The history of welding development in China

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— 1 — The establishment of welding science in China In 1952, in order to accelerate the pace of industrial development in the country, speed up the training of engineering and technical personnel, and overcome industrial backwardness, the central government ordered that experience from the Soviet Union in training high-level scientific and technical professionals be adopted. Former Soviet experts were hired to teach at domestic universities to assist in establishing new majors and training postgraduate students. Back then, Harbin Institute of Technology was designated as a key university, and more than fifty experts from the former Soviet Union were hired to teach there; among them, N.N. Prokhorov, a professor from the Bauman Technical Institute in Moscow, was an expert in welding (see Figure 1). Upon arriving at the school, he developed a comprehensive plan for the development of the welding field and the training of professionals. Therefore, the establishment of the welding discipline in China should be attributed to Dr. N.N. Prokhorov; he can be considered the founder of this discipline in China. Figure 1: Dr. N.N. Prokhorov. It is worth noting that Dr. Prokhorov was the only professor and Doctor of Science among the fifty-odd experts sent by the Soviet Union to Harbin Institute of Technology in 1952; the others were associate professors or Candidates of Sciences. (At that time, it was very difficult to obtain a doctorate in the Soviet Union; one first had to earn an associate doctorate through higher education, and only after achieving significant academic results through work could one apply for a doctorate evaluation.) The correct translation for an associate doctorate is “candidate doctor”. Since the associate doctorate in the Soviet Union was on par with the doctoral degree in our country as well as in the UK and the US, the term associate doctorate is now being translated as doctorate. Furthermore, in the past in the Soviet Union, only those who held a doctoral degree could be promoted to full professor, indicating that the requirements for obtaining a doctoral degree and a professorship there were much stricter than they are today. Dr. Prokhorov assigned each of the six graduate students who volunteered to study welding a specific research topic. In addition, each student was required to prepare lessons for one course. The specific assignments were as follows: Tian Xitang – Welded Structures; Chen Dinghua – Principles of Welding; Zhou Zhenfeng – Gas Welding and Cutting; Xu Zicai – Arc Welding; Pan Jiluan – Contact Welding; Luo Dingchang – Workshop Design. While conducting their research projects, graduate students prepared lessons using Soviet textbooks. At that time, the leadership of Harbin Institute of Technology had a clear goal: to establish a welding major and pioneer the field of welding. Figure 2 shows the teaching building of Harbin Institute of Technology in 1950; it was in this building that the welding specialty was established. The office building shown in Figure 3 is the Machinery Building constructed in 1953; after its completion, the welding department moved into this building to carry out its work. Harbin Institute of Technology is the birthplace of the welding discipline in China; it is a cradle for welding scholars and the starting point for China’s welding industry. Figure 2: The location of Harbin Institute of Technology in 1950. Figure 3: The mechanical building at Harbin Institute of Technology in 1953. — 2 — Training the first batch of welding professionals. In September 1952, the Welding Teaching and Research Section at Harbin Institute of Technology was officially established; it was the first such section in China. Pan Jiluan served as the acting head of this section (at that time Pan Jiluan was a postgraduate; he returned to Tsinghua University to teach in 1953). In 1953, Teacher Tian Xitang served as the head of the Welding Teaching and Research Section (see Figure 4). As soon as Teacher Tian took office, he began to study the teaching plan for the welding program and prepared for the establishment of a laboratory. Figure 4: Tian Xitang served as the head of the teaching and research section in 1953. After Prokhorov left Harbin Institute of Technology in July 1953, two experts from the former Soviet Union were hired to assist us in developing the welding program; one was Dr. Skakun, an associate professor at Moscow Institute of Aeronautical Technology, and the other was Dr. Kabushchenko, an associate professor at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in Ukraine. Figure 5 shows Teacher Tian Xitang discussing teaching plans and laboratory construction with two Soviet experts. Figure 5: Tian Xitang (center) with Skakun (left) and Kabachenko (right). There were four batches of the first college graduates majoring in welding in China: (1) In September 1952, in order to quickly train college students in the field of welding, Harbin Institute of Technology selected a small group of freshmen from that year’s intake to enroll in a two-year vocational program in welding. In July 1954, 19 students from the two-year junior college program graduated and were all assigned to industrial and mining enterprises to work in welding technology. 　　