Prospects for domestic process package development
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We have developed a new process package, which seems to be just a copy of foreign process packages. For previous projects, we purchased others’ process packages; after that, we carried out design work and, after understanding them well, created our own process packages. Personally, I don’t see good prospects, as it’s always necessary to follow others; the only advantage is the low cost. At the same time, to persuade domestic companies to use it, it is necessary to have strong capabilities to build demonstration projects. I think that with all this effort, it’s better to start with basic research and innovate to find a way forward. Although it is difficult, the rewards are substantial. What do you all think?
In fact, this is a common phenomenon in China, though it is most prominent in the fields of chemistry and machinery. It represents a debate between two approaches to technological development in China: one is adopting existing technologies, and the other is relying on self-reliance. Initially, there was some conflict between these two approaches, but now the approach of adopting existing technologies has completely taken over. Moreover, this approach is rather crude – by relying on others’ technologies, China becomes increasingly backward, losing entirely the original purpose of such adoption, which was to progress through the use of those technologies. There’s nothing we can do; ordinary people like us cannot influence **’s decisions. There might be factors that are unknown to us. From our perspective, many companies are short-sighted and unable to maintain patience. If a project doesn’t yield results within two years, it’s essentially dead in the water. As a country with the lowest energy efficiency in the world, China faces this embarrassing reality. Nowadays, many Chinese companies don’t take R&D expenses into account when calculating their profits.
China’s inadequate intellectual property protection results in research and development achievements being easily appropriated by others.
If you can fully understand foreign process packages, that is also a sign of competence; further optimization will open up even more prospects
When drawing on others, one should bring their own innovation
1. Economic system. Some foreign chemical engineering companies, which are privately owned, can operate in the same field for 70 years or 40 years. This is hard to imagine in China. As mentioned above, if a project fails after two years, where do all the technical documentation accumulated during that time go? This is also why foreign chemical engineering companies have come so far. If you do the same thing for twenty years, making several sets of it, you must have accumulated a lot over time. 2. Theoretical foundation: Foreign companies have a thorough understanding of the basic theories in chemistry and physics. For example, in the case of a nitro group reduction reaction that I’ve been involved with, foreigners have accumulated many years of experience; they can conduct experiments in a 1-liter reactor and then scale up the process directly to industrial levels. This is completely unimaginable in the country. 3. Laboratory infrastructure: In many laboratories in China, the technology is still backward and crude; the reaction equipment is not precise enough, and the data obtained cannot convince foreigners. Foreigners would not dare to use such data to develop process packages. 4. Circles: Circles represent a breadth of perspective; those with a wide perspective are able to identify new technologies and apply them. Everyone in these circles is an expert in their respective fields – in mechanics, electronics, synthesis, engineering, and so on. Through such exchanges, many things that would otherwise be impossible become achievable. 5. Continuous optimization: Foreign companies rely on a master-apprentice system for the transmission of technical knowledge; centered around this approach, they carry out ongoing technical improvements, which ultimately allows them to stand out in their industry. 6. Courage. In my personal opinion, Zhejiang entrepreneurs are more bold and proactive when it comes to adopting foreign technologies. Success belongs to those who act with courage and speed.
You spent a lot of time, effort, and money to create a process package, only to be able to use just one set of it. Will you do it again? (Once that’s done, others will copy it from you, and no one will care at all)
In short, China is still behind; no matter how much it tries to learn, it can only imitate others without truly grasping their essence. To be honest, developing such technical expertise isn’t something that can be achieved overnight – it requires long-term investment in human resources and resources, which is impossible in China. What’s needed there are immediate results, the faster the better. So, if there’s a chance to conduct research, do so; otherwise, just buy it outright.
Just look at China’s automotive industry today, and it’s all clear!
Projects don’t wait; while you’re researching new processes, others are quickly launching projects by copying foreign processes. By the time your new manufacturing process is developed, the market for these products will already be saturated.
Basic research requires large investments and long time frames, and no domestic companies are willing to invest in areas that yield results slowly
You can even find posts from 2009? How bored are you
The development of process packages requires significant investment in human resources, physical resources, and experimental platforms; just as there are too few Nobel laureates in China, basic research represents a major weakness
Currently, copying is very popular in the domestic market; in the end, it is those who conduct original research that suffer the most from this practice. It’s especially incomprehensible when some manufacturers start selling production processes without even understanding them themselves