What can be learned from Sulzer Pump Factory?

Actually, I have been to Dalian Sulzer as well; during the joint venture between Dainai and Sulzer, problems arose with their pumps, due to quality issues with the cast components supplied by external suppliers. Later on, especially after becoming wholly-owned enterprises, they became more stringent in quality control, particularly by imposing strict requirements on the admission of subcontractors and conducting thorough inspections upon their entry, thereby exercising control at the source. Furthermore, this factory is not just involved in assembly; it also has strong processing capabilities, and the quality control of assembly is very strict. The most important factors are whether the manufacturing plant can effectively control its quality management procedures, and the level of attention that managers pay to quality control; these are what determine whether a company is recognized as reliable. Just a humble opinion!

Domestic products are not bad either. Foreigners place great emphasis on both the internal quality and the appearance of products, and they enforce strict standards; if the price is too low, they will not proceed with the order. Many domestic factories also maintain high quality within their own production processes, but due to fierce competition, prices are kept very low, leaving little room for profit. As a result, they have to cut costs in areas that are considered less important (such as design, casting, and surface treatment). Therefore, many domestic products perform just as well as imported ones in terms of functionality, though they may not look as good. Of course, there are also domestic products that are of poor quality both in terms of performance and durability; they basically rely on a one-time sale to survive. The main reason is still determined by the overall economic environment and the managers’ mindset.

The dozens of Sulzer pumps purchased by our company last year were of poor quality and came at a high price; many problems arose during the commissioning process. The service is also average; it seems that domestic manufacturers still have a significant gap compared to foreign ones in terms of management philosophy and quality awareness.

In fact, Sulzer was likely fully owned by itself by 2007. All the pumps in our catalytic unit from 2005 were supplied by this company, and they are still performing very well to this day. When the installation was being carried out, I was in charge of the technical negotiations, and I felt that the sales staff at this factory had high technical expertise; they did an excellent job in selecting the pumps, the materials for various components, as well as the sealing solutions. Overall, their pumps seem to be relatively expensive, but they perform well!

Technical negotiations are indeed important. Additionally, the pump seals we purchased last year were all from Dalian Borgman, and their quality was far from satisfactory. Sulzer outsourced a lot of the work; the auxiliary systems such as those used for seal flushing were particularly unreliable. If the subcontractor is good, then the quality is good; if the subcontractor is poor, then the quality is poor as well, since there is no inspection or verification by the company itself.

Borgman’s mechanical seals are indeed of poor quality. In our plant’s hydrogenation unit, we used mechanical seals for horizontal shaft pumps manufactured jointly by Danfoss and Sulzer, and these seals would leak frequently. We carried out various modifications to the seal flushing system, including cleaning the seal cooling coils and reducing the flow-restricting orifice plates in the seal-related pipelines, but none of these measures proved effective. It was later discovered that the problem lay with the design of the seal structure itself. The sealing rings of the sealed rotating ring and the sleeve were moved from the shaft shoulder to the inner side of the sleeve, and the problem was resolved after this modification. Later, it was found that the problem lay in the selection process; therefore, I agree with 5#houls71’s view – technical discussions and product selection must be handled with care!

Our company is one of the supporting manufacturers for Sulzer. Sulzer does have a large number of outsourced processing tasks, but the quality control is very strict. They do not produce low-cost products; the factory has few employees, but its output value is very high. Brand quality is key.

The quality of foreign products is indeed strictly controlled； It’s hard to say whether it will be released from the factory or not ； But in the domestic market, it can still be sold at a reduced price as a defective product. So it affects the quality image to a certain extent. Another issue is that domestic material technology is still relatively backward. For materials of the same type, it seems that foreign products are more durable.

Give it a try yourself: I suggest that we broaden our perspectives and expand the scope of our discussions. Instead of focusing only on the manufacturing and assembly of pumps by Sulzer, I’d like to discuss a few simple questions with everyone: (1) What are the advantages of foreign products over domestic ones in terms of quality? 2. How can we ensure that the equipment we choose is of high quality? This can serve as a guide for our future equipment selection and management. Summarizing everyone’s previous responses, I feel that: 1. Do the sales and technical staff truly reflect our requirements in the technical specifications? 2. Is the manufacturing process strictly controlled, and are the components selected in accordance with the agreement? 3. Is equipment acceptance actually carried out? Regarding the above three points, I have a deep understanding: at the grassroots level of technical management, some of our requirements were not ultimately included in the technical agreements. In equipment inspections I have participated in, we required companies to conduct random inspections and tests, and as a result many problems were identified – typically, bearings from manufacturers other than those we specified, mechanical seals from different manufacturers, as well as burrs inside the impellers and inadequate cleaning processes. We had no choice but to process each unit individually under supervision, and then test them one by one. Eventually, when they arrived, they performed well; although they are not as good as imported equipment, they are considered top-tier among domestic devices. There was another case: a certain manufacturer (which, from what we know, has an average reputation) wanted to achieve a breakthrough in sales figures at our factory, so it supplied us with a batch of products through connections. Based on the results of using those products, their quality was good. Is this situation worth considering? Same company, same product, different results? ! Last edited by Hunter on 2009-2-12 08:44]

What determines whether the quality meets the standards and whether the technical requirements are fully fulfilled is not the managers, nor their level of emphasis on quality, but rather the price of the product! I have also visited some foreign companies, and I have worked at several well-known private enterprises in China as well! The same company exhibits different levels of quality awareness when handling different contract orders! Why do foreign-funded companies dare to prioritize quality without worrying about costs? It’s because the profit margin on their products is high! For the same products made in China, the price is often much lower than that of foreign-made ones; in order to maintain profits and delivery times, some compromises have to be made! But if the profits allowed by the contract permit it, most companies still place a great deal of emphasis on quality! Of course, the practice of some large companies focusing solely on profits at the expense of quality will only create potential problems for their own development! Therefore, simply discussing the role of quality awareness in manufacturing enterprises is not very effective! Personal opinion! :)

