The Gongbei Tunnel of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge [Photo/WHDZ Convergence Media Center]
Three companies based in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WHDZ) -- in Wuhan city in Central China’s Hubei province -- have won two gold and one silver Hubei provincial-level patent awards, according to WHDZ officials.
The Dongfeng Design Institute and the China Communications Second Highway Survey and the Design Research Institute Co won the gold award, while Dongfeng Trucks won the silver award.
Officials said the Dongfeng Design Institute’s quick positioning clamping system for handle fixture assemblies in flexible body welding lines has secured independent intellectual property rights. They said the system’s technical indicators are better than similar foreign products and the cost is lower, while its overall technical level is at an advanced international level.
WHDZ officials said the award-winning system will boost the upgrade and technological transformation of manufacturing equipment for domestic automobile companies. They added that it will also develop to a high standard, with a high efficiency, flexibility and a flexible level of manufacturing -- that will further enhance the international competitiveness of Chinese automobile brands.
Meanwhile, a type of dynamically controlled water freezing prevention method for industrial pipes and curtains -- independently developed by China Communications Second Highway Survey and Design Research Institute Co -- also triumphed at the patent awards.
The developers said it has the technical advantages of high safety and reliability and is energy saving.
The patent was successfully applied to the Gongbei Tunnel of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which saved 332 million yuan ($46.92 million) in engineering costs.
In addition, the technology related to this patent was also adopted at the Guiqiaolu Station, on Shanghai Rail Transit Line 14.
Elsewhere, a carbon-based conductive coating and its preparation method developed by Dongfeng Trucks also won a patent award. It uses a special structural carbon nanotube as a conductive additive, which has low material costs, an excellent conductive performance, high coating utilization rate and causes little environmental pollution.
WHDZ officials said that it is the first time that the automotive industry has completed the independent development, innovative research and batch application of low-content carbon nanotube conductive coatings in actual production, creating an economic benefit of 18.54 million yuan for the company.