(2) In 1954, three students graduated from the six-year undergraduate program. These were also the three students selected from the fourth-year class in 1952 at Harbin Institute of Technology to study welding; they were Xu Binshi, Cui Weida, and Zhai Haihuan. They were among the first batch of undergraduate graduates in the six-year welding program in our country. 　　(3) In 1955, Harbin Institute of Technology selected two more students from its fourth-year class in 1953 to study welding; they completed a six-year program of study. Their names were Jiang Yihong and He Qifan, with Jiang Yihong later becoming the Party secretary of Harbin Institute of Technology. 　　(4) A large batch of graduates came out in July 1956, with 60 students completing a six-year undergraduate program; Wang Qilong, Zhang Xiuzhi, and Huang Wenzhe were among those students. 　　Students were gradually selected from existing undergraduate programs to study welding. Two Soviet experts were specifically hired to assist in developing this major. It is evident from this that Harbin Institute of Technology was extremely determined to establish a welding major, with the goal of training welding professionals as quickly as possible. 　　In 1953, after the establishment of the Welding Teaching and Research Section at Harbin Institute of Technology, the second batch of postgraduate students was admitted. They were Sun Zijian, Fu Shoumo, Li Shuhuai, She Jian, Qiu Fengxiang, He Weiru, Chen Boli, Na Xuezhong, Zhang Wenyue, Gao Guang’an, Tang Muyao, and Peng Rihui. Later, young teachers and postgraduate students were sent by institutions such as Tsinghua University to learn welding from Soviet experts, including Chen Bingsen, Su Yi, Zhang Renhao, Zhang Liandi, Li Rongen, Deng Jinseng, Zhou Haosen, Yu Shangzhi, Bao Fanghan, Zhang Ruipu, Luo Zhichang, Zhuang Hongshou, Chen Zhongxiao, He Yaohua, and Wang Tong. The training of these people was conducted by Soviet experts who gave the lessons in person (see Figure 6). As can be seen from the figure, many of our predecessors in welding are among them, such as Yu Shangzhi and Peng Rihui. Figure 6: Associate Professor M.H. Kabuchenko from Kyiv Polytechnic Institute is teaching students. After 1955, Tsinghua University hired Skakun as an expert to teach at the university for two years (see Figure 7). He guided the establishment of a welding major and the construction of a welding laboratory. Graduate students and young faculty members from Harbin Institute of Technology* who had previously studied at Tsinghua University, along with some other graduate students from Harbin Institute of Technology*, subsequently went to Tsinghua University to study and work. In 1958, 56 students graduated from Tsinghua University’s five-year undergraduate program in welding. Meanwhile, institutions such as Tianjin University and Beihang University have also established welding majors, gradually producing graduates in the field of welding. Beihang University has hired Alov, a welding and metallurgy expert from the Moscow Institute of Aeronautical Technology, to teach there. The college students and postgraduate students mentioned above are all the pioneers of our **welding industry. http://mmbiz.qpic.cn/mmbiz_png/3jvxmx8BBfIH0icdEvHPibxnk7AGDCoZzKJ6E8ibf0nL0EXwRicyogr1pFD9icETwzuLbqc0275hibtzvqWcwiaDUvM6A/0?wx_fmt=png Image 7: Zhou Zhenfeng assists expert Skakun in guiding postgraduate students — 3 — The first national conference on welding technology was held. The Ministry of Machinery Industry attached great importance to the development of welding technology. After the welding major was established at Harbin Institute of Technology, in June 1955, and prior to the establishment of the Welding Society, the Ministry of Machinery Industry held the “First National Conference on Welding” at Harbin Institute of Technology; 48 organizations and 85 participants attended the conference. 