete the innovation shortcomings. While adhering to independent innovation, our scientific and technological innovation must not be closed. The closure can only lead to a dead end. Only open cooperation can make the road wider and wider. We need to continue to expand and open up, strive to make good use of both international and domestic scientific and technological resources, and improve our independent innovation capability in the mutual benefit and win-win with the world.

Innovative steel, the future can be expected!

                                                                                                                                                                                                      Excerpt from: China Steel News Network