A complete set of equipment standard system is pushing the domestic substitution of carbon fiber, a strategic new material, into a new phase.
From Precursor to Carbonization: Completing the Standard Puzzle
In February 2027, a national standard titled "Terminology, Classification, and Model Numbering Method for Complete Sets of Polyacrylonitrile Fiber Production Equipment" will take effect. This is China's first national standard in the field of carbon fiber precursor equipment, jointly led by Jinggong Technology and Huachuang Technology.
PAN precursor is the precursor of carbon fiber, and its quality directly determines the strength and stability of the final product. The production process involves polymerization, spinning, stretching, drying, and solvent recovery, which for a long time lacked unified equipment terminology and classification rules. Different manufacturers used different naming conventions and parameter definitions, leading to inefficiencies in production line design, equipment procurement, and cross-factory collaboration.
This standard means that the entire equipment chain from precursor to carbonization now has a unified technical language. Previously, the national standard for carbonization equipment led by Jinggong Technology was implemented in June 2025. The combination of the two standards completes the standard map for carbon fiber equipment.
What Standardization Means: Efficiency Gains in Procurement, Production, and Collaboration
For upstream equipment manufacturers, unified terminology and classification reduce customization communication costs. In the past, the same type of equipment might have different names across companies, making technical parameter comparison a "translation task." After the standard takes effect, equipment selection and production line design can be based on the same reference system, and buyers no longer need to spend significant effort distinguishing product definitions.
For midstream precursor producers, the direct benefit is improved yield and cost control. The precision and intelligence level of precursor equipment directly affect mass production yield. Unified technical specifications help equipment suppliers focus on performance improvement rather than conceptual differences, driving higher precision and automation. Industry data shows that the current domestic precursor yield is still 5-10 percentage points behind international leaders like Toray, and equipment standardization is a foundational step to close this gap.
From a supply chain collaboration perspective, the standard system creates conditions for data exchange between upstream and downstream. Carbon fiber production involves chemical, textile, and mechanical fields, and unified equipment parameters provide underlying support for MES system integration, quality traceability, and process optimization.
Accelerator for Domestic Substitution: From Equipment Standards to Full-Chain Security
Carbon fiber is a strategically important new material in China, with growing demand in aerospace, wind turbine blades, hydrogen storage tanks, and sports equipment. China Customs data shows that in 2025, carbon fiber imports still accounted for over 40% of total consumption, with even higher dependence on high-end products.
Equipment standard improvement is a key prerequisite for domestic substitution. Jinggong Technology stated that it will continue to promote the implementation of the two national standards, push forward group standards, and tackle core bottlenecks in large-tow, high-performance PAN precursor and carbonization equipment. This means the standard system is not just a technical document but also a roadmap for industrial upgrading.
Notably, the standard was led by enterprises rather than purely driven by the government, reflecting the growing technical and standard-setting influence of industry leaders. Jinggong Technology and Huachuang Technology have built a complete product line and technical barriers from carbonization to precursor through sustained investment.
Transmission Effects on Downstream Application Markets
Cost reduction and yield improvement brought by standardization will directly benefit carbon fiber end users. For example, in wind turbine blades, carbon fiber pultruded plates require high consistency and stability of precursor, and standardized equipment systems help achieve cost reduction at scale. Industry estimates suggest that if equipment standardization improves precursor yield by 5 percentage points, it can reduce the comprehensive cost of carbon fiber by about 8%-10%.
In aerospace, where reliability requirements are even stricter, unified equipment standards provide a clearer technical basis for domestic carbon fiber to enter airworthiness certification systems. With the mass production of domestic aircraft like the C919, the localization demand of the carbon fiber supply chain will further strengthen the practical value of the standard system.