17 reports and papers were received, and a special issue was published (see Figure 8). At that time, the Technical Department of the First Ministry of Mechanical Industry attached great importance to the field of welding. As can be seen from the report prepared by the Technical Department of the First Ministry of Mechanical Industry titled “The Current Status and Existing Problems of Welding Work” (see Figure 9), significant measures had already been taken by us at that time to promote the development of welding technology. The conference identified the direction for the future development of welding technology. An important resolution adopted at the conference stated that the development of the machinery industry is placing increasing demands on welding work. Over the past year or two, the application of welding has shifted from repairing parts and manufacturing unimportant structures to producing various important and large-scale products. In current new products, such as ships, locomotives, vehicles, boilers, containers, as well as smelting equipment, chemical machinery, and heavy machinery, the role of welding has increased significantly; welding has become a major manufacturing process for these products. However, the foundation of welding work was originally poor; the technical capabilities were weak, there was a lack of strict control over preparation processes, welding procedures were not analyzed in advance, welding specifications were not carefully selected, and inspections and tests were inadequate, making it difficult to ensure welding quality. With an increase in new products and rising quality requirements, these contradictions become even more apparent. Therefore, we must strive to learn from and disseminate the advanced experiences of the Soviet Union, master new technologies, and rectify the current backward state of technical levels in welding production, so as to meet the needs of ** construction. Figure 8: Special issue of the First National Welding Conference Figure 9: Report prepared by the Technical Department of the First Ministry of Machinery The conference demonstrated the First Ministry of Machinery’s determination to develop welding technology in China, and it played a significant role in promoting the advancement of welding practices in the country. This is a very important meeting. — 4 — Chinese Welding Delegation’s Visit to the Soviet Union In 1959, as part of the technical cooperation negotiations between China and the Soviet Union, in accordance with item 754 of plan No. 122 for scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries, and pursuant to Resolution No. 87001 of the Eighth Session of the Sino-Soviet Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, China sent a delegation to the Soviet Union for a four-month visit. The Soviet Union was extremely welcoming to the delegation; there was virtually no secrecy involved. The delegation visited important schools, factories, and scientific research institutions in the former USSR. Soviet experts thoroughly imparted all their knowledge of welding technology to the delegation. This inspection reflects our country’s emphasis on welding technology. Upon returning to China, the delegation prepared the \"Report on the Welding Inspection Trip to the Soviet Union\" (see Figure 10), which provided a detailed account of the welding technology level in the Soviet Union at that time. This report was disseminated across the country, greatly contributing to the development of welding technology in China. Figure 10 Report on Welding Studies in the Soviet Union by China —5— Compilation and Publication of Welding Textbooks. Before 1962, the textbooks used at Harbin Institute of Technology and other institutions were mostly sourced from the former Soviet Union and compiled and translated based on Soviet works. In May 1962, the Ministry of Education decided to establish a Compilation and Review Committee for Teaching Materials on Welding Technology and Equipment, with Comrade Tian Xitang as chairman and Comrade Chen Dinghua as vice-chairman. They organized the compilation of textbooks in Chinese on topics such as fundamentals of welding metallurgy, technology of fusion welding processes, equipment for fusion welding, and welding inspection. These textbooks have played a significant role in teaching welding-related subjects in China and in cultivating specialized welding professionals. 　　During the Cultural Revolution, teaching essentially came to a halt; after the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1978, textbooks were recompiled and republished. The first important meeting was the “Committee for the Compilation and Review of Textbooks on Welding Processes and Equipment in Higher Education Institutions,” held in Huangshan in June 1978 (see Figure 11). The photos show that teachers such as Tian Xitang, Chen Dinghua, Xu Zicai, Zhou Zhenfeng, Xu Biyu, Sun Lu, Chen Boli, He Fangdian, Wu Zhiqiang, Zhang Wenyue, Zheng Yiting, Bi Huiqin, Zou Xi, Huang Shisheng, Jiang Huanzhong, Wang Qilong, Zeng Le, Shen Shiyao, and Gao Lisheng all attended the meeting. This conference played a very important role in the field of welding education in our country. 　　