Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 400 Advanced Version: Nationwide Coverage
A white cabinet with a volume of about ten cubic meters is a specialized piece of equipment for silicon carbide vapor deposition.

However, if you break it down, 70% of the space inside can't be called core technology; it's just conventional functional structure and some space redundancy to ensure the integrity of the device.

Zhai Da even found many domestically produced components inside.

The remaining 30% is the core, which either requires a unique structural design or the components are extremely difficult to manufacture.

The so-called "technological leadership" may only refer to a very small number of components in a huge piece of equipment, such as a few heat insulation materials, a few sensors, and a few nozzles made of special materials and with special precision.

Then, with the addition of good industrial design, they are integrated together to achieve stable performance.

Industrial structural design holds no secrets for him; he simply needs to circumvent patent issues.

He had more intuitive and specific information than the original design team, and if he understood it well, he could even optimize it.

Therefore, the focus is still on "core components".

Zhai Da silently calculated the number of "core components," which was approximately 98 in 13 major categories.

It covers special ceramic components, linked gas path assemblies, reaction chamber debugging structures, and various high-precision sensors and controllers.

Moreover, there are still many domestically produced equipment in this area.

Here we must mention the issue of modern industrial chains. Japan is still a representative of the high end of global manufacturing, but its size and resources dictate that it can only adopt a "small but widespread" model.

Small: Small in scale, only producing parts with high cutting-edge technology content.

Wide: The supply chain is extensive, relying on the supply chain to obtain intermediate products and most components.

In a Nikon camera, a representative of Japanese manufacturing, no more than 10% of the components are actually made in Japan.

This is the allure of globalization: it infinitely increases the proportion of "technology," while compressing the value of "production."

A very small number of people can control the distribution of enormous value.

If you add "financialization" and "cultural hegemony" to the mix, it's safe to say that it's invincible and can dominate the entire world.

For example, luxury goods exported to Italy with just a few nails can increase in value 1000 times.

However, the inherent nature of globalization and corporate profit-seeking can also lead to internal industrial transfer and hollowing out, squeezing the survival space of domestic low value-added enterprises and driving the industrial workforce to shift towards the service sector, because so many are no longer needed.

According to Western rules, technology and production should be separated, with technology, elites, and capital remaining in the country, while production, pollution, and labor are handed over to others.

The essence of globalization is by no means "universal harmony"; the essence of globalization remains the essence of capital.

They're just after profit.

But this also gives other countries the opportunity to develop rapidly by relying on their own endowments and institutional advantages.

They probably never imagined that one day a civilization would possess both "technology" and "production," be able to perpetually adhere to the path of industrialization, be able to resist the temptation of capitalism in the general direction, and be able to steadfastly improve productivity.

Under pressure from public opinion and intellectuals, they were forced to embark on the path of "all domestically produced goods," as if failing to manufacture something would be a national disgrace.
With a domestic production rate of 30%, it's like doing manual labor, a low human rights advantage!

With a domestic production rate of 70%, we are essentially being held back by technological bottlenecks. We must face this gap squarely!
With a 99% domestic production rate, that 1% is the most important one. Brother, you still need to practice!

Theoretically, having seen through this logic, Zhai Da should not have been influenced by it. But on the contrary, Zhai Da not only saw through the blindness of the current trend, but also saw the future.

The rules of globalization will eventually be brutally torn apart; abandoning illusions and preparing for struggle is what his generation should do.

Given the sensitivity of the semiconductor industry and the enabling effect of silicon carbide, it is inevitable that it will be targeted in the future.

Zhai Da's name will inevitably appear in the White House's selection process, and may even appear repeatedly.

People shouldn't wait until rats have bitten their crotches before they think of buying rat poison.

For the silicon carbide semiconductor project team, he may not pursue "all self-production", but he must pursue "all domestic production".

It's the same in every industry.

Are you done with "globalization"? How about checking out the new version, "nationalization"?
Domestically produced across the entire industry chain, all categories, and the entire supply chain!
Zhai Da closed his eyes and concentrated, using the white model world and telekinesis to help him fully experience the equipment in front of him.

