Interpretation of the "Implementation Opinions on Improving Reliability in Manufacturing"

       Recently, five ministries including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology jointly issued the "Implementation Opinions on Improving the Reliability of Manufacturing" (No. 77 [2023] of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, hereinafter referred to as the "Implementation Opinions"). The following is an interpretation for better understanding and implementation of the "Implementation Opinions".

       What is the background for the issuance of the "Implementation Opinions"?

       Reliability, as a core indicator reflecting the level of product quality, is an important manifestation of the development level of the manufacturing industry. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council attach great importance to quality development. During a visit to the exhibition of achievements of the C919 large aircraft, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that safety and quality must come first, and safety and reliability must be given top priority. The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed accelerating the construction of a strong manufacturing country and a strong quality country, and promoting the high-end, intelligent, and green development of manufacturing. The "Outline for the Construction of a Strong Quality Country" points out that it is necessary to implement a plan to improve quality reliability, improve the reliability level of machinery, electronics, automobiles, and other products, as well as their basic parts and components, and promote quality upgrades. After years of exploration and development, China's manufacturing industry has achieved remarkable results in reliability. A reliability engineering technology system has been basically established, application fields have continued to expand, and the reliability of some products has reached internationally advanced levels. However, overall, there is still a gap between China's manufacturing reliability and the advanced international levels. There are many shortcomings and weaknesses in the industrial foundation, the reliability indicators of key core products still need to be improved, and the capacity for management and professional talent support is insufficient, hindering China's manufacturing industry from advancing to the mid-to-high end.

       To thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on quality work, fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, implement the requirements for building a strong manufacturing country and a strong quality country, and comprehensively promote new industrialization, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, jointly issued the "Implementation Opinions" to improve the reliability level of the manufacturing industry, laying a solid quality foundation for improving enterprises' core competitiveness and brand influence, building a modern industrial system, and achieving high-quality development of the manufacturing industry.

       What are the connotation and extension of reliability?

       Reliability is the ability of a product to perform its intended function under specified conditions and for a specified period of time. It is a core indicator that reflects the level of product quality, running through the entire process of product research and development, design, manufacturing, and use. With the deep integration of new generation information technology and manufacturing, the digital, networked, intelligent, and green development of China's manufacturing industry is accelerating, and the concept of reliability is being further expanded. First, the reliability of modern products needs to be considered comprehensively from multiple dimensions, including the product itself, human-computer interaction, safety, environmental protection, and economy. Second, the requirements for reliability indicators are more comprehensive, not only pursuing absolute high reliability and long life, but also paying more attention to the optimal reliability level under economic cost and ecological constraints. Third, it has changed from "reliability in the product use stage" to "reliability throughout the entire life cycle and entire chain of the product", covering all stages from research and development, production, use, to scrapping, covering raw materials, components, parts, complete machines and systems, and involving a wider range of dimensions.

       How to promote the implementation of the main goals of the "Implementation Opinions"?

       The "Implementation Opinions" proposes a "two-step" goal: In the first stage, by 2025, focusing on making up for shortcomings and strengthening weaknesses, following the approach of consolidating the foundation, optimizing services, and promoting improvement, through measures such as conducting technological breakthroughs, establishing a standard system, and improving public services, it strives to form more than 100 typical demonstrations of reliability improvement and promote more than 1,000 enterprises to implement reliability improvement, laying a solid foundation for achieving the goals of the second stage; In the second stage, by 2030, focusing on strengthening strengths and promoting effectiveness, following the approach of establishing benchmarks, strengthening leadership, and promoting transformation, giving full play to the leading role of reliability standards, promoting the reliability level of 10 key core products to reach internationally advanced levels, cultivating a group of competitive and influential public service institutions and professional reliability talents, promoting the overall level of reliability in China's manufacturing industry to a new level, and becoming an important engine supporting the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry.

       Why does the "Implementation Opinions" focus on the machinery, electronics, and automobile industries?

       The machinery, electronics, and automobile industries have large industrial scales, high proportions in the total industrial output value, and strong radiation and driving capabilities. They also have a certain foundation in reliability work and are representative in improving the reliability of the manufacturing industry. The machinery industry is a pillar industry of the national economy, has already achieved considerable scale, and the reliability level of some products has improved significantly; Electronics is a basic industry, with a large industry size and sufficient market competition, and plays an important supporting role for other industries. Key enterprises have already established a complete reliability management system; The safety and reliability of automobiles are closely related to the lives and property of the people. The industry's reliability practices started early, are fast-paced, and high-level, and a relatively complete reliability technology and management system has been formed. The "Implementation Opinions" focuses on the three key industries of machinery, electronics, and automobiles. On the one hand, by improving the reliability of core basic parts, core basic components, promoting the reliability improvement of related industry products, and enhancing the resilience of the industrial chain and supply chain. On the other hand, it gives play to the industry's basic advantages, forms replicable and promotable advanced experience, sets up typical demonstrations for other industries, and drives the overall improvement of the reliability of the manufacturing industry.

       What are the main considerations and expected effects of the "Implementation Opinions"' proposal to implement the "foundation-building" project for basic product reliability and the "doubling" project for the reliability of complete equipment and systems?

       Core basic parts, core basic components, key basic software, key basic materials, and advanced basic processes are important components of the industrial foundation. Core basic parts, core basic components, and key basic materials play a decisive role in the precision, performance, life, and reliability of complete equipment. Key basic software is an important means of promoting industrial modernization and digitalization, and advanced basic processes are an important guarantee for achieving low-cost, high-performance, and high-reliability products. High-end equipment manufacturing is the foundation and core of a country's modern industrial system and an important manifestation of the comprehensive strength of the manufacturing industry and national industrial competitiveness. In particular, major technical equipment has characteristics such as systematic sets, complex technology, high added value, strong driving force, and large investment intensity, which are related to national strategic security and the lifeline of the national economy.

       At present, the reliability level of basic products such as precision reducers, high-end bearings, advanced semiconductor materials, and automotive-grade automotive chips, as well as complete machine products such as heavy-duty CNC machine tools, advanced agricultural machinery, and precision measuring instruments, is not high. In response to the above problems, the "Implementation Opinions" focuses on the three industries of machinery, electronics, and automobiles. By implementing the reliability "foundation-building" project, it makes up for the shortcomings in the reliability of basic products and improves the reliability level of core basic parts, core basic components, key software, key basic materials, and basic processes, laying a foundation for improving the reliability of complete machine products in related industries. By implementing the reliability "doubling" project, it promotes reliability growth and drives the reliability level of key core products to reach internationally advanced levels, enhancing the resilience of the industrial chain and supply chain.