National name card high-speed rail axles rely on imports, the academician does not agree

Interview|Zhang Jianfeng

Writing|Chang Jianfeng

Production|Technology "Master of Science" column (ID: tech_163 )Eee78#

Some things seem inconspicuous, but it does not mean that they can be underestimated. It may be because they are not touched by public attention and interest, such as the research field of Academician Hu Zhenghuan.

In the meeting room of Academician Hu Zhenghuan, there is a floor-to-ceiling glass cabinet on one wall. The cabinet is lined with various shafts and ball parts of different lengths, thicknesses, and shapes. These are what he poured into The result of more than half a century of painstakingly rolling parts.

Academician Hu Zhenghuan is interviewed by NetEase Science and Technology "Master of Science"

Unlike mobile phones and laptops, shaft parts are products that are rarely mentioned. But this field can also be discharged as an academician, which can explain its unusualness.

Hu Zhenghuan is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, a professor at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, and the director of the National High-efficiency Parts Rolling Research and Promotion Center. He is the main pioneer of my country's shaft parts rolling technology. The shaft parts rolling technology he is engaged in is highly efficient and green, and can be applied in many industries, and has been listed as a key promotion project by the country. According to the academician encyclopedia entry on the official website of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Hu Zhenghuan’s research results have made China one of the few countries in the world that fully master the rolling technology of shaft parts.

"Any machine is composed of parts, and shaft parts are an indispensable part of the machine, whether it is cars, tractors, motorcycles, this technology has a wide range of applications, as long as you do Machines have shaft parts."

Hu Zhenghuan told NetEase Science and Technology "Master of Science" reporter that the traditional methods of forming shaft parts are cutting and forging. He showed his roll forming process on the PPT and compared it with the traditional process scene. "One is that it has high production efficiency. The original cutting process is one every five minutes, and it is six times a minute. The second is Its material utilization rate is high, which can save materials and reduce costs. The original old process has only 70% material utilization rate, so the new process can be increased by more than 90%. This improves competitiveness. Now the country does not advocate kinetic energy. Transformation? This is kinetic energy transformation.”

In a video screen played on his PPT, five years ago, when the famous Anshan Iron and Steel Company cast steel balls, it was completely produced manually by workers. Only one is grouted and cast on the mold. The scene is a bit similar to the fact that people in the countryside are manually pressing briquettes on the drying yard. This production mode is not only easy to face the difficulty of recruiting workers, but also has low production efficiency and poor production environment. Later, Hu Zhenghuan's technology was introduced, and the workshop-style operation became a mechanical production line, which can produce 30 steel balls in one minute.

Academician Hu Zhenghuan was interviewed by NetEase Science and Technology "Master of Science"

Hu Zhenghuan explained that his technology does not belong to the category of "too sophisticated" and is not a solution The problem of parts production from scratch ("It is not that he can't make this part, I can make it, not to solve this problem"), but can solve the problem of higher production efficiency, better quality, and lower cost ("It can be widely used in the processing of various traditional parts").

Hu Zhenghuan's eyeThe goal is to replace the traditional parts production process with its own technology on a large scale. His rolling technology has so far been promoted and applied in 27 provinces and cities in China, and 300 production lines have been promoted. The products are used by famous companies such as FAW, Second Automobile, Anshan Iron and Steel, and Ford of the United States. To produce about 2 billion parts." Not only Taiwan and some developing countries have introduced his production lines, but also exported to the United States, Japan and other countries.

In order to study the rolling technology of shaft parts, Hu Zhenghuan's team spent more than 50 years, exhausting the truth, finally get it through, and truly move towards industrial application. Hu Zhenghuan told the "Master of Science" reporter that the reason why it took so long was because the technology was too special and complicated, and it had to work hard.

Picture from the network

In this process, it is no less than a marathon. The competition is perseverance, endurance and determination. At the same time, I did this as Hu Zhenghuan. There were others who studied the technology, but they gave up halfway, and only he walked down. The achievements of Hu Zhenghuan's team are currently not only leading domestically, but also leading internationally in some aspects.

