Core Insights - The successful trial operation of the shallow gas storage facility by Zhongyuan Construction Company marks a significant advancement in the automatic welding technology for small-diameter pipelines, achieving a prefabrication rate of over 58% [1] Group 1: Technology Improvements - Traditional automatic welding machines faced limitations in welding small-diameter pipes (less than 150mm), leading to reliance on manual welding with a qualification rate of only 82% [1] - Key improvements to the automatic welding machine included reducing the welding gun diameter from 50mm to 30mm, enhancing flexibility in narrow spaces, and upgrading the clamping device with pressure sensors for better control [1] - The upgraded welding machine reduced the single weld time from 40 minutes to 12 minutes, achieving a first-time qualification rate of 98.3% and reducing rework rates by over 90% [1] Group 2: Future Goals - The project manager indicated plans to further enhance prefabrication capabilities, aiming to increase the prefabrication rate of small-diameter pipelines to over 70% [2]