Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 182 Equipment Introduction and Technological Breakthroughs

Just after the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1985, the air in Zhangcheng still carried the sweet aroma of mooncakes, but the factory area of ​​Chenqing Precision Manufacturing Joint Venture was busier than usual. Three heavy trucks rolled over the gravel road at the factory gate and slowly stopped outside the forging workshop under the watchful eyes of everyone. The truck beds were covered with thick rainproof tarpaulins, and the outlines of the huge machines inside could be vaguely seen—these were three second-hand precision grinding machines that Lin Chen had imported from West Germany, with a total value of 800,000 yuan, accounting for half of the factory's working capital.

"Be careful! This thing is more precious than gold!" Liu Guangtian, wearing newly bought blue overalls and a sweat towel tied around his forehead, was directing the crane operator to adjust the boom. Behind him stood more than twenty selected young workers, each with a mixture of tension and excitement on their faces. These people were about to become the first core force in the factory's precision machining. Lin Chen stood on the observation deck on the second floor of the workshop, clutching the equipment manual in his hand, his fingertips turning white from the pressure, his eyes fixed on the grinding machine body slowly rising beneath the boom.

Su Qing carried a tin lunchbox upstairs and handed Lin Chen a bowl of warm mung bean soup. "The German engineer said the equipment is very well preserved, with less than two thousand hours of operation time, making it newer than we expected. The bank just called to say the loan has arrived, just enough to pay the final payment." She followed Lin Chen's gaze downstairs, watching the grinder rest steadily on the pre-cast concrete base, and added softly, "However, we only have less than 50,000 yuan in working capital left in the finance department. If the debugging doesn't go smoothly, we might have trouble paying next month's salaries."

Lin Chen took a sip of mung bean soup, the coolness dispelling some of his anxiety. "The greater the risk, the higher the reward. Hongxing Appliance Factory is pressing us hard; they need samples by the end of the month. If they pass the tests, the order for the first batch of 500,000 sets of bearings will be secured." He handed the lunchbox to Su Qing and quickly walked down the stairs. The German engineer had already opened the equipment's distribution box and was using a multimeter to test the circuit. Lin Chen leaned over and asked about the equipment parameters in fluent German, his notebook rapidly recording key data.

For the next three days, the workshop remained brightly lit day and night. Lin Chen, along with Uncle Wang from the technical department and several veteran technicians, followed the German engineer to learn how to operate the equipment. The control panel of the precision grinding machine was covered in German labels, and it took them a whole day just to familiarize themselves with the button functions. When the first forged bearing blank was fixed onto the chuck, the entire workshop fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on the grinding wheel of the grinding machine.

"Start!" Lin Chen pressed the start button, and the grinder emitted a deep hum. The grinding wheel slowly approached the workpiece, sending up fine sparks. Uncle Wang stood nervously to the side, holding calipers, ready to measure the dimensions at any moment. Three minutes later, the grinding wheel stopped rotating, and the robotic arm delivered the machined bearing to the discharge port. Uncle Wang eagerly stepped forward to measure, but his face suddenly darkened: "The diameter deviation is 0.08 millimeters, exceeding the tolerance by three times!"

The atmosphere in the workshop froze instantly. The German engineer frowned as he checked the equipment parameters, then measured the bearing blanks with specialized instruments. Finally, he shrugged: "The equipment is fine; it's your steel that's the problem. This domestically produced bearing steel has uneven hardness and its carbon content fluctuates too much, failing to meet the requirements for precision machining." He took a sample of imported steel from his toolbox. "Try this Swedish bearing steel; it will meet the precision requirements, but it costs three times as much as the domestic steel."

"Three times?" Liu Guangtian couldn't help but exclaim. "Then our costs have doubled! How can we make any money?" His words echoed everyone's sentiments, and the surrounding workers began to murmur amongst themselves, their previously excited faces now filled with dejection. Uncle Wang held the substandard bearing, examining the machining marks on it repeatedly, and sighed, "The German engineer was right. The quality of domestically produced steel is indeed inconsistent. It wasn't obvious when we were making low-end parts, but it becomes apparent when it comes to precision machining."

Lin Chen remained silent. He picked up the imported steel sample and used the system to analyze it. The light blue panel instantly displayed data: "Material: Swedish SS2343 bearing steel; Carbon content: 0.95%-1.05%; Hardness: HRC62-64; Impurity content: ≤0.02%." Comparing this to the data for domestically produced steel, the carbon content fluctuated between 0.8% and 1.1%, while the impurity content was a staggering 0.08%—the difference was obvious. He closed the system panel, a plan forming in his mind: "We can't afford imported steel, but the problem with domestically produced steel might not be unsolvable."

That evening, Lin Chen locked himself in a makeshift office in the corner of the workshop. The office was piled high with various steel samples and technical documents, and the walls were covered with process drawings for bearing manufacturing. He rummaged through the storage room and pulled out various alloy scraps he had collected before—chromium alloy scraps brought back from the steel rolling mill, leftover manganese steel fragments from export orders, and scrap knife steel salvaged from a junkyard. What others saw as waste became treasures in Lin Chen's hands.

