In the past, many oilfields prioritized imported sensors for high-end force measurement. However, after implementation, several practical pain points were frequently encountered: imported equipment was designed for overseas laboratory conditions and had limited adaptability to the windy, sandy, and temperature-varying environments of domestic oilfields; non-standard modifications were time-consuming and expensive; and in case of malfunctions, after-sales response was slow, return-to-factory repairs were lengthy, and well site downtime costs were high. In recent years, domestic industrial sensors and oilfield measurement and control instruments have been rapidly iterating, and there are more and more cases of domestically produced components being implemented. The cooperation between Zhongke Huigan and a company in Qingdao is a typical example.
A Qingdao-based company, with years of experience in oilfield measurement and control instrumentation, possesses mature multi-parameter instruments, monitoring platforms, and explosion-proof terminals. They are familiar with oilfield field regulations and safety requirements, but needed reliable domestically produced force sensors for underlying data acquisition. Zhongke Huigan, specializing in load sensing, has undergone iterations in multiple industry projects with its shaft pin and bearing housing sensors, but required an instrumentation partner with expertise in oilfield conditions to implement the entire system. Through collaboration, the sensor hardware, measurement and control instruments, and platform software were all domestically produced, eliminating reliance on overseas sensing components.
The project utilizes both HG23C shaft pin sensors and HG41A bearing housing sensors. Compared to imported products in the same price range, the HG23C boasts a comprehensive accuracy of ±0.05%FS, while most imported products achieve ±0.1%FS. Domestic products outperform imported ones in terms of temperature drift. The HG23C also features an IP67 protection rating, while many imported products are rated IP65, which is insufficient for protection in windy, sandy, and salty environments. The HG41A bearing housing sensor features a shear structure to resist off-center loads and is adapted to accommodate the deformation of older equipment bases, eliminating the need for a perfectly flat mounting surface. By 2026, Zhongke Huigan's full range of load sensors will have shipped a total of 3,200 units. Shaft pin and bearing housing products are being deployed in batches in oil fields, ports, and mines, with mass production bringing delivery and cost advantages.
The difference in delivery and after-sales service was evident in the project. Some of the older equipment in the project had non-standard dimensions. Zhongke Huigan completed the customization of non-standard dimensions within 72 hours, while the lead time for imported similar products was often 30-45 days. On-site commissioning and troubleshooting were handled by the field service team of an oilfield company in Qingdao, with remote support from sensor technology, resulting in a much faster response time than imported equipment. The entire domestic solution reduced the overall procurement cost by approximately 40% compared to imported solutions with the same functionality.
In actual well site operation, the complete domestically produced solution completes multi-point load acquisition, measuring pulley shear tension with the axle pin and radial force on both sides of the roller with the bearing seat. The data is seamlessly integrated into the existing instrumentation system of a company in Qingdao, enabling local display, audible and visual alarms, remote uploading, and export of historical records, meeting the data traceability requirements for oilfield safety production monitoring and equipment annual inspection. From the field operation results, it can already replace imported force measurement solutions and adapt to the complex working conditions in domestic oilfields.
However, it must be objectively acknowledged that domestically produced sensors are not simply "low-price replacements." Their real advantage lies in a deeper understanding of domestic field conditions, optimizing processes, structures, and algorithms for older equipment and harsh outdoor environments, and collaborating deeply with local instrument manufacturers to integrate hardware, instruments, and platforms, rather than simply selling individual sensor hardware. The collaboration between Zhongke Huigan and a company in Qingdao provides the industry with a valuable perspective: the intelligent upgrading of domestically produced equipment requires collaboration among sensor manufacturers, system integrators, and instrument manufacturers, continuously iterating based on real-world operating conditions, rather than simply benchmarking against specifications on paper.