BEIJING, Sept.18 (Xinhua) -- In the smart workshop of Heyi machinery parts Co., Ltd. in Longkou City, east China's Shandong Province, automated production lines operate efficiently. From raw material feeding to processing and quality inspection, all processes are managed by intelligent systems. Concurrently, the machine defect detection rate reaches 97 percent, with precision improved to 0.1 millimeters, significantly outperforming traditional manual inspection methods.
This scene epitomizes the digital transformation undertaken by high-end aluminum material manufacturers in Longkou. As the city's flagship sector and one of Shandong's top ten industries, the high-end aluminum industry now forms a cluster spanning approximately 90 square kilometers, bringing together 187 key small- and medium-sized enterprises. In 2024, the industrial cluster achieved a total output value of 118.99 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 11.9 percent over the past three years.
As one of the few cities in the world with a complete aluminum processing industrial chain, Longkou has been leveraging digitalization in recent years to promote the transformation and upgrading of its high-end aluminum material sector. To date, 35 of the 187 enterprises in the cluster have begun their digital transformation.
Longkou encourages enterprises to upgrade equipment, develop new products, and strengthen collaboration among industry, academia, research institutions, and the government. The city has established a sci-tech investment system guided by government funds, led by corporate investments, supported by financial institutions, and supplemented by social capital. It also improves talent development and introduction mechanisms, while actively brings in high-tech achievements.
Longkou's aluminum industry is rapidly advancing toward high-end manufacturing, with major progress in quality, efficiency, and growth momentum. So far, 36 enterprises in the city have been selected as provincial-level digital economy pilot factories, and 12 have been recognized as provincial intelligent factories or digital workshops. Additionally, 40 provincial-level smart manufacturing application scenarios have been established.
(Edited by Su Dan with Xinhua Silk Road, sudan@xinhua.org)
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