"Universal Fusion System, initiate fusion analysis." Lin Chen concentrated, placing a piece of domestically produced bearing steel and a small amount of chromium alloy fragments on the fusion platform. A pale blue light enveloped the two materials, and the system panel began rapidly updating data: "Fusing materials: bearing steel + chromium alloy; fusion success rate: 85%; estimated carbon content after fusion: 0.98%-1.02%; hardness: HRC61-63; impurity content: ≤0.03%." Upon seeing the data, Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief; these indicators were already incredibly close to those of imported steel.

But a new problem arose. After the successful small-scale fusion experiment, how to achieve mass production? The fusion station could only process one kilogram of material at a time. To meet the demand for 500,000 sets of bearings, at least 50 tons of steel were needed, making manual fusion simply impractical. Lin Chen stared at the structural diagram of the precision grinding machine and suddenly had a flash of inspiration—could the principle of the fusion system be combined with the grinding machine's feeding device to design an automatic fusion feeding system?

He worked through the night to draw up the design drawings, modifying the grinding machine's feed inlet into a double-layer structure. The inner layer was fitted with a high-frequency induction coil, using electromagnetic induction to generate high temperatures, causing the steel and alloy fragments to initially fuse during the feeding process. The outer layer was set with an insulation layer to ensure the temperature of the fused material remained stable. This way, both material uniformity and the grinding machine's processing efficiency could be guaranteed. By the time the drawings were finished, the sky outside was already turning light. Lin Chen rubbed his bloodshot eyes, picked up the drawings, and went to find Uncle Wang.

Uncle Wang looked at the blueprints, gently stroking them with his fingers, becoming more and more excited as he looked: "Director Lin, this idea is brilliant! We can salvage the high-frequency induction coils from old medium-frequency furnaces, and the insulation layer can be made with refractory bricks and asbestos. The modification cost is less than 10,000 yuan, and it can be completed in three days!" He immediately summoned the technicians from the technical department and assigned them to be responsible for the modification work. The clanging sound of hammering rang out in the workshop again.

Meanwhile, outside the workshop, a new problem arose. The production line, shut down for three days due to unsuccessful grinding machine debugging, was causing widespread anxiety among the workers. Some veteran workers began to complain, feeling that the job change was too risky, and some even secretly contacted other factories, preparing to switch jobs. When the news reached Su Qing, she was calculating the month's payroll. Upon hearing the news, she immediately put down her work and rushed to the workshop.

"Everyone, please quiet down!" Su Qing stood in the open space of the workshop, holding a megaphone. "I know you're all worried about your wages and the factory's future. But I can assure you that Director Lin has found a technological breakthrough, and production will resume in three days. During these three days of shutdown, the factory will pay you 80% of your normal wages; we will absolutely not let you suffer any losses."

"Manager Su, that's true, but we've never done precision machining before. What if we can't get it working properly and the factory goes bankrupt?" an older worker asked, his words echoing the sentiments of the others. Su Qing was prepared. She pulled a copy of the order form from Hongxing Appliances Factory from her briefcase and held it high: "This is an order for 500,000 sets of bearings from Hongxing Appliances Factory, totaling 2.5 million yuan, with a profit of 875,000 yuan. If we can secure this order, everyone's year-end bonus will triple!"

She walked up to the old worker and handed him a glass of water: "Master Zhang, you've worked in the factory for five years, watching it grow from eight people to eighty. Don't you trust Director Lin's skills? Back when we were upgrading the semi-automated production line, everyone thought it was impossible, but what happened? Output tripled, and everyone's wages doubled. This transformation will be the same. As long as we work together, we'll definitely succeed."

Su Qing's words calmed most of the workers, but a few still had doubts. Liu Guangtian noticed this and stepped forward: "Director Lin and I came from Beijing to the south and have been starting this business together for five years. He has never let us down. The technical department is currently upgrading equipment and needs manpower to help move materials. Anyone willing to stay and help will receive double pay today!" As soon as he finished speaking, more than a dozen young workers stood up and expressed their willingness to stay and help.

For the next three days, a peculiar scene unfolded in the factory: outside the workshop, Su Qing led the workers in organizing raw materials, tallying inventory, and reassuring everyone; inside, Lin Chen and Uncle Wang led the technical team in working day and night to modify the equipment, the welding sparks of high-frequency induction coils mingling with the sounds of grinding machines being adjusted. Lin Chen barely slept, eating a few bites of steamed buns when hungry and washing his face with cold water when tired, his eyes always shining with unwavering determination.

On the evening of the third day, when the last wire was connected, Uncle Wang pressed the start button on the modified grinding machine. The fused bearing steel blank was fed into the feed inlet, and the high-frequency induction coil emitted an orange-red light. The material was fully fused at high temperature and then precisely fed onto the grinding machine's chuck. The grinding wheel rotated at high speed, and the flying sparks were finer and more uniform than before. The only sound in the entire workshop was the steady operation of the equipment.

