Abstract : This paper introduces the current development status of China's plastic machinery in recent years, analyzes the current domestic and international market situation, and predicts the development goals of China's plastic machinery in the next 5 to 10 years. Keywords : open mill; internal mixer; injection molding machine; extruder; development status and prospects The plastic processing machinery industry is an important part of the plastic industry. It provides equipment for the plastic products industry and serves as a "link" connecting new polymer materials and their products in various fields, playing a bridging role. 1. Industry Overview With the overall stable and healthy development of China's economy, China's plastic machinery industry has achieved leapfrog development after the "15th Five-Year Plan". The industry scale has expanded, and the main economic indicators have increased year by year for eight consecutive years. Its development speed and the main economic indicators created rank among the top in the 194 industries under the machinery industry. The plastic machinery industry has continued to grow and expand. The annual manufacturing capacity of plastic machinery is about 200,000 units (sets), with complete categories, ranking first in the world [1]. At present, there are nearly 400 plastic machinery manufacturing enterprises in China, about 200 large and medium-sized enterprises, and 15 large-scale backbone enterprises [2]. Emerging plastics machinery enterprises possess technological, institutional, and management innovations, and have mastered some new technologies, attracting attention from domestic and international counterparts. Chinese plastics machinery enterprises are mainly distributed along the southeast coast and the Pearl River Delta, with Ningbo showing the strongest development momentum. It has now become China's largest injection molding machine production base, accounting for more than half of the country's total annual injection molding output and one-third of the world's injection molding machine production. The plastic mold industry has also seen unprecedented and encouraging changes in technological innovation and upgrading. Most enterprises in Shantou, Guangdong Province, have fully imported the latest computer-automated mold processing technologies from Germany, France, Italy, and Taiwan, greatly improving mold performance and quality. Although China's plastics machinery industry has developed rapidly and produces a wide variety of products, basically supplying the general technical equipment needed for processing domestic plastic raw materials and plastic products, and some products have even entered the world's leading ranks, there is still a certain gap compared with industrialized countries such as Germany, Japan, and Italy. This is mainly reflected in the limited variety of products, high energy consumption, low control levels, and unstable performance. China's plastic machinery products are mainly concentrated in general-purpose small and medium-sized equipment with low technical content. In the 1980s and 1990s, the supply of low-end products exceeded demand, the machinery manufacturing capacity was excessive, and the enterprise efficiency declined. Some varieties, especially ultra-precision large-scale high-end products, are still blank and still need to be imported. At present, in terms of the number of units and output, imported equipment accounts for about 75% of China's plastic machinery in the domestic market, while domestic equipment accounts for only 25%, and it is still showing a downward trend [1]. Since the beginning of the 21st century, China's plastic machinery exports have gradually increased, and it has now been exported to 46 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, Germany, Russia, Southeast Asia and Africa. China's plastic machinery competitiveness in the low-end product field has continued to grow, and its share in the world market of 18.6 billion euros has increased from 6.4% in 2001 to 10.2% in 2004. According to statistics from the Information Center of the General Administration of Customs, the price of China's exported plastic machinery equipment is relatively low, only about one-third of the price of imported similar products. In 2003, China earned an average of US$16,000 in foreign exchange for each set of plastic machinery equipment exported, while paying an average of US$153,000 in foreign exchange for each set of plastic machinery equipment imported [2]. Table 1 shows the main economic indicators of China's plastic machinery industry from 2000 to 2004. Overall, at the beginning of the 21st century, the total output value, sales and profits of China's plastic machinery industry increased year by year. The foreign exchange expenditure for imported plastic machinery and equipment exceeded the foreign exchange earnings from exports, resulting in a large trade deficit. [align=center] Table 1 Main Economic Indicators of China's Plastic Machinery Industry from 2000 to 2004[/align] After China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), foreign machinery manufacturing accelerated its transfer to China. Some well-known plastic machinery companies in the world, such as Demarkrup and Badenfeld of Germany, and Sumitomo Heavy Industries of Japan, successively "entered" China, and some even established technology centers. The entry of foreign plastic machinery manufacturers brought vitality to the development of China's plastic machinery industry, while also bringing opportunities and challenges to Chinese plastic machinery manufacturing enterprises. 