Zhixin - Revving up growth in the automotive industry

FOCUSING ON CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY AND LEAN PRODUCTION, ZHIXIN INDUSTRIAL GROUP HAS CHOSEN 35 PRIMA POWER’S LASER CUTTING MACHINES TO BOOST ITS GROWTH AND CUSTOMER EXPANSION IN AUTOMOTIVE HOT STAMPING PARTS PRODUCTION

Located in Yufu Industrial Park, Chongqing Zhixin Industrial Group was established in 1995 and has since emerged as a Tier 1 supplier of stamping and welding components for vehicle manufacturers, as it can develop and provide over 95% of the sheet metal components required for complete vehicle production.
“Being modest and active, doing things steadfastly and effectively”: the core value of Zhixin has led the Group to establish 12 subsidiaries and production bases across the nation. By 2023, Zhixin has totaled 2,500 employees and an annual output value of 2 billion RMB.

It has been an honor to have Mr. Cui Xiao, director of the hot stamping workshop, lead us through a tour to reveal the secrets behind such success.

FINDING THE KEY TO EFFICIENCY

“How do you find the workshop?”, Mr. Cui Xiao eagerly asks when he leads us in. Workers stand in front of the state-of-the-art Prima Power 3D five-axis laser cutting machines, monitoring every intricacy of the machine operations; nearby, others diligently arrange and stack high-precision automotive hot stamped parts. The atmosphere is positively bustling and industrious.

“To ensure the prompt and flawless delivery of products, we rely on exceptional management and manufacturing capabilities,” Mr. Cui Xiao explains. “Given the tremendous order volume pressure, it becomes imperative for the production lines to operate efficiently, producing high-quality products swiftly and consistently”.

In 2016, Zhixin Industrial Group decided to introduce 3D five-axis laser cutting equipment to implement the hot stamping workshop and the production of high-strength steel auto parts.

“In the initial selection stage, we compared Prima Power’s Laser Next 1530 with other 3D five-axis laser cutting machines.” Mr. Cui Xiao continues. “We carefully evaluated several factors, such as operational convenience, programming simplicity, cutting accuracy, edge trimming speed, maintenance convenience, after-sales support, technical level, and delivery lead time. Ultimately, we chose Laser Next 1530 due to its superiority in nearly every aspect”.

35 LASER CUTTING MACHINES AT WORK

Since 2016, Zhixin Group has been expanding its operations and has successfully established several new branches, consistently choosing to introduce Prima Power’s 3D five-axis laser cutting machines, 35 so far, of which:

9 sets of the Laser Next 1530: designed for traditional hot stamping, these machines feature a compact modular design that optimizes floor space, while the unique synthetic granite frame and cantilever design ensure optimal performance and stability – even under the most intensive work shift. The incorporation of linear motors and direct-drive servo technology results in reduced equipment wear and lower maintenance costs.
9 sets of the Laser Next 2130: featuring a large cutting area of 2.1m x 3m, this model is the ideal choice for cutting large integrated parts, such as door rings.
17 sets of Rapido+ domestic models, tailored by Prima Power for the Chinese market. It is designed with a working volume of 1.5m x 3m for small to medium size hot stamped parts.

“The performance of Prima Power machines in cutting speed has exceeded our expectations. For instance, it just takes 69 seconds to cut a 1.7m upper A-pillar reinforcement with full edge trimming and 56 holes: this is approximately 15% faster than similar machines available in the market”. Mr. Cui Xiao also voiced his satisfaction with Prima Power’s after-sales services: “Prima Power’s technicians work with our own to optimize the equipment and processes, continuously improving production efficiency. We always get prompt response and assistance whenever we need it: throughout our 7-year partnership, Prima Power has fully met our expectations as a cooperative partner”.

A REAL BOOST TO CUSTOMER ACQUISITION POTENTIAL

During our visit, Mr. Cui Xiao picked up a cut sheet metal part produced using Prima Power’s 3D five-axis laser cutting machine: “The accuracy achieved in the production process was impressive, with a control tolerance of only 0.03mm. This level of precision ensured that each part met the required specifications and maintained consistency throughout the production run”.

The combination of stability, precision, automation, and efficiency provided by Prima Power’s equipment allowed Zhixin to rapidly develop its customer base, opening up new opportunities for growth and expansion.

“Currently, our main clients include Changan, Ford, Geely, Wuling, Volkswagen, Great Wall, BYD, GAC Motor, Volvo, Audi, and Lincoln. Our new energy clients include Li Xiang, NIO, Zero Run, Nezha, Lynk & Co, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz Smart, Elf, etc. Strong manufacturing capabilities are extremely important, especially during the development of new customers. And these capabilities are made possible by the continuous support from world-class equipment suppliers, like Prima Power” said Mr. Cui Xiao.

Zhixin currently supplies its customers hot stamped parts, mainly A, B, and C pillars of the car body, parts of the floor cross-members, and integrated door rings; the hot forming process mainly includes Patch-Work Blank (TWB), Tailor Rolling Blank (TRB), Soft Zone and Tailor Welded Blank (TWB), etc. “These parts and processes ensure our ability to respond quickly to customers, especially in the new energy field where models evolve rapidly and product life cycles are short, with high production requirements. We can successfully meet these needs because we know Prima Power will always support us” Mr. Cui Xiao concluded.