"Processing complete!" The moment the robotic arm delivered the bearing to the discharge port, Uncle Wang quickly stepped forward and measured it with a precision micrometer. Everyone gathered around, even Su Qing, who was checking accounts, put down her pen and nervously watched Uncle Wang's expression. Uncle Wang measured it three times repeatedly, finally raising his head, his voice trembling with excitement: "Diameter deviation of 0.01 millimeters, perfectly meeting the requirements! Hardness HRC62, impurity content 0.03%, reaching the standard of imported steel!"

A thunderous cheer erupted in the workshop. Workers hugged each other, some even shedding tears of excitement. Liu Guangtian grabbed Lin Chen and patted him hard on the back: "Director Lin, we did it! We really did it!" Lin Chen smiled and pushed him away, his face full of exhaustion yet incredibly excited. He walked to Su Qing and handed her the qualified bearing: "Look, we did it."

Su Qing took the bearing, its cool metallic feel radiating outwards. The fine, even machining lines on it made it resemble a fine work of art. Looking at Lin Chen's bloodshot eyes and greasy hands, she felt a surge of admiration and heartache. "I knew you could succeed," she said. "Tonight I'll have the canteen slaughter a chicken for everyone to have a good meal." She turned to the workers and called out, "The whole factory will have an extra meal tonight! Everyone will get a chicken leg!"

That evening, a simple celebratory dinner was held in the workshop. The canteen chef prepared more than a dozen dishes, including braised pork, spicy chicken, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. The workers, holding enamel bowls, sat around the grinding machine, eating and chatting about the future. Liu Guangtian poured a glass of baijiu for Lin Chen and Uncle Wang: "This glass is to Director Lin; without your technology, we simply couldn't have overcome this hurdle. This glass is to Uncle Wang; without your experience, the equipment modification wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

Uncle Wang took a sip of his drink and exclaimed, "I've worked in a state-owned factory for thirty years, and I've never seen such a decisive leader or such a united team. Director Lin, it's been worth it to work for you!" He pulled a drawing from his pocket. "This is a maintenance manual for the grinding machine that I drew based on today's debugging experience. It shows how to troubleshoot common faults, making it easier for the workers to operate in the future."

Lin Chen took the manual; the handwriting was neat and clear, and every fault point was marked in great detail, even with simple diagrams. He said emotionally, "Uncle Wang, thank you. Our factory's success today is all thanks to everyone's concerted efforts. Starting tomorrow, we'll officially begin mass production and strive to deliver samples to Hongxing Appliances Factory by the end of the month and secure this big order!"

As the banquet drew to a close, Su Qing quietly tugged at Lin Chen's sleeve, and the two walked to the open space outside the workshop. Moonlight spilled onto the concrete ground of the factory area, and a few barks of dogs echoed in the distance, creating an exceptionally peaceful atmosphere. Su Qing took out a tissue from her pocket and gently wiped the grease from Lin Chen's face: "You've been working too hard lately. Get some rest tonight, and leave the rest to us."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Lin Chen held Su Qing's hand. Her hand was cold, but it carried a reassuring strength. "Successfully debugging the equipment is only the first step. Next, there are a series of issues such as quality testing, sample testing, and mass production. We can't let our guard down yet. But I believe that as long as we continue to work together, there are no difficulties we can't overcome."

Su Qing nodded, her eyes sparkling. "I've already contacted the purchasing department of Hongxing Home Appliances Factory. They'll send quality inspectors to the factory next Monday. I've prepared our quality control plan and testing procedures to ensure they can't find any problems." She took a document from her briefcase. "This is the management system I've developed for the precision machining workshop. It clearly defines the operating procedures, quality standards, and reward and punishment measures. It will be posted tomorrow."

Lin Chen looked at the management system in Su Qing's hand. Every clause was meticulously planned, from daily equipment maintenance to product sampling rates and worker performance evaluations, all with detailed regulations. He was filled with gratitude. It was thanks to a capable partner like Su Qing that he could devote himself to technological research and development without any worries.

It was already midnight when Lin Chen returned to his dormitory. Lying in bed, he couldn't sleep at all, his mind racing with thoughts of the upcoming production plan. He opened the system panel, looking at the displayed data such as "Fusion Success Rate 92%" and "Material Utilization Rate 92%," and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. This technological breakthrough not only solved the material problem in precision machining but also unexpectedly improved material utilization and reduced production costs, laying a solid foundation for future market competitiveness.

Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on the bearing samples on the desk. Lin Chen knew that this victory in the technical battle was merely a milestone on the factory's transformation path. Next, they would face a series of challenges, including market scrutiny, competition from peers, and talent development. But he was confident that with such a united, collaborative, and innovative team, Chenqing Precision Manufacturing would surely carve out its own niche in the precision manufacturing field.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight streamed into the workshop, the precision grinding machines had already begun mass production. The hum of the grinding wheels, the whirring of the robotic arms, and the shouts of the workers mingled together, creating a vibrant symphony of production.