He had studied the domestic industry situation with his teacher, and was especially familiar with the areas he might be involved in.

He quickly processed the relevant information in his mind, then pulled out paper and pen from the small pocket on the chest of his cleanroom suit and began to write and draw, pausing occasionally.

In half an hour, Zhai Dajian compiled a long list, which contained all the component requirements for the silicon carbide CVD equipment. He then looked down at it for a long time, marking each item on the list with symbols such as crosses, checkmarks, triangles, and question marks.

The "X" represents something unimportant and unnecessary to concern oneself with; it can be made in roadside workshops, such as the outer shell, connectors, or pure material parts.

The checkmark indicates that it is important, but there is no problem with its localization. In fact, TEL uses Chinese-made components.

The triangle represents something that cannot be replaced domestically for the time being, and requires tackling key problems or further consultation with relevant suppliers, who may have the technological reserves.

The last question mark indicates doubt and requires further investigation. This is the most common type. One must be rigorous in one's work and not make assumptions.

After Zhai Da drew a triangle on the last project, the lab door opened, and Sun Ting, who had been rewrapped into a zongzi (rice dumpling), returned.

"President, your food is outside."

"Okay, I'll eat in a bit."

"I added a chicken leg for you!"

"Uh, thank you."

Sun Ting glanced at the equipment's progress: "Huh? How come it's already 8 micrometers? That's faster than I expected. Is this broken equipment really pushing its limits today?"

The reason, of course, lies with Zhai Da.

As he discovered during his "scan," the already tiny aperture of the gas phase nozzle was blocked by about 20% due to crystallization.

It affects not only speed but also uniformity.

Normally, this thing can't be repaired; it's a non-removable part. It's been used for several years, and nobody even knows what the nozzle looks like. The only option is to call the Japanese to replace it with a new one. It's not unreasonable to charge tens of thousands of dollars for an alloy nozzle, right?
Travel expenses, labor costs, and technical guidance fees combined, several hundred thousand is not an exaggeration, right?
When guests arrive, it's perfectly reasonable to have a few drinks and sing a few songs.
However, Zhai Da only used his skills slightly, and the minor problem that was locked in the black box and could not be repaired disappeared.

Zhai Da gestured: "I'm going to eat, I'll be back in a bit."

I put the paper back into my small pocket and went to the changing room to change my clothes.

Eating is not allowed in the lab, and in principle, not even in the changing room. So Zhai Da simply took his takeout and ate it standing up in the stairwell. After finishing, he quickly went back to continue working.

The thought of kicking a Japanese man's ass made him unable to afford to waste any more time!
If I can get all the parts, I can try assembling it myself.

This is also one of his strengths.

Surely no one really thinks that TEL produces these big machines, which sell only a few units a year, using an automated assembly line?

They are all made by combining parts and precision assembly and debugging, including the famous extreme ultraviolet lithography machine.
The most automated production processes are parts, but parts cannot perform photolithography or vapor phase epitaxy on their own.

Human hands can never be replaced, especially in highly sophisticated fields.

My grandfather's words are becoming increasingly valuable.

First, make do with what you have and try to get a prototype out of it. Then, refine the technical details, plan for mass production, and reduce costs.

The process of manufacturing silicon carbide motors and the equipment used to manufacture them is the same.

Lost in thought, Zhai Da's hands wandered, and the chicken leg he was holding accidentally fell to the ground.

Fortunately, just as the chicken leg was about to hit the ground, it was lifted up again by an invisible force.

Thank goodness! If I didn't have superpowers, I would have almost lost a big chicken leg.

From now on, even Earth's gravity won't be able to snatch food from my hands!

Just as he was feeling smug, the stairwell door was suddenly pushed open.

Ge Qiaoqiao: "President, I'm here! I heard you were here."

Left with no other choice, Zhai Da had to make the chicken leg, which had already floated up, fall back to the ground. Otherwise, his telekinesis would be exposed.

"Huh? What?"

"You owe me a chicken leg."

Ge Qiaoqiao:
What does this have to do with me?!

(End of this chapter)