A key equipment localization breakthrough is rewriting the cost and security ledger of China's carbon fiber industry. In August 2026, a 5,000-tonne DMSO dry-jet wet-spinning PAN precursor equipment and process, developed over two years by Jinggong Technology with Zhejiang Huachuang Carbon Fiber Technology, Donghua University, and Zhejiang University of Technology, passed expert appraisal in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. The overall technology was recognized as internationally advanced, with DMSO recovery steam consumption and polymerization kettle temperature uniformity reaching globally leading levels. This marks a substantive breakthrough in the precursor preparation segment that has long constrained China's high-end carbon fiber self-sufficiency.
Background
PAN-based precursor is the core of carbon fiber performance, and its equipment and process have long been monopolized by a few foreign companies, directly throttling China's high-end carbon fiber autonomy and industrial security. While domestic firms had made progress in carbonization, unstable precursor quality, low single-line capacity, and high solvent recovery energy consumption kept high-end carbon fiber costs prohibitive, limiting downstream applications in aerospace, wind turbine blades, and pressure vessels. The appraised equipment set directly addresses these pain points through concentrated R&D.
Key technical metrics include: temperature uniformity of ±0.4°C in a 60m³ polymerization kettle, solving heat transfer lag in high-viscosity systems; spinning speed of 280m/min with annual precursor capacity of 5,000 tonnes; spinneret pressure fluctuation controlled at 1‰; DMSO recovery rate ≥99.5%, steam consumption ≤2.2t/t, and purity of 99.88%. These figures translate into dual optimization of production efficiency and cost structure, offering buyers more stable supply sources and competitive pricing expectations.
Industry Impact
The localization of precursor equipment most directly reduces the production cost of high-end carbon fiber. DMSO recovery energy consumption and efficiency have historically accounted for a significant share of precursor manufacturing costs. With steam consumption below 2.2t/t and recovery above 99.5%, solvent and energy costs per tonne will drop notably, pulling down overall carbon fiber prices. For downstream firms relying on imported precursor or high-end fiber, this is a positive cost signal.
More profoundly, it enhances industrial security. Previously, import restrictions and delivery cycles for high-end precursor equipment often left domestic projects in a passive waiting position. Now, with 5,000-tonne equipment designed and manufactured domestically, supported by an MOM intelligent management system enabling visual production, traceable quality, manageable equipment, and controllable energy consumption, domestic carbon fiber firms gain a replicable technical foundation for expansion, strengthening supply chain resilience against international disruptions.
From a regional perspective, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, already an important base for chemical fiber and equipment manufacturing, will further consolidate its advantages in new material equipment. The industry-academia-research collaboration model—led by Jinggong Technology, with provincial manufacturing innovation center operator participation and university fundamental research support—provides a replicable path for localization of other high-end material equipment.