Leading China's Wisdom: A 30-Year Record of Development of Southwest Aluminium Standard Samples

Since 1986, Southwest China has officially started the development of standard samples. After 30 years, from scratch, from a single species to cover the national standard, from the analysis of conventional aluminum alloy products to meet the analysis of new aluminum and magnesium alloy products, the development of the southwest aluminum standard sample holds high the banner of technological innovation along the “China Chi” The road of “constructing” continues to advance, writing a gorgeous chapter in the field of standard sample development in the non-ferrous metal industry from the flash of sparks to the bloom of Huacai.

Sparks Flash: End Standard Import History

In the early 1980s, with the acceleration of the pace of reform and opening up in China, large domestic aluminum processing companies began to introduce imported photoelectric direct reading spectrometers for the detection of chemical composition of materials. However, its use of block-like spectral standards is a “scarcity” in China.

“At that time, the aluminum and magnesium alloy standards could only be imported from abroad, and the price was very high and the variety was not very high. The price of a standard sample was about 500 pounds. Such an expensive price severely restricted our analysis of the chemical composition of alloy materials. It is very unfavorable for the long-term development of our aluminum processing industry." According to Zhu Xuechun, a leader in the development of Southwest Aluminum Standards.

Based on the goal of independent innovation and saving foreign exchange for the country, Southwest China began work on the development of standard samples in 1986, and in May 1988, it was granted by the then China Nonferrous Metals Industry Corporation a certification for the development of non-ferrous metal standard samples. Zhu Xuechun has become a pioneer and guide for the development of Southwest Aluminum Standards.

In 1986, under the leadership of Zhu Xuechun, Southwest China took the lead in establishing a standard sample development team in China. Without too much experience for reference and the development of simple equipment, the research and development personnel have relied on their own efforts to overcome the development difficulties. In the face of extremely limited foreign language references, newcomers who have just taken part in the work, took up the dictionary to start learning from basic knowledge. Without computer system software, developers used primitive manual detection and statistical methods to overcome tens of thousands of data... In the end, the extremely precious first set of raw data was born.

In November 1989, Southwest Aluminum's first batch of standard samples of pure aluminum and LY12 aluminum alloys were identified by experts from the China National Nonferrous Metals Industry Corporation's Institute of Standards and Metrology, and were approved as a national standard material. They were put into production for use in the same period. Southwest China took the lead in the domestic development of successful aluminum alloy bulk spectrum standard samples, ending the history of aluminum alloy bulk spectral standard samples completely dependent on imports.

Huacai Bloom: Occupying a leading position in the industry

In the past 30 years, Southwest China has closely followed the pace of research on new materials in the non-ferrous metals industry, boldly carried out technological and technological innovations, and actively undertook project projects of the National Non-ferrous Standards Committee and the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Science and Technology, and continued to add 10 to 30 varieties each year. With the introduction of new alloy standard samples, its standard sample preparation technology and R&D capabilities have dominated the non-ferrous industry.

"The development of standard samples involves multi-disciplinary fields. It includes the application research of smelting foundry, metal materials, heat treatment, physical and chemical testing, extrusion processing, mathematical statistics, and computer software. The entire process is by no means dependent on one person or several. Individuals will be able to complete and require a variety of professional and technical personnel to form teams to work together. Therefore, the development of each standard sample embodies the efforts of all team members. Chen Yu, chief engineer of Southwest Aluminum Casting Plant, said with emotion.

Southwest China has trained two generations of high-quality professional and technical personnel represented by Zhu Xuechun and Chen Yu, and has found a way to independently develop standard samples of aluminum and magnesium alloys, ensuring stable and sustainable development of standard samples.

During the 30 years of development of aluminum and magnesium alloy standard samples, Southwest China has formed its own intellectual property rights in the addition of trace element aluminum alloy, high purity aluminum alloy, high silicon aluminum alloy, aluminum lithium alloy, cast magnesium alloy, and added The preparation technology of more than 60 series of standard samples such as rare earth magnesium alloys, of which 10 inventions have been granted by the State Intellectual Property Office and have won 16 provincial and ministerial scientific and technological progress awards.

In order to break the technological blockade in developed countries, Southwest China has also developed standard samples of aluminum alloys such as 7050, FYD, 7A12, 2195, and 2099, which has made Southwest China a base for the protection of national standards for new materials for defense, military, and aerospace applications. The smooth implementation of military standards, military standards, and sporting standards, as well as the research and development of new materials have played a significant role in promoting.

As of 2016, Southwest China has developed a total of more than 60 series and more than 500 kinds of aluminum, magnesium alloy standard samples, and its main technical indicators have reached or exceeded the international advanced level of the same standards, including 219 kinds of standard samples to fill the gaps in the country, 256 kinds of standard samples were approved by the National Standardization Management Committee as national standard samples.

Creating a brilliant future: promoting technological progress in the industry

Due to outstanding standard sample development work, Southwest Aluminum was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission as a fixed-point non-ferrous metal sample development unit in September 1998. Has now grown to China's aluminum alloy and magnesium alloy standard sample development base, the largest number of standard samples developed, the most complete variety, the most elements, the best quality, firmly laid the leading position in the non-ferrous metal industry standard sample development field.

In the past 30 years, Southwest China has closely followed the pace of material research and development. Each year, new types of alloy standard samples have been introduced, and a constantly improving standard catalogue system has been formed to meet the individual needs of different users. After 30 years of accumulation, the domestic market share of Southwest Aluminum Aluminum and Magnesium Alloy Standards exceeds 70%.

The experience and technology gained from the development of the southwest aluminum standard led to technological advances in the development of non-ferrous industry standards. Its development process, fixed value methods, data processing systems, and application technologies have been promoted and shared among peers. At the same time, it effectively expanded the spectrum of application of spectrum analysis in the field of aluminum and magnesium alloys, strongly promoted the use of spectroscopy to replace chemical methods in industrial production, and made great progress in improving the analysis speed and accuracy, promoting green detection and protecting the environment. contribution.

Advanced spectrum instrument manufacturers such as the Swiss ARL, German OBLF, and German Spike have used the Southwest Aluminum standard samples as the preferred standard sample for commissioning and calibrating instruments when commissioning spectrometers exported to China.

Southwest China has 17 standard sample sales points in Beijing, Shanghai, Jinan, Xi’an, Shenzhen, Wuhan, and Chengdu, which can provide users with comprehensive standard sample development, use, and technical consulting services, and satisfy thousands of units across the country. Imported spectrometers are urgently needed for aluminum and magnesium alloy standards.

After 30 years of hard work, Southwest China has achieved basic localization of aluminum alloy standard samples and partial localization of magnesium alloy standard samples by 2016, saving a lot of foreign exchange for the country and enterprises, and enabling the domestic industry to share results for them. Product development and technological advancements provide support for standard samples and analytical techniques.

During the “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan” period, SWA will continue to hold high the banner of innovation and keep up with the development needs of materials, and will focus on the most advanced frontiers of international standards development. It will develop personalized control samples based on national standards and add trace impurities. The curve standard of the element, the modified alloy standard sample with special rare earth elements added, etc. will be taken as targets for the next stage, leading the development of the aluminum and magnesium alloy standards to a new level, and achieving further success in the field of colored standard samples. "Southwest Aluminum party secretary, chairman Zhang Jilong said.