2. Current Status and Level of Plastic Machinery Development 2.1 Open Mill The open mill, also known as a two-roll plastic mill or open-type plastic mill, is the most basic type of equipment in plastic machinery. It is mainly used for mixing plastics or rubber, feeding calenders, and for sheeting in conjunction with internal mixers. Currently, the production of open mills in major industrialized countries worldwide has long been standardized, with largely similar specifications, dimensions, and shapes. Since the 1990s, China's improvements to open mills have primarily focused on increasing mechanization, enhancing safety measures, improving working conditions, and reducing floor space. Currently, some major domestic manufacturers have made numerous structural improvements to open mills, such as placing the reduction system within the left and right supports, installed below the receiving tray. A material-turning device has been installed on the frame, and hydraulic roller spacing adjustment and hydraulic safety devices have been adopted to minimize the equipment's weight and floor space, striving to extend its service life. Currently, domestic open mills have also formed a complete series, with a full range of specifications to fully meet various user requirements. For example, Dalian Rubber & Plastics Machinery Co., Ltd. pioneered the series-based modification and development of open mills. The rollers and bearings of these open mills all use double-row self-aligning roller bearings, and all transmission gears are concentrated in a closed housing, resulting in a compact structure, high transmission efficiency, and good lubrication. The roller pitch can be adjusted either individually or simultaneously, making operation convenient and easy. To reduce machine vibration, the machine body and reducer are installed separately, using nylon rod pin universal couplings. Now, the turning and unloading devices (original asynchronous motors) of the open mill have been replaced with Japanese Fuji AC frequency conversion speed control, which greatly reduces energy consumption and improves work efficiency and the internal quality of products. This machine has reached the international advanced level and has won the favor of domestic and foreign users [3]. 2.2 Internal mixer The internal mixer is also known as a closed mixing (rubber) plastic machine, mainly used for mixing plastics (rubber) and other materials. For the above uses, the internal mixer can completely replace the open mill, and the production efficiency and automation level are greatly improved, and the working conditions are improved. Currently, the production of internal mixers in major industrial countries around the world has formed series, basically of four types: (1) F-series internal mixers represented by the Benbury type produced by Farrell-Birmingham Company in the United States; (2) GK-series internal mixers represented by the products of Werner-Pflettler Company in Germany; (3) K-series internal mixers represented by the products of Francis Shaw Company in the United Kingdom; (4) MS-series pressure internal mixers represented by the products of Moriyama Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in Japan. Since the 1990s, these four types of internal mixers have been developing towards speed, high pressure, large capacity and automation of feeding and operation procedures, and are controlled by microcomputers. In general, the first three series of internal mixers are basically similar in structure, and their main differences lie in the rotor configuration and the structure of the mixing chamber. The main structure of the fourth type, the MS series, has changed significantly compared with the first three series. In terms of time sequence, the latter of the above-mentioned internal mixers have both borrowed and inherited from the former, as well as improved and innovated upon it. In the competition of the international market, they have both absorbed each other and improved and developed themselves, each with its own characteristics[4]. Internationally, most small and medium-sized plastic factories use pressure kneading machines. It has no bottom bolt, adopts the internal mixing chamber to turn and discharge, occupies a small area, can be installed on the ground, and saves engineering costs. Pressure kneading machines have formed a complete series in Japan. The smallest internal mixing chamber has a total volume of 1L and a kneading total volume of 3L, and the largest internal mixing chamber has a total volume of 500L and a kneading total volume of 1150L, ​​with a total of 27 specifications. 2.3 Injection Molding Machines Injection molding machines are one of the main types of plastic machinery, accounting for 38% of the total output value of plastic machinery. One-third of plastic products are produced by injection molding machines. At present, there are many manufacturers of injection molding machines in China. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 60 major manufacturers. The structural forms of injection molding machines are vertical and horizontal. According to the products produced, they can be divided into ordinary type and precision type injection molding machines. The injection volume is 45-51000g, the clamping force is 200-36000kN, and the raw materials are thermosetting plastics, thermoplastic plastics and rubber. Thermoplastic plastics include polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, polyurethane, polycarbonate, plexiglass, polysulfone and (acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene) copolymer (ABS), etc. From the processed products, there are single-color and two-color general and precision plastic products. The main manufacturers of the above products have their own series, each with its own characteristics. For example, the Jieba CJ series injection molding machines produced by Guangdong Zhende Plastic Machinery Factory Co., Ltd. have both CNC and computer control forms for each specification. Another example is the HTF80X-HTF3600X series injection molding machines produced by Ningbo Haitian Machinery Co., Ltd. in Zhejiang Province, which can be used to produce various high-precision thermoplastic plastic products. The machine uses a linear motion sensor to control injection, mold closing and ejection, and adopts a multi-CPU electronic control system, large-format color LED display and full computer automatic control [3]. Horizontal injection molding machines remain the dominant development direction in injection molding machine development, with little change in their basic structure. Besides continuing to improve control and automation levels and reduce energy consumption, manufacturers are adapting to market changes by developing modular series. For example, the same model of injection molding machine can be configured with large, medium, and small injection units to form standard and modular types, increasing flexibility, expanding the scope of application, and improving economic efficiency. In recent years, injection molding machine manufacturers in industrialized countries worldwide have been continuously improving the functionality, quality, auxiliary equipment capabilities, and automation levels of ordinary injection molding machines. Simultaneously, they are vigorously developing large-scale injection molding machines, special-purpose injection molding machines, reaction injection molding machines, and precision injection molding machines to meet the demands of producing plastic alloys, magnetic plastics, products with inserts, and digital optical discs. In 2003, Guangdong Hongli Machinery Co., Ltd. developed the D50 digital optical disc precision injection molding machine, realizing a leap from ordinary to precision injection molding machines in my country. Injection molding machines are currently one of the fastest-growing plastic machinery types in China, with a level of development that is relatively close to that of industrialized countries. However, this mainly refers to ordinary injection molding machines. In many varieties of extra-large, special, dedicated, and precision injection molding machines, some products are still lacking, which is a major gap compared to industrialized countries. 2.4 Extruders and Auxiliary Equipment (Production Lines) Extruders are also one of the main types of plastic machinery, accounting for 31% of the total output value of plastic machinery, and plastic products processed by extruders account for about one-third of the total. Single-screw extruders occupy an important position as both plasticizing and granulating machinery and molding processing machinery. In recent years, single-screw extruders have seen significant development. Currently, large-scale granulation single-screw extruders produced in Germany have a screw diameter of up to 700mm and an output of 36t/h. The main indicator of the development of single-screw extruders lies in the development of its key component—the screw. In recent years, people have conducted extensive theoretical and practical research on screws, and there are now nearly a hundred types of screws, commonly including separating, shearing, barrier, diverting, and corrugated types. Twin-screw extruders have good feeding characteristics, are suitable for powder processing, and have better mixing, venting, reaction, and self-cleaning functions than single-screw extruders. They are especially superior when processing plastics and blends with poor thermal stability. In recent years, twin-screw extruders have developed significantly abroad. Various types of twin-screw extruders have been serialized and commercialized, and there are many manufacturers producing them. They can be roughly classified as follows: (1) According to the relative position of the two screw axes, they are divided into parallel and conical types; (2) According to the degree of meshing of the two screws, they are divided into meshing and non-meshing types; (3) According to the rotation direction of the two screws, they are divided into co-rotating and anti-rotating types, and anti-rotating types are further divided into inward and outward types; (4) According to the screw speed, they are divided into high-speed and low-speed types; (5) According to the structure of the screw and barrel, they are divided into integral and combined types. Based on twin-screw extruders, in order to more easily process blends with poor thermal stability, some manufacturers have developed multi-screw extruders such as planetary extruders. China's twin-screw extruder product series is incomplete, with limited specifications. Many Chinese plastic product companies still use imported twin-screw extruders. In recent years, China's plastic machinery industry has seen