boyutpedia Chapter 99: Blueprint Unveiled, Fireworks Born anew
Chapter 99: Blueprint Unveiled, Fireworks Born anew
The news of Yi Zhonghai's imprisonment was like a pebble thrown into the pond of the Hongxing Courtyard, its ripples lasting for half a month before gradually subsiding. Autumn deepened, and the old locust tree in the courtyard began to shed its leaves. Golden leaves carpeted the blue brick floor, crunching softly underfoot. As Lin Chen walked into the workshop through the fallen leaves, he bumped into Zhou Jianguo leading a group of men dressed in Zhongshan suits who appeared to be cadres, observing the high-efficiency forging molds. The roar of the machine tools was interspersed with waves of admiration.
"Xiao Lin, come quick!" Zhou Jianguo waved to him from afar, his face beaming with barely suppressed excitement. "These are leaders from the factory and the district, here specifically to inspect your technological innovation achievements!" Lin Chen strode forward, about to greet them, when the bespectacled cadre at the head of the group extended his hand, his calloused palm gripping it firmly: "I'm Wang Deshun from the District Industrial Bureau. I've long heard of Master Lin's reputation. This set of molds has increased the efficiency of the forging workshop by 30% and reduced the scrap rate to one percent. It truly brings honor to our district's industrial innovation!"
Lin Chen smiled modestly and pointed to the alloy trim on the mold, explaining, "The main improvement is in the material fusion process. We used scrap chrome steel from the workshop to fuse with ordinary carbon steel, which saved costs and increased hardness." As he spoke, he opened the toolbox next to him and took out several prototypes from different stages. "These are the initial samples, with a scrap rate as high as 15%. Later, through the system... through repeated adjustments to the heat and fusion ratio, we achieved the current effect." He cleverly swallowed the word "system" and replaced it with a more contemporary expression.
Wang Deshun took the prototype and examined it carefully in the sunlight, his eyes gleaming behind his glasses. "Master Lin," he said, "the district is organizing a technology innovation exchange meeting and would like to invite you to be a keynote speaker, to share your expertise with the technical backbones of other factories. What do you think?" Lin Chen paused for a moment, then subconsciously looked at Zhou Jianguo, who immediately nodded in agreement, "That's great, Lin! It will not only increase your visibility but also be a promotional opportunity for our factory!"
Just then, a commotion arose at the workshop entrance. Liu Guangtian rushed in, panting, his work clothes collar stained with oil: "Master Lin, Director Zhou, the forging press in the backyard has a problem! The crankshaft suddenly jammed, and several urgent orders are waiting to be processed!" Zhou Jianguo's face instantly darkened, and Wang Deshun also stopped smiling: "Let's go take a look!" The group hurriedly went to the backyard, where they saw the old forging press standing there, with several technicians helplessly surrounding the machine. Broken steel shavings were stuck in the crankshaft, and the machine body still smelled burnt.
"It was fine last night, but it froze as soon as I turned it on this morning," the veteran technician said, his face full of worry. "We tried to disassemble it, but the crankshaft is too heavy; we can't move it at all. The manufacturer won't be here for at least three days, but this batch of military parts needs to be delivered tomorrow!" Cold sweat beaded on Zhou Jianguo's forehead. Military orders couldn't be delayed; if there was a delay, not only would the factory be punished, but he, as the director, would also be held responsible. Wang Deshun frowned and walked around the machine, then suddenly looked at Lin Chen: "Master Lin, are you confident you can fix it?"
Lin Chen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he crouched down and carefully examined the crankshaft interface with a magnifying glass he carried, then quickly took out paper and pen to calculate something. The system panel appeared in his mind. After a quick scan with the "Item Appraisal" function, a prompt popped up: "The crankshaft is severely worn, and the clearance is too large. The alloy bushing needs to be replaced and the eccentricity recalibrated." He stood up, his tone firm: "I'm confident, but it requires two people working together, and we also need to prepare chrome steel scraps, a water cooling system, and precision measuring tools."
"I'll help you!" Liu Guangtian immediately stepped forward, his eyes full of eagerness. Zhou Jianguo quickly instructed, "Everyone follow Master Lin's instructions. If you need any tools or materials, go to the warehouse and get them immediately!" Lin Chen nodded and handed the blueprints to Liu Guangtian: "Go to the forging workshop and machine three alloy bushings according to these dimensions. Control the temperature at 1200 degrees Celsius and hold them at that temperature for at least 20 minutes." He then turned to another technician: "Could you please move the water cooling device here and connect it to the machine's cooling system?"
After making the arrangements, Lin Chen put on gloves, picked up a wrench, and began to disassemble the crankshaft end cover. The bolts were badly rusted, so he soaked them in kerosene for a moment, then used his homemade extended wrench to help loosen them. With a "click," the rusted bolts finally came loose. Wang Deshun and Zhou Jianguo stood aside, not daring to breathe, watching Lin Chen skillfully disassemble the parts. Every movement was precise and efficient, and the originally messy machine parts gradually became orderly in his hands.
