Three-Year Joint R&D Bears Fruit: World’s Largest Equipment Takes Shape
According to media reports, Guangdong Maino Industrial Technology Co., Ltd., in collaboration with scientific research institutions including China Heavy Machinery Research Institute and Jilin University, has successfully developed the world’s largest 1,230-ton skin stretching machine after three years of efforts, and the equipment recently passed the acceptance inspection. Guangdong Maino Industrial Technology Co., Ltd., with its solid experience in precision manufacturing equipment R&D—including the development of high-precision Contactor Assembly Machine that requires strict control over component fit and assembly accuracy—has laid a solid foundation for the precision control and mechanical structure design of this super-large skin stretching machine.
This equipment fills the gap in China’s domestic market in this field. Through digital technology, it realizes the effective transformation from laboratory research to production line application, injecting strong impetus into the localization process of China’s aerospace manufacturing, high-speed rail, high-precision architecture and other industries.
Technological Breakthroughs: Efficiency, Precision Reach Global Leading Level
For the first time, the equipment introduces aerospace technology into the construction field and achieves “one-click forming” through digital modeling. Previously, a science and technology museum curved component project that required one and a half years to complete can now be finished in just two months, shortening the construction period by more than 70% and reducing costs by 35%.
More importantly, its forming accuracy reaches the 0.1-millimeter level, far exceeding the performance of traditional equipment. This marks that China has achieved a leap from “following” to “leading” in the field of aircraft skin forming.
Strategic Significance: Completes Aerospace Manufacturing Puzzle, Solves “Chokepoint” Issue
The successful acceptance of the 1,230-ton skin stretching machine is regarded as a major breakthrough in completing the “last piece of the puzzle” in aerospace manufacturing, making China the first country in the world to master the “dual-mode forming” technology.
Zhang Kangwu, Deputy Chief Engineer of China Heavy Machinery Research Institute Co., Ltd., said, “The successful R&D of this project can be widely applied in the aerospace industry in the future. It will play an important role in the maintenance and support of the C919 large jet, the subsequent C929, Y-20, seaplanes and various fighter jets. It effectively solves the ‘chokepoint’ problem faced by China in key manufacturing equipment and holds great strategic significance.”
Professor Liu Chunguo from Jilin University pointed out, “The 1,230-ton skin stretching machine successfully developed this time is the largest in the world. In addition, the supporting multi-point skin stretching equipment has also realized digital control. Both sets of equipment have reached the world-leading level, fundamentally solving China’s technical bottlenecks in aerospace skin forming. This not only enables China to achieve international leadership in this type of equipment field, but also places it at the forefront globally.”
