China’s automobile industry has gained a rapid development. In 2009, the annual output had reached 13.79 million. And China becomes one of world’s largest car producers. However, some key parts such as bearing bush, axes guide, thrust washers, and car mold standard parts mainly rely on imports which bring both the golden opportunities and great challenges to the Chinese bearing manufacturers and automotive mold manufacturing industries.

At present, China’s resource-saving bearing manufacturing technology which is the independent intellectual property is more material-saving and energy-saving than the conventional bi-metal bearing manufacturing technology. It requires less investment and less usage of equipments. Thus, it is an excellent opportunity for development. Until the end of the patent license of “Automotive mold self-lubricating composite metal embossing die V block” in 2009, China had completed the restructuring of the traditional and existing sintering bi-metal manufacturing technology of sliding bearing through twenty years’ accumulation and efforts. And then China realized the shape manufacturing of different bearing categories which made from the steel – copper alloys. There are bushing bearing, thrust bearing, sliding bearings with special shapes, and sliding bearings with solid lubrications, etc.

The rate of utilization of the steel and copper alloy materials has reached nearly one hundred percent. Since then, the manufacture of sliding bearings have changed from the rough shaping of the material removal into a net shape processing which has high efficiency, light weight, and low-cost and so on. The net shape manufacturing method helps to save materials and energy so as to provide sliding bearing accessories for the development of the China’s automotive industry.

Auto mold industry is known as “the mother of auto industry.” To some extent, the mold industry is the mark to measure the development level of the car manufacturer or even the national auto industry. Although through years of development, China auto mould technology and capability has made much progress, it still lags behind in the world automotive manufacturing industries. According to the statistics, about 90% of the auto molds are not “Made in China”. And the majority of the luxury car molds depend on imports.

There are many suggestions to follow: firstly, creating a resource-saving sliding bearing manufacturing industry with the independent intellectual property. It is not only in accordance with the national policies, but also in line with the policies for the key parts of China’s automobile industry development. Besides, it is an important choice for the development of the automotive parts manufacturing industry.

Secondly, we should seize the opportunity of domestication of the automotive parts to lay a solid base for the rise of our own auto brands.

By: Sunny Ling

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Recently, the trade association would like to organize a number of domestic backbone enterprises in parts industries to visit America. They intend to exchange skills with their U.S. counterparts, visit their factories and look for opportunities for cooperation. Unexpectedly, no company is willing to host. It is said that the possibility for this is that American parts companies want to prevent rapid imitation parts enterprises from China, and avoid the technology leakage.

It should be very easy for Chinese parts companies to visit the foreign counterparts. Why does it become so difficult? Dong Jianping, the associate secretary-general of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, says that it is related with the rapidly expanding of Chinese automotive market, the technology improvement of the automotive parts and the copying of some parts industries.

With the rapid growth of the automotive market, the auto parts industries also develop rather quickly. The expanding of the market brings many opportunities for the parts enterprises in China. At the same time, the technology of the domestic companies is improved continuously. The auto parts industries have developed a lot since the reform and opening up policy. After 30 years’ development, many parts enterprises not only have the ability to support their own brands, but also enter the brand matching system of a joint venture.

On the one hand, many foreign parts manufacturers consider Chinese counterparts as their competitors. On the other hand, they are afraid of the imitation. This is the key to the problem. Dong Jianping thinks that the improvement of the overall technology level can not cover up the misunderstanding in the independent innovation of the parts enterprises, i.e. taking the imitation as a major source of technology.

According to Dong Jianping’s analysis, parts enterprises have three errors in understanding the source of the technology. The first one is imitation instead of technological innovation. Secondly, they rely on buying from the outside. Thirdly, they are unwilling to seize the opportunity to make use of the international resources.

Taking the first one as an example, in Chinese parts industries, there are many enterprises which develop by imitation. One clutch company does not introduce any technology. It develops the company by imitating other companies. Currently, this company’s products occupy great market share in the domestic market, besides, they are exported to foreign countries. A company which produces water pumps wants to buy a sample copy from a foreign auto brand. Many other companies are also following this path. They consider it as a good way to develop their companies. But Dong Jianping said that imitation has become the “stumbling block” for the independent innovation. It is an impracticable way to develop the parts industries.

By: Sunny Ling

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