Woman's talent for welding sparkles

From model workers and master craftsmen to factory hands and gig-economy workers, China's vast workforce is the bedrock of national development. Launched by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, this series shines a spotlight on the responsibility and resilience of the modern Chinese working class, documenting their struggles and stories from the front lines to showcase the dedication, craftsmanship and pioneering spirit driving progress across every sector.

In the welding workshop of China Railway Jiujiang Bridge Engineering, the dark corners are lit up by sparks. Amid the flying arcs is Wang Zhongmei, focused, steady, and at one with her craft.

Wang, a welder at China Railway Jiujiang Bridge Engineering, has spent over two decades on the front line of production, dedicated to welding technology research and hands-on work on extra-large bridge projects. The countless sparks she has created have borne witness to her remarkable journey — from an apprentice welder to a master craftsman.

In 2001, Wang graduated from a technical school and joined the company as a welder. She devoted herself to mastering welding techniques, achieving a first-time pass rate of more than 99 percent for her welded products.

The job of a welder is far from easy: dust and acrid fumes fill the air, blinding arc light stings the skin and eyes, sparks burn holes in clothes, and the heat indoors in summer and the biting cold of outdoor winter welding tests even the toughest of souls. Yet Wang has stayed at her post.

"I once took off my mask to take a few extra looks at the arc light. My eyes swelled shut, tears couldn't stop streaming down, and my whole face started peeling. My palms went numb, my arms ached, and my eyes burned.

"Ever since I became a welder, my skin has become rough. I've never grown long nails, and I rarely wear high heels. After a long, hard day at work, my waist feels like it's wrapped in an iron plate. But the moment I put down the torch, stretch my body, and look up at the blue sky and white clouds, or catch a glimpse of red flowers and green grass, that is when I feel truly happy," she said.

Over the years, she has taken part in the preliminary welding tests and welding for more than 60 world-class bridges, including the Shanghai-Suzhou-Nantong Yangtze River Bridge and the Padma Bridge in Bangladesh. As a team leader, she has guided her colleagues in breaking through numerous technical barriers, completing over 30 key research projects and delivering 22 innovative achievements.

As a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-built Padma Bridge, which opened to traffic in 2022, was built to European welding standards. It features more than 260 steel pipe piles, each measuring 3 meters in diameter and 120 meters in length and weighing approximately 550 metric tons. The weld quality of the 60-millimeter-thick steel plates had to meet first-grade standards.

The Padma River flows with great force and its 150-meter-deep riverbed is composed of soft silt, offering weak and highly unstable bearing capacity. This made it urgent to test and verify the load-bearing performance and scour resistance of the welded pipe piles.

Confronting these challenges head-on, Wang led her team in conducting repeated process trials and fine-tuning welding materials and parameters. They developed an automated horizontal welding process for offshore pile connections, filling a gap in domestic welding technology.

"However capable one person is, their strength is always limited. But the energy of a whole team is infinite," said Wang.

Nowadays, Wang passes on her skills to younger workers. In 2015, the Wang Zhongmei Model Worker Innovation Studio was established. Since its inception, Wang has focused on technical challenges and key issues at construction sites, organizing more than 20 material tests and welding research projects.

She has also conducted over 5,000 training sessions and assessments for front-line workers. Her efforts have not only cultivated a large number of outstanding welders for the company but provided skilled workers to vocational colleges and industrial park enterprises across Jiujiang city, Jiangxi province.

"As a skilled worker, I will continue to dedicate myself to research, cherish my job and strive for excellence, so that I can cultivate more welding talents who can stand on their own in this field," Wang said.