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

Ye Bingwen led four people toward the workshop.

"Everyone, this is our workshop."

As he spoke, Ye Bingwen's eyes kept scanning the expressions of the four people.

After all, these people are all big shots.

Unbeknownst to them, Wang Jianguo, who had been walking behind Ye Bingwen, had moved to the front.

Professor Zhang followed beside him, his gaze fixed on the roof of the workshop.

Some of the asbestos tiles there were newly replaced, and their color was different from the surrounding tiles.

Although he had doubts, he also understood that now was not the time to ask.

Engineer Sun and his secretary, Xiao Zhou, walked at the back, one carrying a briefcase and the other taking photos with a camera.

Soon, everyone arrived at the workshop.

As soon as I entered, I saw Master Li standing in front of the milling machine processing parts.

When Mr. Li saw someone come in, he only glanced at them before lowering his head and continuing to work.

Upon seeing this, Wang Jianguo, who was walking at the front, couldn't help but walk over to check on the other person.

After a long pause, Wang Jianguo couldn't help but ask, "Master, how many years have you been doing this?"

Master Li didn't look up, but answered with a single sentence.

"It's been thirty years, hasn't it?"

After finishing speaking, he had almost finished processing the parts in his hand, so he put them down and looked up at Wang Jianguo.

"Sir, are you here for an inspection? Or...?"

Wang Jianguo didn't answer him, but instead asked, "This bed is older than you've been working here, isn't it?"

Master Li shook his head with a bitter smile: "Of course, it's a product from the 1960s, several years older than me."

Wang Jianguo nodded, said nothing more, and continued walking into the workshop.

Meanwhile, Chen An stood next to the testing station, with a stack of test reports in front of him.

Before he could even organize the documents, Professor Zhang walked over, picked up a document, flipped through it, and then asked:

"Did you conduct this test yourself?"

"Yes, Professor Zhang, every batch of products has complete testing records."

"Where's the testing equipment?"

Chen An pointed to the instruments next to him: "Hardness tester, calipers, micrometer, these are all standard."

Professor Zhang looked at the instruments and found that they were all ordinary domestic models, but the instruments were well maintained and kept very clean.

Professor Zhang said nothing and put the report back.

Liu Xiaojun stood next to the two mixers.

Wang Jianguo saw him from afar.

Wang Jianguo walked over with a smile and greeted him:

"Xiao Liu, where's your baby?"

Liu Xiaojun pointed to the two machines next to him.

"Here it is, Director Wang."

Wang Jianguo squatted down and looked at the old motor; the nameplate was still on it.

[Made by Shenyang Electric Machinery Factory in 1987]

"Is this the one you picked up from the junkyard?"

"Yes, twenty yuan."

Wang Jianguo stood up, turned to Professor Zhang, and greeted him:

"Old Zhang, take a look."

Professor Zhang also walked over and squatted down. He didn't look at the motor, but looked at the dispersing plate.

Professor Zhang turned the dispersion plate around and looked at the welded joints.

Who made this disk?

"It was processed with the help of the Harbin Institute of Technology laboratory; it's made of stainless steel."

"Where are the blueprints?"

Then Liu Xiaojun carefully took out a crumpled notebook from his pocket, turned to that page, and handed it to Professor Zhang.

Professor Zhang took a look at it. The drawings were rough, but thankfully the dimensions were clearly marked.

He returned the notebook to Liu Xiaojun without saying a word, but gave Liu Xiaojun a meaningful look.

On the other side, Engineer Sun remained motionless, standing a few meters away watching this side, his briefcase still in his hand.

Ye Bingwen noticed that Engineer Sun was acting strangely, but he did not make any rash moves, asking nothing or saying anything.

Ye Bingwen led Wang Jianguo further in, and when they reached the isolation ditch, Wang Jianguo stopped and asked Ye Bingwen:

"Is this what you dug up?"

"Yes, it's thirty centimeters deep and ten centimeters wide, filled with dry sand."

Professor Zhang squatted down and reached out to touch the edge of the ditch.

Who designed it?

"We followed the plan proposed by Professor Zhao from Harbin Institute of Technology."

"How's the result?"

"The vibration error has been reduced from 0.8 micrometers to 0.08 micrometers."

Professor Zhang stood up and looked at Ye Bingwen with a complex expression in his eyes.

"For a school-run factory like yours to control the vibration to this level is not easy."

Ye Bingwen did not respond, but simply nodded in response.

Wang Jianguo spent nearly an hour walking around the workshop, looking at each workstation and asking questions about each piece of equipment.

Ye Bingwen also kept an eye on Engineer Sun, and he noticed that Engineer Sun followed behind without saying a word.

After inspecting the workshop, Ye Bingwen led the four men toward the office, intending to engage in some friendly banter and also to find out if they had any other business besides the site visit.

