Association factory exploration: 640 tons of prefabricated fiber optic rods with 21 million core kilometers of optical fiber - the legendary "pursuer" of Changhe Optical Fiber
A prefabricated rod can pull out optical fibers up to tens of thousands of kilometers long! This high-precision and cutting-edge scene reminds people of the proverb "peel off the silk to see the true chapter", and Weihai Changhe Optical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Changhe Optical") has woven a remarkable innovative picture among these fibers. They have tempered the fiber preform rod with a diameter as thick as a bowl mouth into a hair like thin fiber, transmitting the pulse of China's intelligent manufacturing. Recently, a delegation of staff from Shandong Equipment Manufacturing Association visited this enterprise that focuses on fiber preform rod and fiber research and development production, and exchanged relevant projects and technologies.
On the honor wall of the exhibition hall, there are national level specialized and innovative plaques, such as the "Little Giant" enterprise, Shandong Provincial Enterprise Technology Center, and Shandong Provincial Digital Industry Pioneer Enterprise, shining brightly.
According to Zhang Mingli, the project manager of the company, Changhe Optical Fiber was established in 2016 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong'an Group that focuses on the research and development of optical fiber preforms and optical fiber production. Its products include conventional optical fibers such as G.652. D and G.657. A2, as well as G.654. E ultra-low loss optical fibers and other series. Its technical indicators have reached the international advanced level, achieving the replacement of imported high-end optical fibers. The company's independently developed "bend loss insensitive optical fiber for access network" has recently been included in the second batch of Shandong Province's first set of electronic products list. The product is widely used in industries such as data centers, telecommunications networks, industrial automation, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, intercity trunk lines, and submarine cable laying. With the deployment of 5G communication and cloud computing, the market will experience stable growth. Domestic enterprises producing optical fibers have long been constrained by foreign countries in terms of technology, equipment, processes, and other aspects. Since its establishment, Changhe Optical Fiber has been determined to break this situation. From drawing design, equipment customization to repeated debugging and improvement, more than 40 engineers worked day and night, and finally successfully completed the second phase of the 600 ton optical fiber preform project in 2021. Currently, independent research and development and manufacturing of key equipment such as preform core rod preparation, cladding sintering, and degassing have been achieved, filling the gap in the field of high-end optical rod equipment in China. This fully localized production line not only doubled production capacity, but also increased product qualification rate from 80% to over 98%. On the display screen of the company control center, the once all foreign language interface has now been replaced by Chinese, and many processes have achieved intelligent multi-point control. Behind this transformation is the firm determination and unremitting efforts of enterprises to overcome the bottleneck technology, which has improved the core competitiveness of our province and even our country in the field of fiber optic communication.
In the digital workshop, a wire drawing tower over 30 meters high stands in blue light, and prefabricated rods with a diameter of 130 millimeters melt at a high temperature of 2000 ℃. The traction wheel pulls out optical fibers with a diameter of 125 microns at a speed of 3000 meters per minute. We produce nearly 640 tons of prefabricated rods annually, with a fiber optic length of 21 million core kilometers. Currently, our Changhe optical fiber products have a market share of 14%, ranking first in the province and firmly in the top tier domestically, "said Zhang Mingli proudly. The breakthrough of Changhe Optical Fiber in product technology goes far beyond that. The company's independently developed G.654. E ultra-low loss optical fiber is the real killer, with an attenuation of 0.17dB/Km, which is close to the theoretical limit of 0.15dB/Km. It is an ideal transmission medium for the new generation of communication backbone networks, marking China's achievement of independent and controllable preparation equipment and processes in this field. The successful research and development of Changhe Optical Fiber not only breaks the foreign monopoly, but also provides independent and controllable high-end optical fiber products for major projects such as "East Data West Computing" in China
While promoting technological innovation, Changhe Optics attaches great importance to the development of digitization, intelligence, and green technology. The company has built advanced digital workshops and intelligent factories, achieving automated control and data acquisition analysis of the entire fiber optic production process, significantly improving production efficiency and product consistency. With outstanding performance in intelligent manufacturing, Changhe Guangguang has been awarded the title of "Weihai Intelligent Factory" and selected as one of the first batch of digital industry pioneer enterprises in Shandong Province in 2024. By improving processes and optimizing equipment, it has significantly reduced production energy consumption and pollutant emissions. In early 2025, it was awarded the title of "Advanced Collective for Green, Low Carbon, and High Quality Development in Weihai City", setting a benchmark for the transformation of traditional manufacturing industry towards digitization and greening.
From silent cultivation on the path of chasing light, to significant breakthroughs in key technologies; From the deep cultivation and meticulous work in the domestic market to the emergence on the international stage, this is a magnificent poem of independent innovation and pursuing dreams. Changhe Guangguang interprets the responsibility and commitment of China's manufacturing industry in the new era through practical actions. We have reason to believe that this technology enterprise located on the shore of Weihai Bay will continue to sail with innovation and paddle with struggle, riding the waves in the vast ocean of optical communication and heading towards a more brilliant tomorrow!
Wen Guo Guangli
Photo by Sun Junhao and relevant media reports