More than 60 years ago, 18-year-old Hu Zhenghuan entered the Beijing Institute of Iron and Steel (now the University of Science and Technology Beijing) in response to the call of the steel power era and became the first student of Beijing University of Science and Technology. His generation of scientists is deeply impressed by his family and country thoughts. Apart from heading into his own profession, he has almost no other fun and hobbies in his life. After his peers retired, they almost always walked their dogs at home and teased their grandsons. He admitted that he had no other leisure projects, and he mostly spent time with parts in the office and laboratory.

The 85-year-old Hu Zhenghuan is observing the changes of the times and the trend of the demand situation. He is also trying to achieve higher technical application goals. Among them, he is responsible for the rolling of shaft parts of new energy vehicles and train shafts. New areas under way. Especially the latter, in his eyes, once realized, it will be a leapfrog technological breakthrough.

"I am still here, working tirelessly for my dream." At the opening ceremony of the National Youth University Science Camp at the Beijing University of Science and Technology this summer, facing the young students present, gray-haired Hu Zhenghuan of Hu Zhenghuan reviewed the changes in his eyes over the past half a century. He said that people have to pursue pursuit when they are alive. "My lifelong pursuit is to transform this technology into realistic productivity and contribute to society."

The following is the text of the interview:

American companies started to imitate, but did not succeed.

"Master of Science": Why is your technology able to get to the forefront of the world?

Hu Zhenghuan: The original idea of ​​this technology and method was not invented by me, but originated abroad. I noticed it when I was studying at Beijing Iron and Steel Institute. I was 24 years old in 1958. At that time, a great man said not to be superstitious about foreigners. Chinese people think of foreigners as foreigners, and foreigners who regard Chinese people are also foreigners. We should have what they have, and we have to catch up with Britain and the United States. So when I saw that there were such ideas abroad, I thought it was good, so I decided to do this technology.

Because we insist on doing it for a long time, and our country is a big manufacturing country with high demand, we are now at the forefront of the world. How do you say you are in the forefront? Because now including the United States, Japan, Russia, Turkey and other countries, all have come to introduce our production line. Probably we are currently exporting 18, and some are still in negotiation.

At present, American automobile camshafts are still produced by forging method, and the material utilization rate is very low. The United States saw that our camshaft production is much better than their forging, but their production line has been built and the scale is also very large, it is impossible to change it, and it is impossible for him to get rid of the original production line. Therefore, we are in the production of camshafts and other partsIt is entirely possible to take the road of innovation in China in production.

"Master of Science": Since the origin of this technology is abroad, will they not develop it themselves? Don't worry about them catching up, but overtaking you?

Hu Zhenghuan: I am the most advanced equipment. Why am I the most advanced? I am a device that has been summed up through so many years of practice and is a device that has been continuously improved. Then they may not work with this kind of equipment. We introduced Czech cross wedge rolling equipment a few years ago. They were the first country to engage in this. They began to buy two sets. They can roll general parts. If they can't roll complex and high-precision parts, our equipment can do it. Now our country’s equipment not only does not buy foreign equipment, but we also export it. There are still many products that cannot be made abroad, I am making them.

They may also develop, but they can’t grasp it at once, including many domestic companies are copying ours, they may not necessarily surpass us, they may also develop, but it doesn’t matter, we continue to improve and continue Improve.

"Master of Science": It seems that there are some parts, is this technology so difficult?

Hu Zhenghuan: This part has a complex shape and a special mold. Compared with general molds, the process is complex and the technology is complex. It belongs to the space surface and depends on CNC machining. Therefore, technology and equipment have special requirements, and there are a series of key issues. How to design, ensure accurate molding, solve the problems of dimensional deformation and quality, professional workers must also be trained to know how to master the skills, molds also have life issues, and what materials are used And heat treatment can ensure its life.

We have a laboratory that specializes in new product development. We bring more than 30 graduate students to conduct research every year. There are many technical and theoretical problems in it. We must clarify its basic theories. We did it independently. The products we roll out are the highest in terms of precision and complexity. This is why we can go to the forefront of the world.

"I am not doing research just to publish a paper"

"Master of Science": You have invested in the research of this technology, and it is said that you have failed many times. Fight repeatedly?

