21 November 2025 – The Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering announced the newly elected academicians for 2025. Professor Sun Baode, Chair Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Director of the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced High-Temperature Materials and Precision Forming, and Chief Scientist of Shanghai Xinlanhai Automation Technology Co., Ltd., was elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Every colleague at Xinlanhai sends heartfelt congratulations and the highest respect to the leader who has spearheaded China’s break-through in high-end precision casting.

Sun Baode, born in April 1963 in Baoji, Shaanxi, native place Kaifeng, Henan, is a member of the Communist Party of China. He earned his B.S. (1984), M.S. (1990) and Ph.D. (1993) in foundry technology from Northwestern Polytechnical University and has been teaching and conducting research at Shanghai Jiao Tong University since 1993. In 2007 he was appointed a Chang Jiang Scholar by the Ministry of Education; in 2008 he received the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars.

For three decades he has focused on metallic materials and solidification science. Addressing national strategic needs, he developed data-driven modelling and external-field strengthening principles for solidification, built a defect-control theory for large, thin-walled super-alloy castings, created China’s first anti-gravity investment-casting rigs for super-alloys, revealed a new mechanism for micro-refining aluminium alloys, invented micro-structure-engineering technology for aluminium conductor wires, and pioneered external-field melt-purification techniques. These advances overcame the long-standing bottlenecks of casting defects, coarse micro-structures and low melt cleanliness that had limited metallic-material performance. His work has provided key materials for major aerospace hardware, ultra-high-voltage power-transmission projects, and integrated-circuit/chip manufacture. As first inventor he has won two National Technology-Invention Second Prizes and three provincial/ministerial First Prizes; as second inventor he has gained one National Technology-Invention Second Prize and two provincial/ministerial First Prizes. He also received the 15th Guanghua Engineering Science & Technology Award. He has published more than 350 SCI papers, holds 200+ patents (20+ international) and has authored one Chinese and one English monograph.In 2025 he was elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

To turn laboratory triumphs into industrial reality, Xinlanhai and Professor Sun’s team founded Shanghai Xinningkong Technology Co., Ltd.—a dedicated vehicle for commercialising anti-gravity precision-casting technology. Focused on the urgent weight-reduction needs of aerospace, nuclear and other heavy-equipment sectors, Xinningkong provides complex, thin-walled anti-gravity casting design, precision forming, quality inspection and market promotion, delivering “high-quality core components + customised technical solutions”. The company is determined to fill the domestic gap in large-scale production of premium anti-gravity castings.

Seizing this historic honour, Xinlanhai will deepen R&D and talent-development collaboration with Professor Sun’s team, continuously iterate anti-gravity precision-casting technology and, with Xinningkong as the industrial springboard, accelerate penetration of high-end markets. Together we will turn more indigenous innovations “from technology to product, from product to industry”, cement the technical bedrock of “Made in China with Wisdom” and contribute even greater strength to the high-quality development of China’s advanced equipment-manufacturing sector.