Liang Heping (R) talked with a team member about 6K diesel engine production and R & D

Heavy-duty diesel engines independently developed by Chinese have rolled offline one after another in Wuhu. This has been attributable to years' diligent efforts of Liang Heping, vice chairman and general manager of Y & C Engine Co., Ltd. and one of "Anhui's leading technological talents in 2012", as well as his team members.

Adhere to independent R & D of core technologies

In the 1980s, after graduating as a bachelor in thermal power machinery and unit from Tongji University, Liang Heping returned to his hometown, joined a power system enterprise and worked on maintenance management. "Despite specialty mismatch, the working experience was of great help to my future engagement in diesel engine R & D," he said emotionally at the thought of his first job.

After joining Guangxi Yuchai Group Co., Ltd., a well-matched enterprise for him, Liang gradually became technical backbone and a technical expert at new diesel engine R & D later. He once worked at the headquarters in Guangxi for a dozen years, during which Yuchai Group was committed to product R & D and manufacturing, including technical development intended for cost reduction, pre-production development and production process consistency, and some light & medium-duty engines even outperformed domestic peers. However, as the heavy-duty truck market expanded, China's environmental emission requirements rose and were gradually geared to international standards, it has been increasingly difficult for original technologies to satisfy market demands. Thus, stepping up corporate transformation and launching an array of new technologies and products has become the top priority of Yuchai Group.

"At that time, we thought of some domestic leading enterprises first, but technology transformation was unsuccessful. We contacted foreign enterprises afterwards, but some provided eliminated production technologies and processes, and some required that cooperation should be based on full process control. All these were undoubtedly barriers to Yuchai's development, thus independent R & D of core technologies became the only choice," Liang said, adding, after several coincidences and contacts, Yuchai Group established Y & C Engine Co., Ltd. at Wuhu Sanshan Economic Development Zone in association with China International Marine Containers (Group) Ltd. and Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., raising the curtain of independent R & D of heavy-duty diesel engines.

Build world-class heavy-duty truck engines

"Just as the objective of 'establishing a new industrial model and becoming a renowned world-class engine brand' set in the corporate culture, the enterprise has focused on the objective and kept developing China's independent core technologies of heavy-duty truck engines since its establishment," Liang said. Take 6K series with the most advanced core technologies in Phase 1 for example: the series is based on the world's latest engines, integrates the world's latest technological achievements and owns over 30 patents for technical invention. Besides, some new products powered by energy like gas have been applied in industries like oil exploitation and port transport.

Liang told the reporter, in terms of Anhui Province, with the construction of the model zone for industrial transfer accommodation in the Wanjiang City Belt and the Hefei-Wuhu-Bengbu comprehensive experimental zone for independent innovation, promoting the auto industry has become a key project, but core heavy-duty engine engines are scarce. With core parts like engine as bond, Y & C Engine Co., Ltd. will pool the strength of vehicle manufacturers and create an integrated industrial atmosphere, thus acquiring core parts technologies and capacity, effectively avoiding redundant investment, significantly promoting the development of the regional auto industry and making it possible for China to build world-class heavy-duty truck engines.

(Jiang Sheng/Wuhu Daily)