Hu Zhenghuan: I thought this process was good from the beginning, but to really turn it into productivity, many technical problems mentioned above must be solved. At that time, I just graduated and didn't understand it, but I gradually experienced it in the course of practice. If you do not solve this series of problems, it will not be possible to become real productivity. At that time, I was passionate about it, and I wanted to make it out. If there is something abroad, I want to have it. If there is none in foreign countries, I think I can make it out. At that time, there was more enthusiasm, less seeking truth from facts, and less scientific attitude.

When we encounter problems, we solve them one by one, relying on the team and cooperating with the company. The company is also making ideas and working hard to get it out. Our shaft parts rolling technology is not mastered all at once. We are moving towards industrialization. We have researched for more than ten years, completed it in Baotou, and then continued to expand to different varieties after thirty years. Completely take it down from process to equipment to production line.

At the beginning, our school also had different voices. The school leaders supported it. However, some people said that you should be engaged in metallurgy and steel rolling, but you are going to the mechanical parts manufacturing industry. You are not doing your business properly. I think this direction is right, but we have to tackle key problems, have to do work, and we have to persevere. Of course, everyone has no objections. Now I'm talking about innovation, and interdisciplinary sciences have all been proposed. I have moved from the metallurgy and steel rolling profession to the forming of mechanical parts, which is also an interdisciplinary science.

"Master of Science": So early, how did you judge the future of this profession? Don't worry about investing too much on this, it will be a waste of water?

Hu Zhenghuan: In the context of large-scale steel production at that time, we must first look at the direction and determine that this thing is needed by the country and is good for the society. This scientific research direction must be focused, not just opportunistic. One that is easy to do and has little meaning, just has a reputation. The second point is persistence. I think this persistence is very important.Because I am sure of this direction, I will stick to it even if it is difficult. I was not an academician at that time, and the school still supported me.

Now, our country is now a big manufacturing country and requires a lot of parts. For example, the annual sales of automobiles in China is close to 30 million vehicles, including other equipment, so the demand for this technology is boosted This is also very important. If there is no such demand, then your technology is useless.

These are all the needs of enterprises. Every boss hopes to find a better process, reduce costs and improve efficiency. Because of the competitive market, if you are an old craft, you have no room for survival.

"Master of Science": We have interviewed many scientists and found that the reason why their scientific research can produce results seems to have a common experience, which is that they often persist more than others.

Hu Zhenghuan: For any new technology, someone must study it specially and insist on it. Including the domestic people who used this technology, some people did it in Beijing, Shandong, and Shanxi in the early days. But in the end, I really insisted on overcoming problems and turning into productivity. Then I have been doing it. Later, many universities just published articles and applied for patents. Why did you suffer so much? However, I think that transforming into productivity is my pursuit. I pursue this first, and then publish articles and books after I finish it. These are the results of this and then I do it, rather than seeking to publish patents and seeking to publish articles.

I want to do a little more big business

Master of Science: You are 85 years old, do you have any goals to overcome?

Hu Zhenghuan: To expand the application, our next step is to make the train axle. Why hasn’t the axle of the train been made yet? One is that the train axle is large, 2.2m long and 220mm in diameter. It requires a lot of equipment to make it. That is, the investment in this production line is still relatively large. The second Ministry of Railways attaches great importance to safety. Access is conditional. Now there are many entrepreneurs who are interested. Who can eat this crab may be a problem.

The train axle is very important to my research career, because it is of greater significance. Now the train axle is a business card of our country. I want to do a little more big business and get this train axle out.

Master of Science: How did the axle of the train become a national business card?

Hu Zhenghuan: Railway transportation is the development direction of our country. The level of railway development in our country is relatively advanced in the international arena, especially on high-speed rail. Now our high-speed rail is approaching 30,000 kilometers, accounting for more than half of the world's high-speed rail. When the high-speed rail from Beijing to Wuhan was opened to traffic, the Ministry of Railways asked some experts and academicians to visit and hold discussions. Maybe it was because I was engaged in related research and invited me to go. At the

forum, everyone fully affirmed that our high-speed rail is indeed in the forefront of the world . I am sure of this, but I said that the axle of the high-speed rail is basically imported. I said that this has not yet been fully autonomous, because I investigated for testing. Therefore, no one thing can be said that we are leading in all aspects, there are always shortcomings.

Master of Science: So what do you plan to do?