Around noon, Liu Guangtian ran back carrying the finished alloy bushing, his forehead covered in sweat: "Master Lin, it's finished according to your requirements, and the hardness test is up to standard!" Lin Chen took the bushing, measured its dimensions with a micrometer, and found the error to be within 0.02 millimeters. He nodded in satisfaction. He placed the bushing on the crankshaft, gently tapped it with a copper hammer to calibrate it, then connected the water cooling device, opened the valve, and cool water flowed into the machine through the pipes.
"Try turning it on!" Lin Chen stepped back, signaling the technician to start the machine. As the power was switched on, the forging press emitted a deep, rumbling sound, the previous abnormal noises disappearing. The crankshaft rotated smoothly, and the stamping head moved precisely up and down. Zhou Jianguo finally breathed a sigh of relief, excitedly patting Wang Deshun on the shoulder: "Director Wang, look! It's really fixed!" Wang Deshun laughed heartily: "Master Lin is truly amazing! This skill is indeed worthy of being the technical benchmark of our district!"
After finishing his work in the workshop, it was already evening. Lin Chen dragged his tired body back to the courtyard. As soon as he entered the central courtyard, he smelled a rich aroma of food. Qin Huairu was standing at her door looking out. Seeing him return, she hurriedly went to greet him: "Master Lin, come in and eat! I stewed potatoes and pork ribs, and I saved a big bowl for you." Behind her, Jia Dang was helping to set the table, and Jia Huaihua was holding a rag doll, smiling shyly at him.
Lin Chen was somewhat surprised and politely declined, saying, "No need to trouble yourself, I can just cook some noodles myself." Qin Huairu, however, grabbed his arm without further ado, her tone pleading, "Master Lin, please do me the honor. Before, I listened to Master Yi and always worried about Sha Zhu's food rations, and I wasn't very respectful to you. This meal is a sincere thank you. If it weren't for your encouragement to earn a living with my skills, I don't know what I'd be doing now."
Unable to refuse their hospitality, Lin Chen had no choice but to follow them into the Jia family home. The house wasn't large, but it was spotless. Jia Dang's certificates of merit were pasted on the walls, and clothes mended by Qin Huairu were laid out on the kang (a heated brick bed). Jia Zhangshi was sitting on the edge of the kang. When she saw Lin Chen enter, she surprisingly didn't show any displeasure, but simply smiled awkwardly: "Little Master Lin, please have a seat." Lin Chen nodded, only then noticing that Liu Haizhong and Liu Guangtian were also there, the father and son discussing something around a blueprint.
"Master Lin, you're finally back!" Liu Haizhong quickly stood up to offer him a seat and pushed the blueprints in front of him. "This is Guangtian's improved forging process drawing. Could you take a look and see if there are any problems?" Lin Chen took the blueprints and examined them carefully. Although the lines on the blueprints were somewhat immature, the core idea was very clear—it was the "waste heat utilization" technology that he had previously instructed Liu Guangtian on. "The idea is fine," Lin Chen pointed to a mark on the blueprint, "The angle of the waste heat recovery pipe here can be optimized further. This can improve the thermal efficiency by five percent."
Liu Guangtian quickly took out a pen to write it down, his eyes full of admiration: "Master Lin, you really spotted the problem at a glance! I've been thinking about it for days, and something just didn't feel right, but after your guidance, I understand." Qin Huairu served the food and said with a smile, "Guangtian is like a different person now. He used to get beaten and scolded by his father all the time, but now he's focused on his technical skills, and even the workshop foreman praises his rapid progress." Liu Haizhong scratched his head and said embarrassedly, "I was confused before, always taking my anger out on the child. Thanks to Master Lin's guidance, otherwise Guangtian's talent would have been wasted."
During the meal, Qin Huairu mentioned her plans: "Master Lin, I'm thinking of renting a small shop at the street corner to open a sewing shop. Do you think that's feasible?" Lin Chen put down his chopsticks and said earnestly, "It's feasible. The neighbors all need mending these days, and you have good skills and a good reputation. If you don't have enough funds, I can lend you some." Qin Huairu's eyes lit up, and she quickly thanked him: "Really? Thank you so much! I've already inquired with the neighborhood committee, and there's a shop that's currently vacant. The monthly rent is only five yuan."
Just then, Yan Bugui coughed at the courtyard gate. He walked in carrying a cloth bag, paused for a moment when he saw Lin Chen at the Jia family's house, then put on a smile: "Little Master Lin is here too, perfect timing, I need to talk to you about something." Lin Chen stood up to offer him a seat, but Yan Bugui didn't sit down. He took out a yellowed account book from the bag: "This is my family's income and expenditure account, as well as records of the children's tuition and living expenses. Could you take a look and tell me how we can save money?"