significant development in complete sets of equipment. For example, Dalian Rubber & Plastics Machinery Co., Ltd., by introducing Japanese technology, has developed the DKTE series twin-screw plastic compounding extrusion granulation unit, which has achieved a high level of sophistication in its main unit, feeding and metering, die head, granulation and recycling systems, as well as heating, cooling, electrical control, and temperature control systems. The specifications of various pipe production lines, including thin-walled pipes, thick-walled pipes, spiral wound pipes, corrugated pipes (single and double walls), and composite pipes, are becoming increasingly complete, and product quality is continuously improving. To meet the needs of multi-layer composite films, composite co-extrusion technology and its forming units (blown film units) have also developed rapidly. For example, Qingdao Deyili Group recently developed a hollow-wall spiral wound pipe production line that can produce straight pipes up to 3000mm in diameter. Another example is Guangdong Jinming Plastics Equipment Co., Ltd., which absorbed and introduced key technologies from Reifenhausen GmbH of Germany to manufacture a large-scale multi-layer co-extrusion composite film unit, capable of producing blown films with a single width of up to 20m. This unit can blow-dry greenhouse films, agricultural films, and geomembranes, making it a dual-purpose machine suitable for various raw materials such as linear low-density polyethylene, metallocene linear low-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, and (ethylene/vinyl acetate) copolymers. In addition to internal cooling and ultrasonic monitoring technologies, the unit also incorporates mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic technologies, and several technologies have been patented. 2.5 Blow Molding Machines In recent years, China's blow molding machine industry has developed rapidly, forming its own series. To meet the needs of containing different solutions, single-layer and multi-layer containers with volumes ranging from 1 to 5000L can be produced. Currently, the main newly developed models include: CNC multi-axis blow molding machines, high-efficiency double-mold injection stretch blow molding machines, and direct temperature-controlled injection stretch blow molding machines. The development trend of these machines can be summarized as "three-fold automation and one-low noise": automation, high speed, multi-layer operation, and low noise. The BM series blow molding machines, designed and manufactured by Guangdong Jinming Plastics Co., Ltd., adopt the 100-point preform wall thickness control system from Barer Colman, USA, which can meet the wall thickness control requirements of various products. The electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and control components in the machine use brand-name products from well-known American and German companies, ensuring the quality and reliability of the equipment. The mold clamping device is an internationally advanced rodless device with large and evenly distributed clamping force, equipped with a safety shutter to ensure operational safety, rapid and stable mold movement, low energy consumption, and convenient mold loading and unloading. This technology has obtained a national patent, and the product has entered the ranks of international advanced levels. Although China's plastics machinery industry has developed rapidly and its level has greatly improved, there is still a significant gap compared with international advanced levels. Currently , market competition is fierce. 3. Market Outlook 3.1 Domestic Market During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, plastics machinery reached its "golden age" with the development of petrochemical products and the increase in plastic products. For the next 5-10 years, plastics machinery will remain a sunrise industry. Some people in China predict that the materials field in the 21st century will be dominated by plastics, and China will be the largest market for the plastics industry (including plastics machinery industry) in the 21st century. At present, the annual output value of China's plastics machinery industry is about RMB10 billion, while the domestic market demand is about RMB20 billion, and there is still a lot of room for growth. In addition, it is now generally recognized that the per capita consumption of plastics in a country or region and the position of the plastics industry in the national economy are important indicators of industrial development and progress. China has abundant plastic resources. At the beginning of the 21st century, the annual output of major synthetic resins reached 42 million tons, making it a veritable plastics powerhouse, ranking fourth in the world[5]. It is predicted that during the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, the output of synthetic resins in China will continue to grow at a rate of 5% to 10%, and China is also a major consumer of plastics. According to statistics, its annual consumption ranks second in the world, second only to the United States, while China's per capita consumption is only 19 kg, ranking 32nd in the world, which is 11% to 20% of that of industrialized countries. It can be seen that China's plastics industry still has a long way to go, and the prospects for plastics machinery are broad. It develops in accordance with the needs of plastic products. 