Upon entering the office, I found it to be small, with several tables pushed together and Liu Xiaojun's award certificates hanging on the wall.

Zheng Shuyun arrived at the office early to prepare the tea.

Ye Bingwen gestured for him to sit down.

Wang Jianguo sat down, picked up his cup, took a sip of water, and then spoke:

"Xiao Ye, how many people work in your factory?"

"Including me, there are twenty-six of us."

"Where are the technicians?"

"Chen An is an undergraduate student at Harbin Institute of Technology, Liu Xiaojun graduated from a technical school, Master Li is a veteran worker, and the others are all apprentices."

Professor Zhang put down his cup and continued asking questions.

"Who developed the formula for your carbon fiber composite materials?"

"We figured it out ourselves, and Professor Cai's lab helped with the testing."

"Is the toughening formula also included?"

"Yes."

Professor Zhang did not ask any further questions.

At this moment, Wang Jianguo turned to look at Engineer Sun, raised an eyebrow, and then asked:

"Old Sun, what do you want to ask?"

Engineer Sun seemed to have received some signal and spoke, which was the first time he had spoken since he entered the room.

What is the largest size of the products you've made?

Ye Bingwen was very vigilant because he had been observing Engineer Sun with a vague feeling that something was wrong.

Ye Bingwen thought for a moment and then replied:

"It is 1.2 meters long, 80 centimeters wide, and varies in thickness."

"What's the smallest size?"

"Even something as big as a fingernail is made of composite material."

Have you ever made irregularly shaped parts?

"I've done it, but not many."

After hearing Ye Bingwen's answer, Engineer Sun nodded as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he opened his mouth but said nothing.

Seeing that Engineer Sun didn't continue asking questions, Wang Jianguo then asked a few more questions about production, which Chen Andu answered one by one.

The office fell silent. Wang Jianguo looked at his watch when no one spoke; it was almost eleven o'clock.

Wang Jianguo stood up and said:

"Okay, that's enough for today. We still have somewhere else to go."

Ye Bingwen suddenly breathed a sigh of relief for some reason, then stood up and led a few people out.

As they approached the workshop entrance, Engineer Sun suddenly stopped.

Engineer Sun placed his briefcase on the ground, unzipped it, and took out a blueprint.

Engineer Sun, lying on the toolbox, looked up at Ye Bingwen and said:

"Director Ye, I have an idea."

Ye Bingwen had a bad feeling; something was definitely wrong. He then walked over and looked at the blueprint.

The drawing shows an irregularly shaped part, somewhat like a connector, with several curved surfaces and holes.

The dimensions are clearly marked: 220 mm at the longest, 110 mm at the widest, and 35 mm at the thickest.

The material is labeled as carbon fiber reinforced phenolic resin composite material.

Before Ye Bingwen could fully grasp what Engineer Sun was about to do, Engineer Sun took out a small piece of material from his bag.

Ye Bingwen took a closer look and found that it was carbon fiber prepreg, but the color and texture were different from what Ye Bingwen usually used.

Just as Ye Bingwen was pondering, Engineer Sun looked up at him and said:

"These are materials we need for a project we're currently working on. They might be a little different from what you usually use; the fiber weaving method is different, and the resin content is also different."

"I'd like to see if you can make this piece within two hours using the existing technology."

After Engineer Sun finished speaking, the workshop fell silent.

Master Li stopped what he was doing and looked over here.

Liu Xiaojun opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he said nothing.

Chen An stared at the blueprint, his brows furrowing unconsciously as if he were thinking about something.

Wang Jianguo stood by and watched without saying anything, as if this whole thing had been planned before they came.

Professor Zhang squinted and looked at Ye Bingwen.

Everyone was waiting for Ye Bingwen to make a statement, but Ye Bingwen looked down at the blueprint for more than ten seconds.

Then he raised his head and said:

"Mr. Sun, there's no mold for this part."

"I know."

"It's impossible to open a steel mold within two hours."

"I know."

Ye Bingwen looked down at the blueprints again, and after a long while, he seemed to have made up his mind.

"We can give it a try, but success is not guaranteed."

Wang Jianguo finally spoke.

"Xiao Ye, this was Old Sun's idea on a whim. If it's inconvenient for you, then forget it."

Ye Bingwen thought that something must have happened, which was why he hadn't said anything earlier but was speaking now.

Ye Bingwen then shook his head and said:

"Director Wang, it's not a matter of convenience, it's a matter of whether it can be done."

He then turned around, looked at Chen An, and gave the instructions:

"Chen An, take this drawing and make three copies."

Then, looking at Liu Xiaojun, he said:

"Xiao Jun, go and call Master Li over."

Ye Bingwen was determined to succeed; since he had decided to do it, he would do it beautifully.