Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

After the mutual flattery, Minister Jiang seemed to have just noticed the group of people standing next to him. He turned his gentle gaze to Zhu Hongjie and extended his hand as well.

"Director Zhu, your factory has produced an extraordinary talent!"

Zhu Hongjie was so excited that his cheeks flushed slightly. He quickly clasped his hands in his, and his waist bent slightly unconsciously: "Minister, you flatter me. This is all thanks to the care of the ministry leaders and Director Zheng's discerning eye. Our factory has provided Comrade Li Feng with a platform."

"In the end, the second phase of the project is what it is today thanks to Comrade Li Feng, who worked tirelessly day and night in the workshop under pressure!"

His words were perfectly watertight, flattering the leader while highlighting Li Feng's central position, subtly concealing his own contribution as factory director within the phrase "providing a platform."

Minister Jiang nodded in satisfaction, then shook hands with Wu Qing and several other key factory cadres, offering them words of encouragement.

After some pleasantries, everyone's eyes once again focused on Li Feng.

The main event is about to begin.

Li Feng understood immediately, made a "please" gesture, and said in a steady and powerful voice: "Minister, Director Zheng, leaders, please follow me. The new workshop for the second phase of the project is just ahead."

The group followed Li Feng through a corridor connecting the old and new factory buildings.

On this side of the corridor is the familiar workshop of the first phase of the project. The air is filled with the smell of clay and coal ash. The roar of the machines is chaotic yet powerful. Workers in blue work clothes are busy at their respective posts. Everything is full of the industrial atmosphere unique to that era.

When they pushed open the heavy iron door at the end of the corridor, a completely different world suddenly unfolded before them.

"hiss--"

Even seasoned leaders like Minister Jiang and Zheng Guowei, with their vast experience, couldn't help but gasp when they saw the scene before them.

The workshop in front of me is so different!

The ground was a smooth, flat cement floor, with clear area division lines and safety passages painted in yellow paint, so smooth that it reflected people's images.

The overhead light tubes were arranged neatly, illuminating the entire space as bright as day, with almost no dark corners visible.

What's most impressive is the automated production line that winds its way through the center of the workshop.

It is no longer the rough-looking mechanical assembly with exposed gears and chains like in the first phase of the project.

The main body of the second-phase production line is encased in a silver-gray metal shell, with smooth and simple lines, full of modern industrial design.

The conveyor belt runs smoothly, and standard ceramic blanks are picked up, rotated, and placed by the robotic arm in a precise and gentle manner, flowing orderly to the next process.

There were hardly any workers to be seen in the entire workshop.

Only a handful of young technicians in brand-new work clothes were standing in front of several control console-like devices, intently staring at the instruments and indicator lights on them.

There was no choking dust in the air, only a faint smell of engine oil.

It wasn't a deafening noise in my ears, but a rhythmic "humming" sound, like the hum of a machine in operation, which even sounded somewhat pleasant.

This doesn't look like a ceramics factory workshop at all! You could easily believe it's a national-level precision instrument research institute!
"This...this is the second phase of the project?" Zheng Guowei's voice trembled slightly, and he stared wide-eyed as if looking at a work of art.

He had anticipated that the second phase would be very advanced, but he never expected it to be this advanced! It was like a product of two completely different eras compared to the first phase of the project in his memory!
Li Feng nodded and began his explanation, his voice echoing clearly in the somewhat empty workshop.

"Yes, Minister Jiang, Director Zheng, this is the fully automated production line for our second phase of the project."

He pointed to one end of the production line, "From the automatic proportioning, mixing, and sieving of the clay, to the automatic shaping, transfer, and drying of the unglazed clay, and then to the subsequent automatic glazing and preliminary quality inspection, everything is completed in one integrated process by this production line."

"Everyone, please look here," Li Feng led the group to a specific workstation, where a nimble robotic arm, using grippers with soft rubber pads, deftly picked up a freshly formed teacup blank from the conveyor belt and placed it steadily onto another conveyor belt next to it. The entire process was smooth and seamless, without the slightest pause or shaking.

