As my country's technology advances, the quality and technical capabilities of pipe-processing machinery—such as hydraulic and fully automatic pipe-bending machines—have matured and stabilized. The pipe-processing and automation industries are increasingly converging; in this era of automation and CNC (Computer Numerical Control) technology, failing to keep pace means risking obsolescence. With hydraulic pipe-bending machines having reached a peak of stability and maturity, the industry is now looking toward the future of automated pipe processing. The next generation of pipe-bending machines will be defined by CNC software, and NC (Numerical Control) systems will gradually be phased out as technology progresses.

The intelligent manufacturing equipment industry encompasses a wide range of products, including intelligent measurement and control instruments, CNC machine tools, industrial robots, advanced sensors, 3D printing technology, and complete automated production lines. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has prioritized the advancement of four categories of products, including intelligent instruments and intelligent equipment. Specifically, intelligent specialized equipment—such as large-scale intelligent construction machinery, high-efficiency agricultural machinery, intelligent printing and textile machinery, and specialized equipment for environmental protection, coal mining, and metallurgy—is being developed to enable the automation and intelligentization of various manufacturing processes.

Driven by the rapid development of information technology and advanced manufacturing techniques, the adoption of automated and intelligent manufacturing equipment is steadily progressing. In 2010, the sales revenue of the intelligent manufacturing equipment sector—covering areas such as industrial automation control systems, instruments, pipe-bending machines (including CNC models), metal circular saws, tube-end forming machines, and CNC machine tools—exceeded 300 billion RMB. However, challenges remain: technical innovation capabilities are weak, and core technologies—such as advanced sensing and control systems—have yet to be fully mastered. Furthermore, the automation industry remains small-scale with a weak foundation; high-end and specialized sensors, intelligent instruments, automatic control systems, high-end CNC systems, and robots each hold less than a 5% market share.

As my country continues to increase policy support for the intelligent equipment manufacturing industry, the market is poised for significant growth, potentially reaching a scale of one trillion RMB in the future. The intelligent equipment manufacturing industry is expected to grow at an average annual rate of over 20% in the coming years; we project the industry's scale to reach 1 trillion yuan by 2015 and exceed 3 trillion yuan by 2020, with the market share of domestically produced equipment surpassing 60%.