Under the financial support of the World Bank in 1989, the state key lab of rolling and automation (abbr. RAL), formerly the laboratory of steel rolling founded in 1950s, is established and became the only state key laboratory in rolling and automation technology in 1995. Entering the 21st century, RAL accelerates the pace of development, enlarges the scale, raises the research quality and proceeds to become the national team in its scientific research field.
RAL has its own characteristics in teaching and scientific research, i.e. teamwork, innovation, practice and striving for excellence. By taking on the national, local and industrial major projects, RAL has cultivated a large number of scientific researchers and high-level professionals. Extensive domestic and international academic exchanges are being carried out every year. RAL people have found their own position among their peers and left an impression of sincere, friendly, practical and competence.
According to the national strategic target in steel industry, RAL has determined its new research directions, which include ①the production of high quality, low-cost metallic materials; ②simulation, prediction and control of microstructure-properties evolution during processing; ③comprehensive automation control of metal forming; ④advanced manufacturing technology and high-performance materials.
RAL has paid much attention to the establishment of a structurally reasonable, highly motivated and high-level scientific research team. Right now, RAL has 92 faculty members, including 20 professors, 30 associate professors, 4 post-doctoral researchers, 1 from The nation's 10000 people plan to lead the talent ,1 from Project of Thousand Youth Talents, 2 gained the National Science Fundation for Excellent Young Scholars ,4 from New Century Excellent Talents in University,8 Key Teachers of LiaoNing Province,11 from Hundred-Thousand-Ten Thousand Talent Project. In addition, there are 146 Ph.D students and 234 Master students. Prof. Wang Guodong, the academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, is the academic leader of RAL. Prof. Wang Zhaodong is now the director of RAL.
RAL has a space of 7000 square meters for offices and experimental facilities, which have facilitated the establishment of three research platforms, i.e. simulation of steel forming, characterization and analysis of microstructure-properties, process control and adjustment. RAL possess 14 sets of rolling research equipment, which have complete experimental and testing equipments for matching, to meet the demand of high level technology research, product development and control system research.
The operating mechanism in RAL is "open, exchange, unite and competition". In order to attract the talented researchers, RAL has established the open project program, visiting scholar plan and joint research group with domestic or international companies and research institutes. Each year, a number of internationally well-known scientists are invited to RAL to give lectures. At the same time, young researchers are sent abroad to do collaborative researches and attend international conferences. Especially, RAL has close relations to the steel industry in China. Professors are often invited to steel companies to give scientific and technological lectures, and collaborating with engineers to solve practical problems. Theories have linked well to the practice in industry, and finally became productive forces.
Recent years, RAL has taken on a number of national projects, such as 863, 973, national natural science fund and national key technologies R&D projects et al. Meanwhile, RAL received 10 national awards for science and technology progress, 1 for technological invention and 90 provincial/ministry level awards for science and technology progress. More than 4200 papers and 71 books have been published. More than 345 patents for invention, 50 patents for utility model are under application.
In October of 2014, the lab-based generic technology of steel, along with the green steel technology and equipment platform in the Innovation Center, was designed to achieve the collaborative innovation of the industry-university-research institution interactive mechanism with the work of theoretical studies, technological innovation, development of equipment, evaluation of the product’s performance, technical service, etc.. The lab endeavors to push forward breakthroughs in the key generic technology in our country’s steel industry and attain transformation development and green manufacturing in our steel industry.
RAL now gains more and more attention from its peers, and became a quite active and influential team, making great contributions to the development of rolling technology and steel industry in China. Domestic as well as international researchers are welcome to visit RAL!
Contact:
Address: Southeast of Metallurgy Building in Northeastern University
Website: http://www.ral.neu.edu.cn/en/
Name: Ying Zhang
Tel: 024-83687220
Fax：024-23906472 E-mail: cral@mail.neu.edu.cn
Post Address: 105# Post box, Northeastern University, Shenyang City
Post code: 110004
