Innovation

Innovation Drives Technological Progress and Technology Promotes Healthy Enterprise Development

Founded in 1958, Qingte Group is a large-scale private enterprise group specializing in the research, development, and manufacturing of heavy, medium, and light truck axle assemblies, key automotive components, and special-purpose vehicles. After more than fifty years of effort, it has developed into a major automotive parts and special-purpose vehicle production and export base in China. Its products cover major domestic vehicle manufacturers, with an annual production capacity of 700,000 sets of axle assemblies, 100,000 support axles, 100,000 tons of castings, and 20,000 various special-purpose vehicles.

For many years, Qingte Group has adhered to the business philosophy of “insisting on independent innovation, high quality, low cost, and internationalization,” regarding independent innovation as the lifeblood of its development. It conducts technological innovation activities based on market demand, increases investment in scientific and technological research and development, insists on product and industrial structure adjustment, expands its own brands, continuously improves its enterprise innovation system, and constantly enhances its core competitiveness.

I. Building an Innovation System and Promoting Technological Progress

1. Enterprise Innovation System Construction

① Support System Construction

To ensure the implementation of the company’s overall innovation strategy, the company has formed an innovation organizational structure with the enterprise technology center as the main body, led by the group president as the director of the technology center. An integrated scientific management system has been established, and various rules and regulations are continuously improved and perfected, forming a coordinated and efficient management mechanism among departments.

② Industry-University-Research Cooperation

While focusing on internal technological innovation, the company is committed to seeking cooperation with research institutions. It has long-term cooperation with universities and research institutes such as the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute, the Ninth Design Institute of China Machinery Industry, Harbin Institute of Technology, and Qingdao University of Technology on product development, talent exchange and training, collaborative research, andtechnology transfer, promoting enterprise technological progress and innovation.

③ International Technological Cooperation

The company has conducted technical cooperation and exchanges with companies such as Daimler (Germany), Altec (USA), and CARRARO (Italy) on projects such as high-end drive axles, aerial work platforms, and castings, jointly developing high-end products. Among them, aerial work platform products have dominated the market, firmly holding the number one position in the domestic market; high-end axle products have achieved a new breakthrough, maintaining a leading market share in the industry nationwide. Many products have won national key new product and science and technology progress awards.

2. Technological Innovation Achievements

After years of operational adjustments, Qingte Group’s Technology Center has transformed from a single R&D institution into a comprehensive platform serving the company. During this period, the Technology Center was recognized as a “National Enterprise Technology Center,” its central laboratory received “National Laboratory Accreditation,” two subsidiaries were recognized as high-tech enterprises, and a postdoctoral research station was established. Qingte Group has received honors such as “National Technological Innovation Demonstration Enterprise,” “National Innovative Enterprise,” “National Intellectual Property Advantage Enterprise,” and “National Torch Program Key High-tech Enterprise.”

II. Implementing Innovation Capability Building and Mastering Core Competitiveness

1. Qingte Innovation Capability Building

The company continuously optimizes and improves its technological innovation system, strengthening its technological innovation foundation and capabilities through the implementation of national technological innovation capability building projects.

① Product R&D Capability Building

During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the company invested nearly 100 million yuan to strengthen the construction of its technology center, systematically improving its innovation capabilities in areas such as project management, knowledge management, analysis and simulation, and experimental verification. It increased R&D and transformation efforts, identified key areas for technological innovation, and focused on breakthroughs in areas such as the research and application of high-end axle technology and specialized research on special-purpose vehicles.

② Process Assurance Capability Building

To improve the process assurance capabilities of its products, the company collaborated with top international equipment manufacturers to build a high-end manufacturing platform. A high-end drive axle and casting project with an investment of nearly 2 billion yuan has been successfully put into production; the company developed China’s first dual-system heavy-duty truck gear dry cutting line; and advanced technologies such as closed-loop correction systems, online monitoring systems, and automatic error prevention systems have been applied to various production lines… From product processing to assembly, all processes have achieved automation, informatization, and intelligentization. Qingte’s process assurance capabilities have been rapidly improved, ensuring product performance and quality. ③ Testing and Inspection Capacity Building

In 2012, the company became the first in the industry nationwide to pass the “National Laboratory Accreditation.” It now possesses testing and inspection capabilities covering axles and key components, including drive axle assembly fatigue testing, braking performance testing, and gear closed-loop testing, ensuring rigorous testing standards for Qingte and outsourced products.

2. Achievements in Innovation Capacity Building

Qingte Group has achieved significant technological innovation results through capacity building.

① Enhanced R&D Capacity

In recent years, the company has undertaken 13 national-level projects and 96 provincial and municipal-level projects; completed 115 scientific and technological achievements and new product appraisals; won 2 national-level science and technology awards and 13 provincial and municipal-level science and technology awards; applied for over 650 national patents and obtained 430 national patents, ranking first in the axle industry. It has led the revision of 2 national automotive industry standards and participated in the revision of 7 national automotive industry standards and 2 local standards.

② Improved Product Quality

Through capacity building in technological innovation, the company has controlled raw materials, processes, and testing and inspection, resulting in a significant improvement in product quality and a decrease in after-sales claims. ③ Increased Market Share

Qingte has become a strategic supplier for OEMs such as FAW and Foton Daimler, with its supply share steadily increasing; its product quality has been favored by high-end international customers, and it has signed a long-term supply contract with Daimler and become a global strategic partner of Carraro.

III. Independent Innovation and Development to Drive Industry Progress

1. Development Status of Qingte Technology

Qingte Technology’s development goal is to build an independent R&D system, innovate and transform, and create a first-class, world-renowned independent technology brand in China.

After years of accumulation and development, Qingte has reached an industry-leading level in product R&D capabilities and process assurance, and its product testing and verification capabilities have also developed rapidly.

Qingte Group will invest another 100 million yuan in R&D and innovation capability building, upgrading and improving hardware and software support in R&D management, system construction, innovation methods, R&D tools, process assurance, product testing, and performance verification, to achieve industry innovation in Qingte technology, enhance the company’s international competitiveness, and expand the localization of parts.

Currently, the international axle industry has formed three major technical schools: European, American, and Japanese/Korean technologies, each adapted to different road conditions. However, my country’s domestic axle industry has not yet formed an independent technology axle system based on the Chinese market and road conditions. Qingte’s axle technology development goal will revolve around developing Qingte technology axles with independent Chinese technology.

In the technological development of special-purpose vehicles, we will strengthen international benchmarking and cooperation, deepen technological research, refine core technologies, and transform from single-model development to providing system solutions.

2. Development Status of Qingte Products

Qingte’s product development goal is to develop high-end commercial vehicle axles, focusing on its advantages in special-purpose vehicle products.

Qingte expects to complete the integration and upgrading of its existing platform products within three years to achieve technological leadership.

Currently, Qingte is vigorously expanding into overseas high-end truck markets and has established business and technical cooperation relationships with leading global truck brands such as Daimler and Volvo. By 2015, Qingte’s axles will be supplied in batches to overseas markets, and high-end commercial vehicle axles will become a key focus of Qingte’s R&D.

Based on a well-developed product platform plan, Qingte’s special-purpose vehicle products will continue to promote modular product design, standardize common product structure design, optimize the parts supply chain, and focus on the advantages of special-purpose vehicle products.