Advanced Work Team | China Tungsten High-Tech Ultra-fine Tungsten Carbide Intelligent Production Line Project Team: Innovating Smart Manufacturing to Break Through Bottlenecks and Lead in High-end Development

(Source: China Minmetals Corporation)

High-end hard alloy is known as the “teeth” of modern industry, an essential material for processing aerospace components and electronic information devices. Its quality largely depends on its core raw material—high-performance ultra-fine tungsten carbide powder. For a long time, the supply of key powders was tightly controlled by a few foreign companies.

As an industry leader, China Tungsten High-tech Co., Ltd. broke through from the source, firmly taking on the mission to overcome technological blockades and ensure the security of the industrial chain. Building an intelligent ultra-fine tungsten carbide production line was designated as a critical battle to win. This extraordinary production line is a key part of the “14th Five-Year Plan” 102 major projects and the “Top 100 Projects” of strategic emerging industries, achieving the industry milestone of “commissioned and operational within the same year.”

On May 28, 2025, the ultra-fine tungsten carbide intelligent production line was fully put into operation.

Efficiently tackling challenges and setting a new benchmark for industry construction efficiency

Faced with tight schedules, high technical standards, and complex construction conditions, the project team aimed for “world-class, industry benchmark.” They coordinated scientifically and deployed meticulously, using backward scheduling and visual management, seamlessly connecting all phases from plant construction to equipment installation, process debugging, and system integration. This race against time was a battle of precision and efficiency. The project received the construction permit in January 2024, successfully ignited the first batch of main process equipment in December 2024, entered trial production in March 2025, and was fully operational by May 2025, demonstrating the project’s “speeding up” in construction.

Behind this speed is the project team’s ability to turn drawings into reality through cross-departmental and cross-disciplinary collaboration. From process adaptation to on-site debugging, every challenge tested their technical expertise and management capabilities, embodying the responsibility of “meeting national needs with corporate action.”

Technological innovation creates a demonstration line for industry efficiency

If construction speed is the “surface,” then systemic technological innovation is the “core.” Relying on national-level technical platforms such as the industry’s only Hard Alloy National Key Laboratory, the project team continuously transformed academic achievements into industrial breakthroughs. From equipment integration and intelligent control to green production and core processes, every step reflects relentless effort and innovation.

The project adopted domestically pioneered high-efficiency, low-consumption fully automatic powder production equipment, successfully solving industry challenges such as automatic feeding of materials with poor flowability. Through innovative special connection control technology, the team built a three-dimensional logistics system, deeply integrating MES systems, AGV intelligent handling, and automated storage, achieving full-process intelligent management of cross-layer material circulation, nearly quadrupling production efficiency and promoting industrial intelligence upgrades. In terms of processes, the project independently developed key technologies like dynamic reduction, completing the full series of product process development, significantly narrowing key indicator fluctuations, with product quality reaching world-class levels.

The project always adheres to green development principles. By fully applying energy-saving and low-carbon technologies such as waste heat recovery and reactive power compensation, the production line reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1,750 tons annually. This not only delivers economic benefits but also demonstrates a vibrant ecological performance, setting a vivid example for energy conservation and carbon reduction in the powder preparation industry.

Ultra-fine tungsten carbide intelligent production line

Domestic substitution significantly enhances the controllability of the industrial chain

Before commissioning, more than half of the raw materials used by China Tungsten High-tech Co., Ltd.'s profile division depended on external purchases. After the line was launched, the pace of domestic substitution accelerated markedly. From January to November 2025, the supply of ultra-fine tungsten carbide to the profile division increased by 54% year-on-year, with external procurement share dropping from 50.1% to 35.6%. The full series of ultra-fine tungsten carbide products (04–08) produced by the line not only met the needs of high-end products like micro-end mills for the company’s internal 3C industry processing but also achieved external sales, receiving high praise from leading industry companies. This indicates that China Tungsten High-tech has gradually built core competitiveness and risk resistance in raw materials within the hard alloy industry.

Outstanding benefits lead industry high-quality development

In just two years, this intelligent production line delivered results far beyond expectations. By 2025, the output of ultra-fine tungsten carbide powder reached nearly 2,000 tons, exceeding the annual target. The unit processing cost decreased by 30% compared to before technological upgrades, and both revenue and total profit far surpassed expectations.

The completion of the intelligent production line marks a fundamental shift for China Tungsten High-tech from reliance on external procurement to achieving independent control. In the future, the line will evolve from a high-efficiency production workshop into an open platform, serving not only as a powder manufacturing site but also as a hub connecting raw material preparation with industrial applications. Through continuous process optimization and new product development, the company will develop customized, high-quality powder products, continuously enhancing the overall competitiveness of hard alloy products and making new, greater contributions to transforming China from a manufacturing powerhouse into a manufacturing strong country.