3.1.1 Agricultural Plastic Products The demand for agricultural plastic products such as greenhouse films, mulch films, forage films, livestock films, irrigation plastic pipes, and water-saving equipment in modern agriculture will increase significantly during the 11th Five-Year Plan period. According to the agricultural sector, by 2010, the national horticultural facility area will increase to approximately 38 million mu, and the annual demand for weather-resistant films will increase to approximately 300,000 tons, accounting for about 40% of the annual sales of greenhouse films; the area covered by mulch films will expand to 310 million mu, and the annual consumption of mulch films will increase to approximately 780,000 tons; the area of ​​special warm sheds for livestock and aquaculture will expand to approximately 1.5 million mu, and the annual demand for ammoniation, silage, and stretch films will reach approximately 300,000 tons; in addition to agricultural thin films, the demand for packaging films and plastic containers for storing and preserving agricultural products will quadruple compared to the 10th Five-Year Plan period. During the 11th Five-Year Plan period, the national plan was to develop 150 million mu of water-saving irrigation area for agriculture, of which 130 million mu were for water-saving technology upgrades of existing irrigation areas, and 20 million mu were for newly added water-saving irrigation area. Developing 150 million mu of water-saving irrigation area for agriculture requires an investment of 100 billion yuan, with investment in water-saving irrigation products, materials, and formulations accounting for approximately 50% to 70% of the total investment. 3.1.2 Building Plastic Products The construction industry is one of China's pillar industries, and the demand for plastic products will continue to rise. In the next 5 to 15 years, plastic building materials will become a new consumption hotspot and economic growth point. With the gradual serialization, matching, and standardization of plastic building products, and the increasing requirements for environmental protection and energy conservation and the promotion of their application, the demand for various plastic pipes, doors and windows, polymer waterproof materials, decorative and finishing materials, insulation materials, and other building plastic products will increase significantly. According to the Ministry of Construction's 11th Five-Year Plan, within five years, building energy conservation should reach 101 million tons of standard coal equivalent, with a total energy-saving building area of ​​2.16 billion square meters, including 1.6 billion square meters of new buildings and 560 million square meters of renovated existing buildings. China has 40 billion square meters of existing buildings, about one-third of which currently require energy-saving renovations. Based on a renovation standard of 200 yuan per square meter, the future market capacity for these building energy-saving materials and technologies could reach 2.6 trillion yuan. For plastic pipes that save energy, materials, water, and land, by 2010, 80% of building water supply and drainage pipes and 70% of building rainwater drainage pipes will use plastic pipes. During the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, the average annual consumption of plastic pipes will reach 2 million tons. New plastic materials with lower overall costs, superior performance, and slightly higher initial investment, such as foamed materials like PU, EPS, XPS, PP, and PVC, have huge application potential and a very broad range of applications. 3.1.3 Packaging Plastic Products Packaging plastics mainly include flexible plastic packaging, woven bags, hollow containers, and turnover boxes, which is one of the largest application areas for plastic products. In 2005, plastic packaging exceeded 7 million tons, accounting for about one-third of the total production of packaging materials, ranking first among various packaging materials. The packaging of various mineral products, chemical products, synthetic resins, raw salt, grains, sugar, cotton, and wool has largely replaced paper bags and jute bags with plastic woven bags and heavy-duty bags. Plastic packaging as the primary packaging material is an inevitable trend. Furthermore, the rapid development of beverages, detergents, cosmetics, and chemical products in China has created a significant demand for essential plastic packaging materials such as composite films, packaging films, containers, and turnover boxes. The demand for food and pharmaceutical packaging is particularly strong. China is a country with 1.3 billion people, and food and pharmaceuticals are essential commodities for the national economy and people's livelihood, resulting in a correspondingly strong demand for packaging. China's pharmaceutical packaging growth rate ranks first among the world's eight major pharmaceutical producing countries. In terms of variety, the demand for plastic blister packaging and plastic bottle packaging has increased significantly. 