Between 1980 and 1981, a complete set of textbooks was published, including \"Welded Structures\", \"Principles and Processes of Metal Fusion Welding\" (volumes 1 and 2), \"Welding Methods and Equipment\" (volumes 1 to 4), \"Welding Power Sources\", \"Welding Inspection\", \"Welding Metallurgy\", and \"Arc Welding\“. China Machine Press has made great contributions to the publication of textbooks. Figure 11: Group photo of the National Committee for the Compilation and Review of Welding Textbooks in Higher Education Institutions (1978, Huangshan) —6— Establishment of the Welding Society. From 1950 to 1962, universities such as Harbin Institute of Technology trained a large number of welding professionals for China, and the Ministry of Machinery Industry made significant efforts to develop welding technology; as a result, China’s welding industry has built a fairly solid foundation. In 1962, the Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineering felt that welding had developed to a fairly mature stage, and thus decided to establish a society for welding; Comrade Xu Shaogao, who at that time was the head of the Process Department in the Technical Department of the First Ministry of Machinery Industry (see Figure 12; he served as Secretary-General of the Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineering from 1981 to 1986), was tasked with handling the establishment of this society. Figure 12: Comrade Xu Shaogao. On September 17, 1962, the First National Welding Conference was held in Harbin. It is stated in the documents for this conference that, \"This is the first welding conference in the history of our country.\" 133 papers were submitted at the annual conference, with over 120 representatives from production, research, and teaching departments in 17 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions as well as 8 industrial sectors in attendance. ”The document also states that \"the holding of the first Welding Annual Conference **greatly boosted the enthusiasm of the welding technology community in our country, and effectively promoted the development of academic activities related to welding across various regions.\" ”This conference marked the beginning of the official nationwide conduct of welding academic activities in our country. 　　At the conference, Professor Meng Guangzhe (see Figure 13) and Professor Sun Lu delivered very important academic presentations after conducting extensive research. The title of their presentation was “The Development of Welding Technologies at Home and Abroad and Prospects for the Future Development of Welding Technologies in China”. Figure 13: Professor Meng Guangzhe elected as president. The Welding Society was officially established at this meeting. Professor Meng Guangzhe was elected as the president, while Pan Jiluan, Sun Lu, Si Chongyao, and Xu Zicai were elected as vice presidents. The conference published a special issue (see Figure 14) containing the papers submitted to it. Figure 14: Proceedings of the 1st National Welding Conference —7— Participation in the International Welding Institute. In July 1963, China sent a delegation to Helsinki, Netherlands, to attend the annual meeting of the International Welding Institute, with the aim of keeping up with international standards. The head of the delegation was Comrade Yao Tongbin (see Figure 15); four others, including Zhou Wansheng, also participated. After the meeting, Comrade Yao Tongbin reported to **, the Ministry of Machinery Industry, and the Welding Society that the International Institute of Welding is an academic organization with a wealth of academic content; he suggested that China officially join the International Institute of Welding. Following the report, with the approval of ** and the Ministry of Machinery Industry, applications were submitted to join the International Welding Institute. Figure 15: Yao Tongbin. In 1964, the International Welding Institute officially admitted our country as a full member of it. Comrade Tao Hengxian (see Figure 16) led a delegation of seven people to Prague, Czech Republic, to attend the conference. Starting from that year, we became official members of the International Welding Institute. Figure 16 Tao Hengxian. In 1965, China sent a delegation to participate officially in the annual conference of the International Welding Conference for the first time. The papers submitted to the International Welding Society for the first time were: “Application of electroslag welding in 12,000-ton forging hydraulic presses”, “Brittleness of molybdenum joints welded by electron beam welding”, and “Techniques for repairing cracks in high-pressure turbine castings”. The three papers (see Figure 17) generated