Leading vacuum equipment manufacturing in the world (Innovation-driven development)

In the relatively small business of making scientific equipment, Zhang Yongming, chairman of China Science Technology, admits that his company is not really big.

However, this "small" company, which is not known by the public, has a great ability: it developed the first scanning electron microscope in China, which is the only domestic brand of scanning electron microscope manufacturing enterprise; It has developed the first vertical turbomolecular pump and the first commercial helium mass spectrometer leak detector in our country, and for many years maintains the leading position in the vacuum industry. Participated in a series of major national projects such as "Two bombs and one star", "Electron-Positron Collider" and "Shenzhou"...

In recent years, the company has made breakthroughs in innovation and developed the highest level of magnetic levitation molecular pump on behalf of vacuum acquisition field.

Refuse to buy, break the monopoly situation of foreign enterprises

Vacuum environment is the basic condition of scientific research and industrial manufacturing. Keeping food fresh, producing colorful LED displays, developing sophisticated instruments... Vacuum technology plays an important role everywhere, especially in national security and the development of national industry.

Magnetic levitation molecular pump is the most advanced vacuum acquisition equipment in the world, and it is one of the key core components in the semiconductor industry. But before 2012, the country did not have the capacity to produce the product.

A few years ago, a leading German vacuum equipment manufacturer took a look at the company's long history of technology and good development prospects and made an offer to buy it. But during the negotiation, the other side said: "The maglev molecular pump, which represents the cutting-edge level of international vacuum technology, cannot be jointly developed, and will not even be produced in China."

"Core technologies cannot be bought or exchanged, and we cannot expect others to solve the core technologies and strategic science and technology issues facing development." Mr Zhang realised that once acquired, it would be difficult for China to develop its own vacuum technology in the short term.

To refuse acquisition is to refuse comfort.

Stung to meet the challenge, after hundreds of days and nights of overcoming difficulties, finally in 2012 successfully developed China's first domestic magnetic levitation molecular pump, breaking the monopoly of foreign enterprises. In May 2013, at the 12th International Vacuum Exhibition, the first magnetic levitation molecular pump developed by China Keyi was officially unveiled.

Reform into enterprises and face the market

Formerly known as Beijing Scientific Instrument Development Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (formerly Scientific Instrument Factory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences), Zhongke Instrument was founded in 1958 and is a unit that eats "imperial grain".

In 2000, China Science and Technology Institute ushered in a great change. Under the background of "promoting the transformation of application-oriented scientific research institutions into enterprises", China Science and Technology Institute took the lead in transforming into enterprises and became the first enterprise transformed into enterprises by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Reform brings about a change of ideas. Zhang Yongming introduced, from eating "imperial grain" to their own to the market foraging, some old employees initially have opinions, but in the long run, science and technology instrument resolutely adjust the direction, the research and development focus on easy to form a batch of key markets, key industries, key products.

Breaking the model of laboratory production and service, Zhongke Instrument has increased investment to build the most advanced and largest molecular pump assembly clean room in China. In 2013, the sales volume of vacuum molecular pump alone reached thousands of units, comparable to international counterparts.

In recent years, there has been a significant change in the market structure of China Science and Technology Instrument products. Before the reform, most of the products are for scientific research applications, but now the scientific research market accounts for 30% and the industrial market accounts for 70%.

"After the transformation, research projects are not as random as before. You need to do market research first and then make a decision." Zhang Yongming said. In order to effectively solve the problem of disconnection between scientific and technological innovation and market demand, China Science and Technology Instrument organizes multiple resources to accelerate the industrialization process of scientific and technological innovation achievements, clearly stipulates that scientific and technological innovation work should take economic benefits as the evaluation standard, and reward the technological development and innovation projects that produce economic benefits.