Robotics revolution leads Hebei's innovation push

Shared factory

According to Yang, their AI metallurgical visual inspection systems have been applied in multiple production bases of HBIS Group Co in Tangshan, a leading iron and steel manufacturer headquartered in Shijiazhuang, the province's capital city.

"It has successfully helped the company achieve real-time surface quality inspection and contour measurement of steel at high temperatures, greatly improving the efficiency of quality inspections," he said.

"Some of the systems' standardized modules were manufactured in a local shared manufacturing factory in Tangshan, thus truly integrating R&D in Beijing and transformation in Hebei," Yang said.

The shared factory is the Robotic Shared Intelligent Manufacturing Factory, a unique entity in the province, which provides full life-cycle services for enterprises, including technology, equipment, logistics and aftersales support.

"It offers services such as prototype trial production, custom parts machining, and initial product manufacturing for robot companies, universities and research institutes, helping small and medium-sized enterprises improve efficiency and reduce costs," said Wang Mengzhao, who is in charge of the shared factory, which was initiated and is operated by Tangshan Baichuan Intelligent Machine Co.

According to Wang, the shared factory has been a boon for cutting-edge research achievements because it consolidates all the processes required post-R&D, including procurement and processing.

"These are precisely the elements that can assist universities and research institutions in transforming their research results, thereby driving collaborative innovation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region," Wang said.

He added that the shared factory itself is an innovation, with a key focus on translating innovative research outcomes into practical applications.

"It plays a crucial role in fostering a more vibrant innovation ecosystem for collaborative development in the region, rather than solely aiming for revenue generation," he said.

Since the factory was established last year, 12 universities and research institutes from Beijing and Tianjin, including Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, have collaborated with the shared factory to translate their research achievements.

"Collaborative innovation is a crucial driving force for leading high-quality regional development," Wang said.