"This step requires an experienced master craftsman to operate in the first phase of the project. He needs to be both fast and steady, otherwise it is easy to damage the embryo."

“Now, through mechanical structures and pneumatic control, we have achieved full automation, which is three times more efficient than manual labor and the defect rate is almost zero.” Minister Jiang and Zheng Guowei watched intently, their expressions of shock growing stronger.

Zhu Hongjie, Wu Qing, and the others followed behind. Although it wasn't the first time they'd seen it, each time they did, a sense of pride welled up within them. Especially seeing the two bigwigs in the department looking so naive and unsophisticated made them feel incredibly pleased.

"Comrade Li Feng, I have a question," Minister Jiang suddenly spoke, his gaze sharp as an eagle, pointing straight to the heart of the matter. "I can see that the entire design concept of the second phase of the project has undergone a fundamental change compared to the first phase. This is no longer a simple improvement; in a sense, it can be described as a complete overhaul. Could you share your thoughts?"

That's a very good question.

Everyone looked at Li Feng, waiting for his answer.

Li Feng smiled slightly, as if he had expected the minister to ask this question.

He led everyone to the central control panel of the production line, pointed to the rows of neatly arranged buttons and indicator lights, and a reserved area next to it covered by a metal panel, and said unhurriedly:
"Minister, you are right. My concept for the second phase of the project was different from that of the first phase from the very beginning of the design."

"The goal of the first phase of the project was 'mechanization,' which was to replace human labor with machines. The goal of the second phase of the project is 'automation,' which is to control machines with systems."

He paused, then reached out and gently tapped the area sealed by the metal cover, producing a crisp sound.

"The core of this change lies here."

“Our production line has standardized data transmission and control interfaces reserved at all key nodes. Currently, we use relays and preset mechanical programs to control its operation. But! This is only temporary.”

Li Feng's eyes shone with a light that transcended time—a certainty and confidence in the future.

"Once our own computer control system is developed, we can directly access these interfaces."

"At that time, we will only need to input the program in the control room to adjust and optimize the production parameters, product types and production rhythm of the entire production line in real time."

"This is the true complete form of the second phase of the project—the digital intelligent production line."

Computer control system!
Digital intelligent production line!

These two terms seemed like a fantasy to everyone present.

What is a computer? It's a treasure that only the nation's top research institutions possess, more precious than gold. It's a vital national instrument used to calculate missile trajectories and atomic bomb data!

Use it... to control a production line to produce ceramic bowls and cups?

This...this is simply unheard of, something I wouldn't even dare to imagine!
However, when Li Feng uttered these words so calmly and confidently, they carried an undeniable persuasive power.

Minister Jiang and Zheng Guowei exchanged a glance, both seeing indescribable shock and excitement in each other's eyes.

They previously thought Li Feng was just a technical genius and a capable leader.

But only now, standing before this production line that shimmers with the light of the future, and listening to Li Feng's grand vision, do they truly realize that they may have greatly underestimated this young man.

What he has mastered and what he has thought about has gone beyond the scope of "technology".

This is a completely new industrial concept, a revolutionary idea that is capable of overturning the existing production model!

Zheng Guowei felt his heart pounding wildly, and a surge of heat rushed to his head.

He knew, he knew it completely! Pushing Li Feng into this position against all odds was the best decision he had ever made in his life!
Minister Jiang, an old man who had dedicated his life to the industrial front, was experiencing a great deal of turmoil in his heart at this moment.

He looked at Li Feng with a complex expression, a mixture of admiration, amazement, and above all, immense satisfaction at seeing the future hope for the nation's industry.

He knew that from this day forward, starting with the second-phase production line of the Five Star Ceramics Factory, the entire Ministry of Light Industry, and even the entire industrial sector of the Republic, would undergo a profound and transformative change because of this young man named Li Feng! (End of Chapter)