significant attention at international welding conferences. In particular, Shanghai Heavy Machinery Factory built its own large-scale heat treatment furnaces and used electroslag welding to weld structures with a thickness of 200 mm, completing the welding of the entire structure of a 12,000-ton forging hydraulic press – an achievement that was unprecedented on the international stage and received widespread praise worldwide. Figure 17: The 3 papers presented at the first International Welding Conference. Starting in 1982, Chinese experts began to serve on the executive committee of the International Welding Committee. Its status within the International Welding Institute is growing, and it is receiving increasing attention. Those who have served as vice president and member of the executive committee of the society include: Pan Jiluan, Guan Qiao, Wu Lin, Shan Ping, and Chen Qiang. —8—Organizing International Welding Conferences and International Cooperation In 1982, after participating in the executive committee of the International Welding Institute, the council of the Chinese Welding Society decided to organize international welding conferences on its own. 　　From September 6 to 8, 1984, Hangzhou hosted China’s first International Welding Conference (see Figure 18). More than 300 welding scholars, experts, and engineering technicians from 17 countries and China attended the conference. Figure 18: China hosted its first international welding academic conference. After that, the Chinese Welding Society actively carried out international activities. In 1983, in accordance with the Science and Technology Agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany dated October 9, 1978, as well as the Technical Agreement signed by the two countries on October 13, 1982, the Chinese Welding Society and the German Welding Society entered into a comprehensive cooperation agreement to carry out active international cooperation. In 1983, I learned how to establish a cooperation agreement with the German Welding Society; Minister Tao Hengxian presided over the signing ceremony, with the German Director General Sussenhauer and Chinese Academician Pan Jiluan signing the agreement on behalf of their respective countries. It was this meeting that decided to establish a welding technology training center in cooperation with Germany. 　　Construction of the Harbin Welding Technology Training Center began in 1984 (see Figure 19); the first person in charge was Lu Renfa (one of the first group of two-year graduates trained by Harbin Institute of Technology). German experts with long-term experience guide the work at the center (see Figure 20), and as required, relevant experts from the International Institute of Welding are invited periodically to the Harbin Welding Technology Training Center for evaluations. Therefore, the qualification certification for welders in our country is fully aligned with international standards, and the Harbin Welding Technology Training Center is an example of successful international cooperation. Figure 19: Construction of the Harbin Welding Technology Training Center began in 1984. Figure 20: German experts who have worked in Harbin for a long time. In 1994, during the period when Academician Guan Qiao served as vice president of the International Welding Institute, the “IIW 47th Annual Conference” was held in China for the first time. The IIW annual conference is held once a year; it is **requested by the various members**, and the venue is determined through approval by the board of directors. The theme of this conference was “Advanced Technologies and Low-Cost Automation”. 630 representatives from 36 countries and regions, along with 120 family members of foreign guests, attended this annual meeting. 32 papers from 17 countries were presented at the conference, with hundreds more papers presented at various specialized committees. 180 representatives from our country took part in this annual meeting, presenting 57 papers. The holding of this annual conference of the International Welding Institute has further enhanced the status and influence of China’s welding community on the international stage. Figure 21: The venue of the IIW47 annual conference —9— Conclusion: Over the course of several decades, China’s welding industry has continued to grow, providing strong support for the development of the country’s industry. Veterans in the field of welding such as Meng Guangzhe, Yao Tongbin, Sun Lu, Si Chongyao, Chen Dinghua, Tian Xitang, Zhou Zhenfeng, Xu Zicai, along with leaders from the Chinese Society of Mechanical Engineering like Tao Hengxian and Xu Shaogao, have made significant contributions to the establishment and development of welding technology in our country. I hereby extend my highest respect to them.