On July 20, 2007, Yuchai Engineering Institute (YEI) in Yuchai, Yulin, Guangxi announced that Professor Zhuobin, an expert in the electric control of internal combustion engines and a senior technical advisor to the Yuchai president, was selected as director of YEI.
Zhuobin completed his studies in the UK, and has held the position of Director of the Internal Combustion Engine Institute and the Vehicle Electricity Technology Institute of Shanghai Jiaotong University. He was also Chief Professor of internal combustion engine science. Prof.Zhuo has a longstanding connection with Yuchai: the first project he undertook after his return from the UK was with Yuchai. Later, his collaboration with Yuchai only increased. Attracted by Yuchais spirit of innovation, Prof.Zhuo worked as a senior technical advisor, taking responsibility for the application and development of electric control technology and the cultivation of talents in electric control for China.
In 2003, Yuchais electric division (led by Zhuo) developed several types of engines. In the bidding meeting of Beijings urban bus company, Yuchai won significant attention as the only China III enterprise. On February 26, 2006, the output of the 1000
th China III engine proved that Yuchai was far ahead of its domestic competitors in mass production of China III engines. In May 2007, Yuchai won the Beijing urban bus bidding war with the YC6L-40, its new China IV diesel engine with electric control. Buses fitted with Yuchais China IV products will become the exclusive transportation solution to compete with foreign brands.
Along with developing electric control products, Prof.Zhuo is also committed to the integration and calibration of electric control units (ECU). A new ECU team led by Prof.Zhuo worked tirelessly to grasp ECU integration and a complete mass of data for optimization, and the team reached its goal in only a year, making Yuchai the only company with the ability to integrate and calibrate vehicle ECUs. The specifications made by Yuchai, particularly for winter, summer and latitude calibrations, is now in use by other companies in the same industry, even including some foreign businesses.
Prof.Zhuo has consecrated a significant amount of his energy to diesel engine calibration. The YC4W, an all-aluminum car engine developed by Yuchai, filled the void in car dieselization in China. To complete 4W winter calibration, he led a team to Heihe in February 2005 and completed the first winter test in temperatures less than 30 degrees (celsius) below zero. This test was a turning point for Yuchais development in diesel engine ECUs--particularly in car engine and vehicle matching--advancing Yuchai greatly over its competitors, and accumulating significant experience for subsequent diesel engine ECU development and vehicle matching.
Together with his developments in electric control, Prof.Zhuo cultivated a remarkable team of electric control experts for Yuchai. His students Feng Jing and Liang Feng have become leaders in electric control in China. Their maturing talents will soon allow them to take over as directors themselves. Also, Dr. Zhou Xingli became one of Chinas few experts in fault analysis.
The ECU team led by Zhuo summarized its experiences and created a series of specifications, including specifications for diesel engine ECU calibration, specifications for engine ECU fault analysis, and specifications for cold start calibration. They also developed a simulation system for engine ECU hardware loops, which can simulate the engine ECUs operation and verify control, fault inspection and sensor calibration. In the Chinese diesel engine industry, Yuchai is the only one that owns this technology.
Prof.Zhuos intellectual belief is that the application of knowledge is more important than learning for its own sake. He has experienced different fields: teaching, educational research, and advancing industrialization in a corporate environment. In Yuchai, he has experienced the satisfaction of turning knowledge into production power; via Yuchai, Prof.Zhuo has succeeded in applying his knowledge to benefit the country, and in fact the whole world.
As a corporation, with its own brand Yuchais research is more challenging and more achievement oriented than many institutional settings. Yuchais emphasis in technology makes for a very large space for technicians. Yuchais R&D center is state-level, with a lab, authorized by the state. Liu Qibao, the president of Guangxi, who described it as a small island and a large stage upon which Prof.Zhuo could apply his talent freely. However, he is not self-conceited.. YEI will be a world-class stage to develop powertrain both for him and for all technicians to apply their talents.
Prof.Zhuo says his philosophy for changes at YEI will be institution, ability and atmosphere. Institution means to foster innovation, to make the institute more energetic, to let each technician realize his own value through excellent work, and to ensure maximum efficiency and creativity. Ability means to strengthen the ability of each technical individual and team, and create a foundation for this ability with advanced project management. Atmosphere means to create a harmonious environment to allow more outstanding talents to shine, ensure all technicians abilities are respected and allowed to flourish. YEI will also invite many outstanding people in the industry to form an expert team to provide consultation and instruction. Through the combination of institution, ability and atmosphere, Yuchai will build a powerful, cohesive team composed of experts in different fields that will bring competitive products to Yuchais assembly lines. Furthermore, this team will advance Chinas internal combustion industry through world-class power chain research and development.
Zhuo Bin began participating in projects relating to Chinas 6
th 5-year plan in the 1980s. He won the Scientific and Technological Prize from the China Shipbuilding Industry Co., and the Science and Technology Advancement prize from the Ministry Education of China. In 1999, Zhuo was awarded a State Special Allowance by the State Council, and in 2000 he received the Personal Achievement Prize from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. In 2006, the YC6G240-30 engine won top honors in Science and Technology Advancement from Yulin. Zhuo Bin acknowledges these awards, but is more concerned with social responsibility as it relates to his company. He says that Yuchais R&D center has made significant contributions to society and brought a great deal of innovation to the industry. For instance, Yuchai has always led in emission, and also led in the industrialization of the CNG engine. Some specifications made by Yuchai have become common practice in the industry. For example, one concept proposed by Yuchai, the establishment of a Yuchai service network and Yuchais adaptation to its customers needs, are contributions to the whole industry. The establishment of YEI will certainly contribute even more to the industry and to China. Zhuos expectation is that Yuchai will continue to lead the industry in original, innovative technology and build YEI into a world-class institute in the industry.
(writer:LiChunMei)
