In recent years, with the establishment of the nation’s modernized energy system, the smart gas meter industry has witnessed a significant surge in market demand, while ultrasonic gas meter technology continues to advance steadily—presenting clear and promising growth opportunities. To capitalize on these trends, at the start of this year, Shuifa Hangyuxing has prioritized strengthening product quality and optimizing its quality control management system as key initiatives for 2022.
1. Quality Diagnosis: Empowering the Enhancement of Gas Meter Quality Management
This improvement of the quality control system was led by the Quality Management Department, with collaborative efforts from the Production Operations Department and the Product Inspection Department. Drawing on previous domestic and international gas customer audit standards and specific requirements, as well as Aerospace Star's extensive experience accumulated over many years in performance evaluation and testing within the gas meter industry, an internal audit and diagnostic process was conducted focusing on on-site management of gas meters. The diagnostic covered six key areas—procurement traceability, production manufacturing, product R&D, finished-product management, quality testing, and non-conformance control—breaking down each into more than 80 detailed inspection points. Based on the diagnostic findings, a comprehensive corrective action plan has been developed, outlining specific improvement measures, assigning clear responsibilities, and setting definitive completion timelines. Currently, all improvement initiatives are progressing smoothly and systematically.
2. Focus on issues and dedicate efforts to targeted quality improvements
Meanwhile, based on concentrated feedback from market customers, the Quality Control Department has developed specialized, differentiated supervision and control plans tailored to key clients and specific market segments. In the first quarter, they rolled out initiatives such as the "Control Plan for Electronic Components in Smart Gas Meter Control Circuit Boards," the "Special Project to Reduce Power Consumption in IoT Membrane-Type Gas Meters (NB-IoT)," and the "Special Project to Enhance Process Reliability of Ultrasonic Gas Meters," resulting in more than 50 actionable improvement measures. Core team members were assigned to closely monitor and guide the implementation of these measures. As of February, 35 of these initiatives have already been successfully completed.
Thanks to the comprehensive rollout of these corrective actions, the defect rate for electronic components in smart gas meter control circuit boards has dropped to 0.1%, representing a 0.7-percentage-point year-over-year improvement. Additionally, the power consumption issue in IoT membrane-type gas meters has been completely resolved, while the production process reliability of ultrasonic gas meters has seen significant enhancements, leading to a notable boost in overall manufacturing efficiency.
3. Strictly control quality at the source, extending quality management to suppliers.
In terms of raw material procurement traceability, the Quality Control Department has optimized and upgraded Hangyu Xing's existing quality management standards and production testing processes. At the same time, they have developed detailed quality control guidelines, including supplier quality assurance agreements and supplier-specific quality management checklists. By thoroughly reviewing and analyzing the top 10 suppliers ranked by component failure rates in 2021, as well as past quality issues linked to these suppliers, the department formulated the "Gas Meter Supplier Quality Assurance Improvement Plan." Moving forward, they will organize monthly on-site visits to 3 to 5 key suppliers, fostering in-depth discussions and collaborations aimed at fundamentally enhancing the overall quality and reliability of supplied components.
4. Integrate production with research, focusing deeply on R&D processes to continuously improve product quality.
During the quality control management review meeting, the Quality Control Management Department collaborated closely with key product leaders from Hangyu Xing Technology R&D. Together, they carefully analyzed and studied best practices in instrument testing and quality inspection—drawing insights from leading gas companies as well as competitive firms in the industry. Based on these valuable lessons, they developed and finalized an implementation plan aimed at enhancing Hangyu Xing gas meter design and manufacturing processes, laying a solid foundation for future product iterations and upgrades while gathering essential data and evidence to support ongoing improvements.
5. Strengthen awareness and rigorously focus on foundational production management.
Meanwhile, under the comprehensive quality control management plan, the Manufacturing Department is intensively focusing on improving on-site production management. Daily, quality control personnel and managers from each manufacturing workshop take turns scheduling shifts to conduct pre-production briefings for all employees—highlighting key quality issues and reinforcing quality standards. This initiative not only strengthens everyone's awareness of production quality control but also accelerates internal collaboration across production and quality inspection teams, enabling faster resolution of quality challenges. As a result, it lays a solid foundation for further enhancing product quality control.
Quality control is a critical firewall for gas meter manufacturing companies—a long-term endeavor that has been a core strategic pillar of Hangyu Xing's business since its inception. The company remains steadfast in its commitment to "quality control management," diligently upholding its quality mission: "Winning through quality, crafting exceptional products, building our reputation on precision, and delivering unmatched value to our customers." Through continuous improvement and proactive responsibility, Hangyu Xing strives to provide customers with the most thoughtful, high-quality products—driving the company’s sustainable growth and success.