Everyone was somewhat surprised. Yan Bugui used to cherish his account book above all else, never letting anyone see it. Yan Bugui said somewhat awkwardly, "I used to always be calculating with the children, but now that Jie Cheng has moved to the company dormitory and Jie Di is getting married soon, I realize that no amount of money can compare to having the children by my side." Lin Chen took the account book and carefully flipped through it. The records were densely packed, even down to the smallest expense. "Teacher Yan," Lin Chen pointed to an expense in the account book, "you could buy the stationery for the children in bulk each month; that would save a lot of money. Also, you could replace the kerosene lamps with biogas lamps; they'd be cheaper and brighter."
Yan Bugui quickly took out a pen to write it down, repeatedly expressing his gratitude: "Master Lin is so resourceful! I used to only focus on short-term gains and overlooked these labor-saving methods." He paused, then added, "I heard that Qin Huairu is opening a sewing shop. If she needs bookkeeping or cost calculations, I can help her, free of charge!" Qin Huairu smiled and said, "That's wonderful. Teacher Yan is an educated person; I feel relieved with your help."
After dinner, Lin Chen returned to his small room. He had just turned on the lamp when he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he saw Sha Zhu, who was carrying a lunchbox and looked somewhat embarrassed. "Little Lin, I...I came to thank you." Lin Chen invited him in, and Sha Zhu placed the lunchbox on the table. "This is some braised pork I made. Try it. Before, I was kept in the dark by Yi Zhonghai. I always thought he was genuinely good to me, treating him like a father. It wasn't until after his accident that I realized he just wanted me to take care of him in his old age."
Lin Chen opened the lunchbox, and a fragrant aroma wafted out. He poured Sha Zhu a cup of hot water: "Brother Zhu, let bygones be bygones. You're not a bad person, just too honest." Sha Zhu took a sip of the hot water and sighed: "I've already resigned from the canteen. I went for an interview at the military guesthouse you recommended, Chef Lin. They said I can start next Monday, and the pay is much better than the canteen." Lin Chen nodded: "The military guesthouse has a lot of customers, so your cooking skills will definitely come in handy. Work hard, and things will only get better."
Before leaving, Sha Zhu hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "Yi Zhonghai asked someone in prison to pass on a message, wanting me to go see him. I... I'm a bit conflicted, I don't know if I should go." Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, "Go ahead, after all, he helped you before. But remember, don't let his words affect you again, you have to rely on yourself to live your life." Sha Zhu nodded, his eyes becoming much more determined: "I understand, thank you, Lin."
After Sha Zhu left, Lin Chen opened the system panel, which displayed: "Repairing the forging press has completed the technical breakthrough, earning 800 points. System level has been upgraded to level 7, unlocking the 'Equipment Improvement Blueprint' function." He clicked to unlock, and a "Fully Automated Forging Production Line Improvement Blueprint" appeared on the panel, detailing the equipment structure, material selection, and assembly process. Lin Chen's eyes lit up. This blueprint could perfectly solve the problem of insufficient production capacity in the workshop. If it could be implemented, the efficiency of the forging workshop could be doubled.
Over the next few days, Lin Chen devoted himself entirely to perfecting the blueprint. He revised the blueprint multiple times, taking into account the actual conditions of the workshop, adjusting the equipment dimensions to fit the workshop layout, and replacing some precision parts with models that the workshop could produce. Zhou Jianguo, upon learning of his ideas, fully supported him, not only allocating a dedicated drafting room for him but also assigning two technicians to assist him in drawing up the blueprints.
Qin Huairu's sewing shop opened smoothly. On opening day, Lin Chen brought his workshop colleagues to support her, Yan Bugui volunteered to help with the bookkeeping, and Liu Haizhong and his son Liu Guangtian even helped hang up the signboard. Looking at the customers coming and going in the sewing shop, Qin Huairu's face showed a long-lost smile. She finally understood that earning money with her own hands was more reassuring than any calculation.
A week later, Lin Chen brought the revised blueprint to the district's industrial bureau. After reviewing it, Wang Deshun excitedly slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "Master Lin, this blueprint is invaluable! If we can achieve fully automated production, our district's forging industry will reach a new level! The district has decided to allocate 5,000 yuan to you to support your equipment research and development. Just let us know what manpower and materials you need!"
With the district's support, research and development work commenced immediately. Lin Chen selected five key technical personnel, including Liu Guangtian, to form a research and development team, and set up a dedicated research and development area next to the workshop. Every day before dawn, he would arrive at the workshop to work with his team members to debug parts and assemble equipment, not returning home until late at night. The neighbors in the courtyard also witnessed this. Qin Huairu would bring the research and development team hot meals every day, Yan Bugui helped calculate research and development costs, and Liu Haizhong used his experience to help solve problems in the forging process.
Late that night, Lin Chen and his team completed the final equipment debugging. When the fully automated forging production line successfully started operating and the first qualified part fell from the conveyor belt, the R&D team members excitedly embraced each other, tears welling in their eyes. Lin Chen looked at the running equipment, his heart filled with a sense of accomplishment.