3.1.4 Automotive Plastic Products According to authoritative experts in the automotive industry, the total demand for automobiles in China will reach 6.5 million vehicles in 2006. The average amount of plastic used in Chinese automobiles is 70 kg, with an annual consumption of over 400,000 tons. Types of plastics used in automobiles include: PVC, PP, PE, PU, ​​ABS, PA, POM, etc. With the increasing number of scrapped cars year by year, the amount of plastics used in automobiles and household appliances and electronics is also steadily increasing. Their recycling and reuse are becoming key sources of waste, but the treatment principles are similar. In 2010, China's demand for automotive plastics was approximately 800,000 tons. Therefore, the task of recycling and reusing scrapped automotive plastic parts is becoming increasingly challenging. 3.1.5 Other Plastic Products Other plastic products, such as medical polymer materials, had a market demand of 12-15 billion yuan in 2005. During the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, the demand for medical plastic products will expand significantly, with future market demand expected to rise to 20-25 billion yuan. Daily-use plastic products will also see greater variety, and demand will need to increase substantially during the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period. In summary, based on the demand for plastic products, it is predicted that in the next 5-10 years, the variety and sophistication of plastic machinery will continue to develop significantly, with annual output increasing by 5%-10%. To eliminate pollution, the amount of plastic recycling equipment will also increase year by year. 3.2 International Market After China's accession to the WTO, it faces new challenges and the trend of global economic integration. China's plastics machinery industry should adapt to changes in the domestic and international situation, make good use of relevant national policies, actively adjust its strategies, go global, and create a new landscape. Chinese enterprises' expansion overseas has long been included in the "Going Global" strategy of the 15th Five-Year Plan. China's outbound investment target is to cultivate 50 large multinational companies by 2015, ranking among the world's top 500. Large enterprises in the plastics machinery industry should be among them, engaging in extensive and in-depth cooperation and competition on the international stage. The international market has varying requirements for plastics machinery at different levels. The Western European market has very high requirements for the technology and quality of plastics machinery products, which China currently finds difficult to penetrate. Japan's trade protection and technological level act as an invisible fortress, making it difficult for China to enter, and even if it does, the export volume is not large. Hong Kong and Macau are traditional markets for China, but in recent years, the region has developed its own plastics industry and has a certain capacity for machinery manufacturing. Although the United States has a high level of technology, its requirements are multi-layered. While exporting high-end plastics machinery, it also imports a considerable amount of plastics machinery that it does not have or is unwilling to produce itself. As early as 1996, the US imported $495 million worth of plastic machinery. Currently, Chinese plastic machinery, such as injection molding machines from Ningbo Haitian Plastic Machinery Co., Ltd. in Zhejiang Province, has entered the US market. With improved product quality and enhanced after-sales service, the US market is sure to expand. In addition, Middle Eastern oil-producing countries such as Jordan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia have substantial foreign exchange earnings and prefer to import complete sets of plastic processing equipment through bidding and contracted projects. As the level of complete sets of Chinese equipment improves, their market development capabilities will increase significantly. Complete woven bag production lines from Changzhou Automatic Control System Engineering Co., Ltd. have already entered this market. Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam are another traditional market for plastic machinery, and future demand is expected to continue to rise, especially in Vietnam where demand for plastic machinery is growing rapidly. Equipment previously provided by China to Vietnam has reached the point of needing replacement after decades of use. The Russian and Eastern European markets have great potential and are among China's major markets. Plastic machinery in the Far East, which is close to China, is almost entirely imported. South America and Africa are also potential markets for Chinese plastic machinery exports. To increase product added value and capture market share, it is essential to upgrade and replace plastic machinery products as soon as possible, raising their quality and grade. Injection molding machines should completely eliminate relay control and adopt digital programmable open-loop control, with semi-closed-loop control systems for precision injection molding machines. The hydraulic system should use dual pumps and dual proportional valves for flow and pressure. The main unit should employ a dual-cylinder injection system and an inward-turning five-hinge double-elbow clamping mechanism. For large injection molding machines, displacement sensors, automatic feeders, mold temperature controllers, and robotic arms for automatic mold changing should be added to the control system to achieve microcomputer-based automatic control. The hydraulic system should use variable pumps and accumulators. The main unit structure should adopt a simple direct-pressure clamping mechanism, and a new dual-platen