“That was an unremarkable evening. In the R&D lab, instruments and equipment glowed with a soft, steady light. Several of us sat together around a table, with blueprints and data spread out before us. We frowned deeply as we tackled technical challenges, yet our hearts were filled with unwavering determination and relentless passion for exploring new technologies.” When recalling the arduous journey of Project L, this was precisely the scene that first came to mind for the project leader. Amidst the booming surge of new-energy vehicles, this pioneering team persevered through countless ordinary days and nights, forging ahead relentlessly through the thorny thickets of developing next-generation electronic parking calipers. They broke through foreign technological barriers, not only surpassing the market share of international industry giants but also securing a prominent position for the company in the new-energy sector—and for their outstanding contributions, they were awarded the “Innovation” honor by Wanxiang Group for 2024.

Anchor on the “double-low” targets and refine the optimal solution.

In recent years, with the rapid development of new-energy vehicles, automakers have been placing increasingly stringent demands on the performance of automotive components. The challenge posed by Company L—“low drag and low noise” electronic parking calipers—has emerged as a towering mountain standing in the way of numerous suppliers. Wanxiang (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd. has seized this as an opportunity for leapfrog growth and resolutely embarked on this highly challenging journey.

The company established a cross-departmental task force led by the head of the Product Innovation Department, bringing together R&D experts from key areas such as quality and process engineering. In the early stages of the project, everyone plunged headfirst into market research and demand analysis, engaging in in-depth discussions with customers and participating in NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) workshops. They meticulously broke down and quantified vague performance expectations, translating them into specific parameter targets to ensure that the R&D direction was precisely aligned. Thoroughly poring over books and reference materials and repeatedly visiting OEMs for field studies, they painstakingly sifted through vast amounts of information, gradually clarifying their path forward.

To achieve the best possible results, they conducted in-depth research and comparative analysis on every detail of the plan. This rigorous approach permeated the entire project—from project planning and product design to process design and production—each stage undergoing extensive comparisons and careful selections, striving to ensure that every single detail reached its optimal state. Every team member has been quietly dedicating themselves to the project, laying a solid foundation for the product’s reliability.

Bravely tackle three major challenges and forge extraordinary skills.

During the R&D process, three major core challenges stood in the way of the project team: reducing caliper drag, controlling noise transmission, and completing process validation within a short timeframe.

The drag in conventional parking calipers primarily stems from the friction between the piston and the sealing ring. However, new-energy vehicles demand a drag reduction of more than 50%, presenting an enormous challenge. Initially, replacing the sealing rings with ones having lower coefficients of friction yielded unsatisfactory results. In response, the project leader proposed an innovative approach—combining a spring blade, a sealing ring, and a groove-shaped structure. After three months of intensive efforts, including 127 structural simulations and 56 bench tests, they successfully developed a new-generation return spring blade. The results far exceeded expectations, enabling them to overcome a key technical hurdle in the project.

In terms of noise control, their testing revealed that the electronic parking caliper generated noise levels that failed to meet the standards. Using the “issue tree” analysis method, they broke down the noise sources into 12 distinct branches—including motor vibration, bearing wear, and grease lubrication—and systematically investigated each one. After countless tests, they pinpointed the root cause of the resonance and successfully resolved the noise issue reported by users during road tests.

During the process validation phase, faced with tight deadlines and heavy workloads, the project team adopted a “parallel development + agile iteration” approach. During the day, they engaged with users to clarify requirements and debug equipment; at night, they held technical workshops; and on weekends, they spent their time in the lab conducting simulation tests. They tackled one process challenge after another, ensuring a smooth transition from sample production to mass manufacturing.

Expand application boundaries and drive industrial upgrading.

After more than 700 days of round-the-clock intensive efforts, the project officially entered mass production last May. Within just half a year of mass production, it demonstrated strong market potential and has become a key driver of the company’s profit growth. Even more significantly, thanks to its high cost-effectiveness and stable quality, the product has captured a market share that surpasses that of international component giants. “We’ve used our technological strength to prove that our company is fully capable of competing head-on with world-class enterprises in the new-energy sector,” said the spokesperson.

The project team didn't rest on its current achievements. Building on the technical expertise gained from this project, they have launched a "Platform-Based Development Plan for New-Energy Electronic Parking Systems," aiming to extend low-hysteresis and low-noise technologies to more vehicle models. They are actively promoting intelligent upgrades by integrating sensors and developing smart calipers equipped with wear-monitoring and automatic compensation functions, providing foundational data support for autonomous driving. They are also optimizing manufacturing processes to achieve lightweight designs, further enhancing vehicle range. Moreover, by standardizing subcomponent selection and scaling up procurement, they are reducing costs and strengthening their market competitiveness.

In terms of market expansion, they have initiated preliminary technical alignment work for more high-end vehicle models and plan to complete sample delivery for a certain model from H’s user this year, thereby entering its A-point supplier list. They aim to increase their market share among new-energy vehicle manufacturers and become a leading supplier in the electronic parking caliper sector. Additionally, they have launched overseas market research and plan to enter the supply chains of new-energy vehicle manufacturers in Southeast Asia and Europe.

In the journey ahead, this team of model workers will continue to embrace a spirit of relentless striving, writing more inspiring stories of technological breakthroughs and contributing even more wisdom and strength to industrial development.