China produces the world's most powerful hydraulic cylinder

As tall as a 10-story building, China's new hydraulic cylinder will be used to build foundations for offshore engineering projects.

China has produced a giant cylinder for large pile-driving ships involved in offshore infrastructure projects, with a maximum thrust of 5,000 tons, enough to lift 1,000 adult African elephants at the same time. The cylinder, independently developed by China for the first time, is the world's largest and most powerful, and rolled off the production line in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, on October 22, according to Interesting Engineering .

Hydraulic cylinders leave the production line on October 22. (Photo: CCTV).

The development of a cylinder model used to build foundations for offshore engineering projects means that China has mastered the core technology for manufacturing super-large and super-long cylinders. China, the world's second-largest economy, is pursuing a strategy to strengthen its maritime power, focusing on manufacturing high-end equipment and promoting technological development. Large pile-driving ships play an essential role in building infrastructure for crossing rivers or oceans and installing deep-sea wind power facilities.

Measuring 28 metres long and nearly 2 metres in diameter, the hydraulic cylinder is as tall as a 10-storey building. Developed by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the device is designed to power a 150-metre pile-driving vessel currently under construction.

In the past, Chinese companies lagged behind many of the world's leading companies in the design and manufacture of large hydraulic cylinders, relying entirely on imports of key components such as seals and anti-erosion materials.

The pile driver equipped with the new cylinder will be used later this year during the construction of the Hangzhou Bay Cross-Sea Railway Bridge, which will be the world's longest high-speed cross-sea railway bridge when completed. Future applications for the technology include large offshore drilling platforms and wind power facilities. It is the result of collaboration between several companies in the fields of new materials and smart manufacturing.

In July, a maritime engineering alliance was established in Beijing. Its main focuses are the construction and operation of maritime transport infrastructure, wind and solar power facilities, coastal protection and regeneration, island reef construction and ecosystem protection, and deep-sea pipeline installation.