By 2025, the Chinese machine tool industry will enter a critical period of high-quality development. The China Machine Tool and Tool Industry Association (CMTBA) recently identified three key trends—a breakthrough in intelligentization, ecological transformation, and accelerated substitution of domestically produced products—to formulate a new vision for industrial upgrading.
Intelligent Technologies: From "Device Connectivity" to "Data Empowerment".
Intelligent technologies in the industry are no longer limited to the automation of individual machines but encompass a digital ecosystem spanning the entire lifecycle. Leading companies are accelerating adoption: Shenyang Machine Tool's i5 series uses sensors to collect machine data in real time and optimize processing parameters based on artificial intelligence, increasing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) by 25%. Qinchuan Machine Tool, in partnership with Huawei Cloud, has created an industrial internet platform connecting over 200 upstream and downstream suppliers, reducing order processing times by 40%. By 2025, more than 60% of key equipment in enterprises larger than the established size is expected to be connected to digital technologies.
Sustainability: Low carbon emissions throughout the supply chain are becoming mandatory.
With the dual goal of reducing carbon emissions, greening has shifted from simply energy conservation and consumption reduction to a low-carbon approach throughout the lifecycle. Kede five-axis CNC machines use magnetic-levitation electric spindles, reducing energy consumption by 35%. Guosheng Zhike's "Machine Tool Hospital" processes over 5,000 refurbished machines annually, representing only 50% of the cost of new ones. Furthermore, this year, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will publish the "Green Manufacturing Assessment Standards for the Machine Tool Industry," which will promote the implementation of strict metrics such as material use and recyclability.
Replacing Domestic Equipment: A Qualitative Shift from "Fit to Performance".
Replacing domestic equipment accelerates the market entry of high-tech products. Huazhong CNC's HNC-848D system has been installed on over 10,000 five-axis machines, achieving international precision levels. Domestic machines account for over 40% and 60% of COMAC's C919 and CATL production lines, respectively. User feedback: "Domestic equipment performs as well as imported equipment, while maintenance is faster and less expensive." The share of imported equipment is expected to drop to less than 35% by 2025.
By 2025, intelligent technologies will make equipment "smarter" in the machine tool industry, green development will make it "more sustainable," and the replacement of domestic components will make the supply chain "more secure." As Mao Yufeng stated, "These three keywords represent a qualitative shift in China's machine tool industry from 'scale advantage' to 'technology and ecosystem advantage.'" In the future, we are confident of occupying a more prominent place in the global market for high-end machine tools.