To promote the spirit of scientists in the new era and set an example for scientists, Science Chinese magazine has reviewed the outstanding representatives of science and technology in 2022, forming the lists of "influential Scientists" and "New Scientists of the Year". Tan Xuguang, Party secretary and chairman of Shandong Heavy Industry Group, chairman of Weichai Group and director of the State Key Laboratory of Internal Combustion Engine Reliability, has been named to the list of 30 influential scientists.

A gentleman learns and acts! As a leader in enterprise innovation and a scientist who never fails to explore, Tan Xuguang has been striving for a long time in the front line of China's power system engineering technology innovation and practice, and has made a significant contribution to China's internal combustion engine technology progress and industry development. He is also the sole representative of the internal combustion engine in this year's Influential Scientist.

In 1977, Tan Xuguang entered Weifang diesel engine factory to do the work which others wanted to do but could not -- participated in the development of the first generation of high-performance tank engine in our country when he was still a pilot. From then on, he worked hard and studied with the dream of "becoming an eight-level worker", and forged a close relationship with the development of internal combustion engine.

"The 10 years as a worker was a rare opportunity in my life. During this time, I systematically learned the knowledge of diesel engine, which benefited me a lot in my later career." Recall the eventful years, Tan Xuguang especially cherish.

The fate of the individual always exists in the current of The Times. In 1998, hampered by the financial crisis and its own shortcomings, Weichai, whose business performance continued to deteriorate, was on the verge of bankruptcy, leaving nearly 14,000 people unpaid. On the occasion of crisis, Tan Xuguang was appointed as the factory director, opened the reform of bone therapy poison. From the "three Provisions of the Law" to the "three-three system" property rights reform, from focusing on the main business to overseas mergers and acquisitions, Weichai has not only created the "speed of Weichai" and the "miracle of Weichai" of high-quality development for more than 20 consecutive years, but also grown into China's leading automotive and equipment manufacturing group with important global influence, becoming the representative of national equipment manufacturing going global in the new era. Continue to help our equipment manufacturing industry to achieve high-end.

Technology is the foundation of the development of science and technology enterprises, and also the foundation of manufacturing enterprises. The development of Weichai benefited from reform, but also benefited from technological innovation and the exploration and mastery of core technologies.

Mr. Tan has never forgotten the 'awkward' scene of an early visit to one of the world's top engine companies in Europe, where the tour route was planned in advance and key areas were covered, even before Weichai had a single engine product with fully independent intellectual property rights.

Self-improvement is the only way, breakthrough is a must choice. While actively carrying out corporate reform, Tan deployed technological innovation with a global vision. In March 2005, Weichai launched China's first high-speed and high-power engine "Blue Engine" with fully independent intellectual property rights. In August of the same year, Weichai Power successfully bid for the A-share listed company Xiang Torch with RMB 1.02338 billion, thus owning A complete industrial chain including engine, transmission and axle, laying a solid foundation for its rise in the future. In fact, only two years later, in 2007, Weichai launched the world's first commercial vehicle powertrain and independently developed ECUs to break the foreign technology monopoly. Thus, Chinese diesel engine industry has officially entered the "Chinese power era" of independent innovation.

Because of his distinctive personality and decisive work, Tan Xuguang is known as "Tan bold" and "Tan madman". In fact, his "bold" move is often planned and then moved; The actions of a "madman" are often known and obtained. "My credo in life is to be the first, do not fight for the first is in the mix."

Now, "not to fight for the first is to mix" has been one of the indispensable core points of Weichai culture, inspiring all Weichai people to actively innovate, unwilling to be left behind.

Thermal efficiency is the standard to measure the fuel utilization efficiency of internal combustion engine. The higher the thermal efficiency, the less the fuel consumption, the more significant the effect of energy saving and emission reduction. At the same time, the thermal efficiency level is also the concrete representative of the technical level of power enterprises, and reflects the comprehensive strength of a country's diesel engine technology. When Tan Xuguang proposed the challenge of 50% thermal efficiency in 2015, people thought it was impossible. However, under the promotion of the passion culture of "not to be first is to mix" and the efficiency culture of "one day for two and a half days", the scientific research team has conquered the five core technologies of diesel collaborative combustion and solved a series of international problems such as efficient combustion. Finally, on September 16, 2020, the diesel engine with thermal efficiency breakthrough of 50.23% was successfully released. It meets the emission standards Ⅵ (E) and VI (B), and is the first in the world to have the conditions for mass production and commercialization.

During the development of high thermal efficiency engines, Weichai Power's "Key Technology and Application Project of Powertrain for Heavy commercial Vehicles" won the first prize for National Science and Technology Progress. The project completely reversed the dilemma of China's lack of heavy-duty powertrain core technology, supported the independent brand of heavy-duty commercial vehicles monopolized 99% of the domestic market share and exported in bulk, forming the global competitive advantage of China's heavy-duty commercial vehicles powertrain. More importantly, the project will save 10.37 million tons of fuel and reduce CO2 emissions by 32.66 million tons annually, making great contributions to China's energy conservation and emission reduction.

The sea to the boundless day shore, the mountain climb for the peak! Science and technology will never stop, and innovation will never end. Under the leadership of Tan Xuguang, Weichai Power aims to become not only the strongest "China core", but also the strongest "world core".

After the successful release of the bulk thermal efficiency exceeding 50.23% diesel engine, Weichai forged ahead in the "no man's land" of science and technology. In January 2022, diesel engine with bulk thermal efficiency of 51.09%, the world's first commercial diesel engine with bulk thermal efficiency of 52.28%, and commercial natural gas engine with bulk thermal efficiency of 54.16% were released respectively in November 2022. Under the scientific and technological achievements of the leading technology, our internal combustion engine research and development system enters the international advanced level.

In addition to the continuous innovation and development of traditional internal combustion engine, Tan Xuguang also vigorously promoted the layout of Weichai's new energy industry, built the three assembly technology platforms of fuel cell, hybrid power and pure electric power, actively participated in the "hydrogen into 10,000" technology demonstration project, and promoted the core technology breakthrough and industrialization of the whole hydrogen energy industry chain.

Science and technology is the primary productive force and the primary competitiveness. From 1977, step by step, Tan Xuguang innovated in the breakthrough, and made important contributions to the research and development of Chinese heavy high-speed diesel engine and the construction of the world's first independent heavy commercial vehicle powertrain research and development and manufacturing base. The "Chinese solution" is provided for solving the international problems of the key technologies of heavy-duty high-speed diesel engine and powertrain and supplementing the core technology shortfalls of the whole series and the whole field power system in China.

On October 30, 2022, Weichai Power Science and Technology Research Institute, with an investment of 11 billion yuan, was officially opened. It fully integrates the platforms of engine Research Institute, large cylinder diameter engine Research Institute, hydraulic transmission Research Institute, New energy Research Institute, electronic control and Software Research Institute, Future Technology Research Institute, Intelligent Agriculture Research Institute, craft craftsman Research Institute, product test and test Center, forming the R&D layout of "eight institutes and one center". The opening of the research Institute marks the independent research and development capability of Weichai into the forefront of the global industry.

"On the new platform of the General Institute of Science and Technology Research, we will create the largest scientific and technological productivity, gather the world's top talent resources, burst out unprecedented innovation power, let all the scientific and technological workers inherent innovation power pentium, the flame of innovation burn more prosperous, let a stronger Weichai always stand in the forefront of global power technology!"

This is Tan Xuguang as a scientist sincere message, as an entrepreneur bold declaration. Editor/He Yuting