78: Bringing his wife and children to Harbin Institute of Technology

"Professor Cai supports this."

"I know Professor Cai, he's a veteran expert."

Engineer Zhang turned around and introduced the two people behind him.

"This is Xiao Wang, and this is Xiao Sun, technicians from the Equipment Department of the Provincial Military Region. We've come today to see your composite materials production line in person."

Ye Bingwen led them into the new factory building.

Master Li has cleaned the workshop spotless.

The molds were neatly stacked on the shelf, and several finished composite material boards were placed on the worktable.

Engineer Zhang took a walk around the workshop.

Xiao Wang took out his notebook and started taking notes as he read.

Xiao Sun squatted in front of the press, using a flashlight to inspect the hydraulic lines.

"Xiao Ye, did you modify this press yourself?"

Zhang asked.

"Yes. It was an old piece of equipment. We repaired it ourselves, replaced the seals, and modified the heating system."

"The PID controller was made for us by graduate students from Harbin Military Engineering Institute."

Engineer Zhang nodded.

Xiao Wang walked to the workbench, picked up a composite material board, and examined it from all angles.

"Director Ye, what level of surface finish can you achieve?"

"▽7 and above. Professor Cai tested that batch of auto parts, and the surface roughness Ra is 0.8."

Xiao Wang made a note in his notebook.

Xiao Sun stood up from next to the press.

"Director Ye, how is the pressure holding performance of your press?"

"18 MPa, pressure maintained for one hour without pressure drop."

"One hour?"

Xiao Sun was a little skeptical.

"Master Li, show it to him."

Master Li started the press, placed a piece of waste material on the worktable, and pressurized it to 18 MPa.

The pressure gauge needle remained steadily at that position.

Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes.

Xiao Sun kept staring at the pressure gauge, but the pointer didn't move an inch.

"Alright."

Xiao Sun nodded.

"That's definitely possible."

Engineer Zhang followed Ye Bingwen to the office.

He took a document out of his briefcase and placed it on the table.

"Xiao Ye, I won't beat around the bush. The Equipment Department of the Provincial Military Region is working on a new project."

"We need a batch of high-precision composite material shells. The requirements are a level higher than your current military products."

"Temperature resistance increased from 120 degrees to 180 degrees, impact resistance doubled, and surface finish required to be ▽8 or higher."

Ye Bingwen flipped through the document; the technical requirements were listed very clearly, one by one.

"Mr. Zhang, when do we need this project?"

"Three months. Samples will be delivered in three months, and mass production will begin once they pass inspection."

Ye Bingwen remained silent for a few seconds.

Three months is a very tight timeframe.

The current formula can only withstand temperatures up to 140 degrees Celsius; to increase it to 180 degrees Celsius, it needs to be readjusted.

Doubling the impact resistance requires more than just changing the formula; it may also require changing the reinforcing materials.

"Mr. Zhang, could you give me a week to come up with a preliminary plan?"

"Yes. I'll come pick up the proposal in a week."

Engineer Zhang stood up.

"Xiao Ye, this project isn't something I can decide on my own. The higher-ups are watching, and the lower-ups are observing."

"If you can make it, you'll get the lion's share of the orders from the provincial military region in the future."

"I know."

"Good to know."

Zhang picked up his briefcase.

See you in a week.

Ye Bingwen escorted them to the door.

Master Li came out of the workshop and watched the car drive away.

"Xiao Ye, can you take this project?"

"able."

Ye Bingwen lit a cigarette.

"But it's not easy."

"So, what do we do?"

"Let's talk about it when Xiao Chen arrives."

Chen An arrived in the afternoon.

Ye Bingwen showed him the technical requirements of the provincial military region.

Chen An glanced at it and frowned.

"Temperature resistance of 180 degrees Celsius? The current formula can only reach 140 degrees Celsius. To increase it by 40 degrees, both the resin and the hardener need to be changed."

"Change to what?"

"If you replace the phenolic resin with a modified phenolic resin, you also need to change the curing agent to a high-temperature type. Professor Cai's lab has the formula ready-made."

"But I haven't made any large-scale samples."

Chen paused for a moment.

"Doubling the impact resistance is not enough by simply changing the formula."

"We may need to replace fiberglass with carbon fiber, or we may need to weave a mixture of fiberglass and carbon fiber."

"How much does carbon fiber cost?"

"It's expensive. Ten times more expensive than fiberglass. But the amount used is small; a few hundred yuan is enough for making a sample."

Ye Bingwen thought for a moment.

"Xiao Chen, tell Professor Cai to help with the formula. I'll take care of the materials."

"I need to come up with a preliminary plan within a week."

"Okay. I'll talk to Professor Cai when I get back."

Chen An rode away on his bicycle.

Ye Bingwen returned to his office and copied the provincial military district's technical requirements into his notebook.

Temperature resistance: Replace with modified phenolic resin.

Impact resistance: carbon fiber or blended materials.

Surface finish: Mold polishing plus new process.

Timeframe: Three months.

After he finished writing, he closed the notebook.

It was getting dark.

In the distance, a person rode a bicycle from the dirt road.

A canvas bag was tied to the back seat of the car.

Only when I got closer could I see who it was.

Liu Xiaojun jumped out of the car and said with a smile.

"Uncle Ye! I'm back!"

Ye Bingwen was taken aback.

Wasn't it supposed to be three months? It's only been a month.

"Xiaojun? Why are you back?"

"School's out for a week. I'm coming back to visit."

Liu Xiaojun propped up his bicycle and took out a small notebook from his canvas bag.

"Uncle Ye, look, this is what I've learned. PLC programming, hydraulic transmission, mechatronics, I've memorized it all."

Ye Bingwen took the notebook and flipped through it.

The handwriting is very neat, and the content is very detailed.

"You've learned well."

"Of course. I can't let Uncle Ye down."

Liu Xiaojun looked at the new factory building.

"Uncle Ye, have people from the provincial military region arrived?"

"Here it comes. A new project, with even higher requirements."

"Can I help you?"

"Yes. This week you'll work with Master Li to get the mass production of civilian products up and running."

"I need to focus my energy on developing plans for the new project."

"OK!"

Liu Xiaojun ran into the workshop, and Master Li was stunned when he saw him.

"Hey kid, what brings you back?"

"I'm on holiday! I'll come back to help you with the chores!"

Master Li patted him on the shoulder, his eyes a little red.

Ye Bingwen turned around and went back to his office, where he dialed Professor Cai's number.

"Professor Cai, this is Xiao Ye. The provincial military region's new project requires a temperature resistance of 180 degrees Celsius and double the impact resistance."

"Did Chen An tell you?"

"I already said so. I'm looking up information."

The sound of turning pages came from the other end of the phone.

"Xiao Ye, if you can secure this project, your factory will be firmly established."

"I know. That's why I contacted you."

"I'll take care of the formula. I'll give it to you within a week."

Professor Cai paused for a moment.

"But there is one condition."

"Please speak."

"After the prototype was made, the first one was given to me. I hung it in the lab."

Ye Bingwen smiled.

"Okay. Here's the first one for you."

The week since Liu Xiaojun returned has flown by at the factory.

Every morning, Master Li would take him to operate the press.

Orders for civilian products are already booked until next month, and we need to ship twenty items a day.