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Submitted via IRC for Runaway1956
Chinese metal scientists announced they had developed a plow using a new steel alloy.
Plow was initially used in China over 2,000 years ago, centuries earlier than in Europe. However, Chinese farmers nowadays would rather pay over the odds for imported plows because of their better quality and durability.
The situation may soon change, thanks to the new research.
Yan Desheng, of the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the new metal was developed on the basis of boron steel, with micro-alloying elements and fine carbide added, so as to increase its hardness while keeping its high ductility.
The new material had been used to make over 1,000 farming tools, such as moldboard plows and rotary blades.
Source: China.org.cn
(Score: 2) by coolgopher on Friday May 19 2017, @06:22AM (1 child)
RTF(s)A one concludes that it's possibly a new steel alloy, or possibly just the use of said allow for plows which is new. And maybe the plow design is better than either the imported ones or the allegedly crappy home-made ones. But it's definitely cheaper than the imported ones.
I can only hope a lot was lost in translation. At least getting the alloy composition would've been nice. As is, one can make no informed comparisons.
(Score: 2) by richtopia on Friday May 19 2017, @04:21PM
I think your right, it sounds like an evolution of current design.
It also features:
The edge of the plow has a better ground-breaking angle and has helped reduce abrasion and fuel consumption
Which can be read for both a literal and figurative interpretation of ground breaking!