1. Do the sales and technical personnel truly reflect our needs and incorporate them into the technical requirements? When selecting equipment, our company gives priority to technology, but during the procurement process, price takes precedence. Moreover, the sales representatives also focus on price and product profitability when addressing our requirements. It is a matter of systems and processes. The technology is good but the price is high; if they win the bid, many people will surely check to see if there are any issues with the process ； Bids with low prices win; as long as the text meets the requirements of the technical specifications, not many people will pay attention to them. Quality issues that arise during the use of the equipment cannot be attributed to problems with the product quality. 2. Is the manufacturing process strictly controlled, and are the components selected in accordance with the agreement? In the manufacturing process, supervision and inspection are required in all cases, but in most cases it’s merely a formality. Those stationed at the factory **don’t understand the technology; they are merely procurement staff who focus on outcomes. 3. Is equipment acceptance actually carried out? Basically, each piece of equipment needs to be inspected, but it is done on a sample basis; it is difficult to ensure that every device is checked in accordance with the standards. The reason for this is that those who carry out the inspections are usually only staff from the materials department, and the process takes precedence over the outcome. I’m just talking generally; domestic companies face many problems that cannot be resolved in the short term.

In fact, when discussing the gap between domestic and foreign brand equipment, many aspects come into play, including product design and development, processing and manufacturing, assembly, etc. Only by strictly controlling each of these stages can the quality of the products be improved

Many of the products from their factory that are used in our company work well, but the pump casings have developed several cracks; they have already been replaced

1. What makes foreign products of better quality than domestic ones? Firstly, in terms of appearance, there are no issues such as burrs, cracks, looseness, or misaligned bolt fittings that could affect the aesthetic appearance. Secondly, it comes to the internal quality: strict controls are applied at every stage, from the selection of materials to processing and heat treatment, as well as manufacturing precision and inspection tests. Precise calculations and repeated experiments ensure that the product quality is reliable and of high technical standard. Moreover, foreign companies place great emphasis on reputation and never try to deceive customers by using inferior products to pass off as good ones. 2. With the same supplier of components, what are the differences in the quality of the assembled products? For pumps, the important components are the blades, lining, and bearings. Only when these components are precise and wear-resistant can the product be reliable, durable, and of good quality. The difference in performance lies in these key components. The casing and other parts are relatively less important and can be manufactured by external suppliers. 3. Regarding the quality of domestically produced equipment, does the problem lie in our mindset or in the attitude of managers? Many consumers cannot afford expensive products, so manufacturers are forced to cut corners and use inferior materials in order to reduce costs. Since we are a poor population, there is an abundance of fake and low-quality products. This creates a vicious cycle that results in enormous waste of human, material, and financial resources. Yet often, it is not the consumers’ fault; the quality of domestic equipment is poor, and this stems from both our mindset and the attitudes of those in charge. There is a lack of awareness regarding quality, along with a weak sense of integrity and a tendency to seek shortcuts. Without these negative factors, without increasing costs, product quality could be greatly improved. We should start with ourselves and work to create a positive cycle by changing these unfavorable mindsets and attitudes.

I use a relatively small number of Sulzer pumps, and things are okay.

Our factory has several Sulzer gasoline pumps; they are of excellent quality. No major repairs have been needed over the past 5 years, with only two pump seals needing to be replaced during that time

Sulzer pumps, when imported as original products, do indeed have excellent quality. Our old factory has been using them for 8 years without any problems, but the two pumps we purchased recently had their mechanical seals fail after a short time of use. Could it be that since they are now manufactured domestically, their quality in terms of materials, manufacturing processes, and finishing is not as good as before?

1. Do the sales and technical personnel truly reflect our needs and incorporate them into the technical requirements? 2. Is the manufacturing process strictly controlled, and are the components selected in accordance with the agreement? 3. Is equipment acceptance actually carried out? The pumps used in our company range from good to poor in quality. The key to choosing a Sulzer pump lies in the level of technical negotiation skills of our technicians compared to those of the supplier’s technicians. Undoubtedly, Sulzer’s pumps are expensive, but as long as their service meets the promises made, there’s no problem. You need to consider whether you require suppliers from those companies, or if you want the best products from them. They can recommend the best one.

I think it’s mainly the difference in process control. Although everyone uses the same external suppliers, there is still an issue regarding requirements. Typically, a manufacturer simply finds a capable subcontractor to handle the production, but it does not use any formal mechanism – such as a contract – to require that the subcontractor follow the specifications outlined in the contract for each piece produced; otherwise, certain consequences will arise. A contract with few requirements like this will surely have a lower price. As for manufacturers with strict requirements (mostly joint ventures and wholly-owned enterprises), they demand that their suppliers follow foreign production control processes; this certainly increases the costs of those suppliers, which in turn raises the manufacturers’ own costs. However, the components they receive meet quality standards in almost every case. With good supporting components, quality control during the assembly process in one’s own factory is also extremely important. Good companies set strict requirements, while many companies have problems with their internal management and are content with anything that is merely “good enough”. The products produced in this way will definitely have problems. So, it’s not that we lack the capability to produce high-quality mechanical products in our country; it’s due to issues in management and inadequate control over the production process. There’s nothing we can do; we end up letting foreigners make a huge profit at our expense. Speaking of this, I feel depressed again. :Q