Hu Zhenghuan: I am not making high-speed rail axles at the beginning when I make axles. I now make ordinary axles. Let it go into production first, and then make high-speed rail axles when I'm done, step by step.

Big craftsmen are important, but small craftsmen are also indispensable

"Master of Science": This professional field you are in is not a hot spot and focus of public opinion in society, but it is not popular. Being valued, will this affect its development?

Hu Zhenghuan: No, this aspect of the national machinery industry is still very large, because it is in high demand, and the number of mechanical graduates from various schools is not small.However, machinery manufacturing is rarely promoted in society, and it does not need to be promoted. The needs of society are there. Now there are many mechanical schools, including famous schools like Tsinghua University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, all have mechanical majors, which shows that the society is in great need.

Now the publicity in the society is generally high-precision things, what spacecraft went to the sky, what high-speed rail, it seems that only these are important, is this publicity right? This is also right. However, not only this kind of talent is needed in society, but this kind of talent is in the minority, and most people still have to solve the problems in daily production practice.

Do you know that recently we have a big problem in education that is about to be solved, that is, training highly skilled craftsmen, that is, the concept of higher education in our society, we all believe that we must go to university and graduate. But you have to look down. Now there are many problems in production, and craftsmen are needed.

Let me give an example. When I make a mold, I not only need to know what it should look like in theory, but also to be able to make it. Nowadays, mold workers are hard to find in the society. Some college graduates are not as good as those who graduated from secondary vocational schools. People who can work are very important. There is a large need for such people in society. You need people to produce cars and tractors, and not all of them need cutting-edge people. So now we have to add 1 million vocational school students.

"Master of Science": How can vocational schools attract students in an atmosphere where students are generally willing to attend prestigious schools?

Hu Zhenghuan: To change this situation, there must be policies to make their status in society not low. This is the case in Germany. The status of German blue-collar workers is not low in society, and the treatment of white-collar workers is the same. .

After my doctoral student graduates, compared with those of our workers, the wages of the workers are higher than him, and the role of the doctoral students may gradually increase, but when you just graduated, it is not as good as our operation worker. Our big craftsmen can make the whole thing, and the little craftsmen are responsible for the specific piece. This kind of hands-on problem solving person is not a person who just uses a computer to do calculations. I think they need it. Therefore, this vocational school is still very much needed, and now we must improve its status. It is necessary to gradually resolve the notion that going to a vocational school is inferior to others and is the next choice for failing to enter a university. I (the year) went to college for a few majors, machinery, electrical engineering, civil engineering, construction, and water conservancy. I didn't have the notion of not being popular and not being popular, and it was mainly based on the needs of national construction and production.

Can’t be wronged by people who really work hard

"Master of Science": Our scientific research community in China has a high number of papers published. How about our field? Is there a phenomenon where the number of papers published is high but the conversion rate of scientific research is relatively low?

Hu Zhenghuan: This phenomenon should be said to exist in our country, because of what? This is related to our mechanism. Nowadays, don’t everyone attach great importance to the evaluation of their titles? Evaluation of professors, associate professors and teaching assistants. This is directly linked to the paper. Technology is transformed into productivity. It has no evaluation indicators and is not well received. Moreover, technological transformation is a very long-term process. It may take ten or twenty years to put a new technology into production. How could he be promoted to associate professor if he was a teaching assistant before that? ? What index is the easiest to evaluate? Do you have a patent, do you have a paper, and rely on this to evaluate. Where was my paper published and how much was retrieved? Do you want this? want. But the only thing is wrong.

We are very concerned about this issue, aren't we opposed to the "Five Only" now? "Only" means that there is only this thing. It does not mean that it is not necessary, but it is wrong to regard this as the only indicator.

I'm talking about the engineering world, basic theoretical research, that's another matter. Because most of them are engaged in engineering, the real theoretical research is a minority.

So now you have to change, you are really engaged in scientific research, steadfast, immersed in hard work, maybe ten or twenty years, and you really make achievements, I also admit you, but how do we make policies? What indicators are used to measure? For example, it takes 20 years for my scientific research to truly transform productivity. Then what would you use to evaluate him in the first ten years? To formulate corresponding policies and give them mechanisms, this is a question of baton. Now it seemsThis policy is being developed.

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(responsible editor: Qiao Junjing_NBJ11279)