Manufacturing is the backbone of our national economy. Since the reform and opening up, my country’s equipment manufacturing industry has grown rapidly at an average annual rate of 17%. At present, the added value of my country’s equipment manufacturing industry is second only to the United States, Japan, and Germany, ranking fourth in the world. It has become a major manufacturing country, but it should be seen clearly. As far as my country is not a strong country in manufacturing, it is in a low-end position in the international manufacturing industry and has a huge gap with the international advanced level. One of the outstanding problems is that the products of my country’s manufacturing industry lack competitiveness due to low quality, short life span, and poor reliability. They can only manufacture low-grade, low-value-added products, and can only rely on the expansion of production capacity to achieve growth. The situation of relying on imports for the defense industry and many important industrial sectors of important technological equipment and core parts and components has not changed for a long time, seriously threatening my country’s national defense security and economic security.
The backwardness of my country’s heat treatment (including surface modification, the same below) technology is one of the main reasons for this situation. It has become a bottleneck restricting the development of my country’s manufacturing industry and should be taken seriously. This article intends to put forward some superficial views on the characteristics and functions of heat treatment and surface modification technology, the gap between my country and the developed countries in this field, and the way out for development. It is hoped that it will arouse discussion and get readers’ criticism and correction.