Pipe Expo 2026 Newsletter Dilemmas and Ways Out in the Intelligent Transformation of SMEs

Pipe Expo 2026 learned that in the process of intelligent upgrading of the pipeline manufacturing industry, large leading enterprises have taken the lead in making breakthroughs with their strong strength, while small and medium-sized pipe companies with a huge proportion are facing transformation bottlenecks.

• 1. The practical dilemma of the transformation of small and medium-sized management enterprises

Pipe Expo 2026 learned that compared with the intelligent investment of hundreds of millions of large enterprises, small and medium-sized pipeline manufacturing enterprises are at a disadvantage in terms of capital, data, and technology. Taking welded steel pipe production lines as an example, the investment in a complete AI visual inspection system often far exceeds the annual profits of small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, the production process of seamless steel pipes, oil and gas transmission pipes and other products requires continuous data accumulation to optimize AI models, while the production scale of small and medium-sized enterprises is limited, and it is difficult to establish effective algorithm models based on data.

• 2. Differentiated breakthroughs in market segments

In the face of difficulties, some small and medium-sized pipe manufacturing enterprises are exploring their own transformation paths. Some enterprises start with weld quality inspection and use low-cost special vision systems; Some pipe fitting processing enterprises focus on thread processing accuracy control and start from local digital transformation to improve product production efficiency.

• 3. Build an industrial ecology of coordinated development

To promote the intelligence of the pipeline manufacturing industry, it is necessary to establish a multi-level technical support system. The industry should encourage the development of third-party technology service providers for small and medium-sized enterprises and the development of modular and configurable intelligent systems. Large enterprises can also output some standardized technical tools through technology open platforms or industry alliances.

The pipeline manufacturing industry is in a stage of transformation. Only when most enterprises in the industry can upgrade the industry can they truly realize the coordinated development of the whole industry chain.

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