structure can be developed for large injection molding machines. For extruders and auxiliary equipment: ① Increase the screw length-to-diameter ratio (L/D>30), and use new types of screws such as split-type, barrier-type, and corrugated screws as much as possible; increase the rotational speed (maximum speed n>200r/min); and adopt a non-stop filter screen replacement device. ② Use frequency converters for speed regulation to reduce energy consumption and power-to-weight ratio. ③ Use programmable microcomputers to achieve automatic control of temperature, pressure, and speed. ④ In woven bag production lines, improve the heating accuracy and drafting speed of the drafting device, develop new water-cooling devices to adapt to high-speed production, increase the rotational speed of circular looms, reduce energy consumption and noise, improve printing machine quality, and elevate the overall equipment level. ⑤ Blown film units (including multi-layer co-extrusion blown film) should be equipped with automatic feeding systems, rapid non-stop screen replacement, automatic thickness measuring devices, upper traction rotation systems, and automatic correction systems. In the above two types of machinery products, the application of frequency converters should be expanded and developed to improve product quality and move towards high speed and energy saving. If China wants to change the current situation of its domestic plastic machinery industry, gain a voice in the international arena commensurate with its scale, and eventually become a world leader in plastic machinery, the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period is crucial. Experts suggest that, based on summarizing experiences and identifying gaps, the following measures should be taken: (1) Adjust the organizational structure of enterprises. Overall, China's plastic machinery industry is becoming increasingly strong and its level is improving, but its organizational structure is not ideal. There are very few large-scale enterprises, and small and medium-sized enterprises account for half of the industry. Small enterprises are weak in terms of technical strength, production equipment, or management level, and have poor risk resistance. Therefore, enterprises in China's plastic machinery industry that produce similar products should unite, take the path of group-based development, and participate in competition. (2) Increase investment in technology. There are too few institutions in China that specialize in plastic machinery research, and the strength of those engaged in research on plastic machinery products is weak, resulting in low technical content of plastic machinery products. During the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, research institutions for plastic machinery should be strengthened and expanded, and key talents in this field should be cultivated, introduced, and utilized to develop new technologies and create their own patented products in order to improve the "value" of plastic machinery. (3) Utilize international achievements in plastic machinery. Developed countries have an early start in the plastic machinery industry and have mastered many new technologies, new products and patents in plastic machinery. When innovating and developing products, China should try to learn from international experience and utilize existing international achievements in plastic machinery. Instead of repeating research and development, China should adopt joint ventures, joint ventures and imports, and even purchase advanced and mature parts and control systems to create and transform China's plastic machinery, so that China's plastic machinery products can be upgraded as soon as possible and reach a new level. (4) Adopt advanced process equipment. At present, most of the machining equipment of China's plastic machinery manufacturing enterprises uses general-purpose machine tools to process plastic machinery parts, which is inefficient and of unstable quality. Instead, special tools, fixtures, measuring tools, CNC machine tools and special machine tools should be used to process plastic machinery parts in large batches. Only by using advanced process equipment can efficiency be improved, quality be guaranteed and costs be reduced. (5) Develop labor-intensive products. At present, the world's industrial structure is being adjusted. Developed countries are constantly shifting industrial production to capital-intensive and technology-intensive industries, and labor-intensive products are being transferred to developing countries and regions. China should seize this opportunity to develop open mixing mills, internal mixers, calenders, plastic recycling equipment, and high-end edge processing equipment, creating conditions for expanding exports of plastic machinery and addressing labor surplus. 4. Conclusion China's accession to the WTO has further improved the international market environment for China's plastic machinery industry. The industry should seize this opportunity, make full use of relevant policies, leverage the advantages of low domestic labor costs, social stability, and sustained GDP growth in the domestic market, strengthen its internal capabilities, and take effective measures to ensure that China's plastic machinery industry, which has consistently ranked first in productivity among China's machinery industries, achieves even higher average annual growth rates and continues to achieve remarkable success.