The Grandmother in the Siheyuan

Chapter 221 There is rice but no pot
Liu Hua was directing the technicians to adjust the rolling mill. Li Huaide was walking around and watched Liu Hua constantly typing data on the computer with a pen. He walked over.

"When I went to deliver this this time, I saw that although your chief engineer was happy, he seemed to have many troubles. He even complained to an outsider like me."

Liu Hua smiled and said, "He must be very upset to be pouring out his troubles to you."

"That's right. You told me that there is still no 50,000-ton hydraulic press. Even if you make a new aluminum alloy material, you won't be able to forge it successfully."

Liu Hua paused for a moment, then started calculating again: "There is no other way. Our heavy industry foundation is weak. But there are so many problems in front of us. We can solve them one by one. If it doesn't work, I will do it myself and build a 50,000-ton hydraulic press."

"You can do this, too?"

Liu Hua shook his head: "No, if it's not difficult, can't I learn it? Just like semiconductors, I didn't know how to do it at the beginning, but now I'm a professor of semiconductors at Huaqing University and the chief engineer of my country's supercomputer project."

"That's what I admire most about you. You always have a strong desire for knowledge." Li Huaide gave a thumbs up. "When I was the factory director, I was also always learning, but there is a big gap between me and you. It may also be because I am old. I really can't understand some books."

Rolling aluminum alloy plates is a very quick process. Existing rolling mills can roll aluminum alloy plates. They just need to adjust the parameters.

The qualified aluminum alloy plates were transported directly to Shanghai by special train, and passed a series of tests by Shanghai Aircraft Design Institute and successfully passed the acceptance.

Aluminum alloy ingots were also shipped together and of course passed the acceptance inspection, but when the chief engineer saw these aluminum alloy ingots, he could only sigh in despair.

The stuff is good and can definitely become the keel of the Y-10, but now there is no 50,000-ton hydraulic press, so it is impossible to produce a qualified keel.

This is like a hungry person who wants to eat, but finds that the seeds he planted have just sprouted, and the aluminum alloy ingots in front of him are useless, tasteless to eat and a pity to throw away.

"No wonder Engineer Liu took the initiative to research aluminum alloys." The chief engineer shook his head and said to the deputy chief engineer, "He is really capable. He has already developed aluminum alloys in less than nine months. However, we don't even have the design drawings for the 50,000-ton hydraulic press that we urgently need."

"Jiangnan Shipyard and Shanghai First Heavy Industry have not slacked off either. They were able to develop a 10,000-ton hydraulic press back then, which shows that they have the technology. Now, compared with 10,000 tons, the technology of 50,000 tons is much more advanced. It's not as simple as one plus one equals two."

"Comparing people will make you die, and comparing goods will make you throw them away." The chief engineer sighed and said, "If they can solve the problem like Engineer Liu, then we won't have to worry about large aircraft."

The deputy chief engineer nodded and said, "Yes, it would be great if everyone could be like Engineer Liu. Well, can Engineer Liu design a 5-ton hydraulic press?"

"Are you kidding me? How could Engineer Liu design a 50,000-ton hydraulic press?"

The deputy chief engineer smiled and shook his head. "I'm really not talking nonsense. I don't know if you have read Engineer Liu's resume. I have. He has designed rolling mills, converters, and CNC machine tools. He is a versatile person. What if he can design a 50,000-ton hydraulic press?"

The chief engineer was shocked: "Really? Is Engineer Liu so versatile?"

"And I have a feeling that this kid hasn't tried his best yet." The deputy chief engineer said with a smile: "He is too young and has a strong learning ability, so I suspect he is still hiding something." The chief engineer thought for a while and said: "Let's go to Beijing and have a good chat with him to see if we can persuade him to join the 50,000-ton hydraulic press project."

The chief designer of the Y-10 had to fly to Beijing in the middle of the night. What should he do if there were no civilian flights? He just flew there on a military plane. Of course, they definitely talked more than just about work with Liu Hua. As the chief designer of a project, they not only had to carry out design, but also coordinate various aspects. Therefore, they also had to coordinate work with various departments when they went to Beijing this time.

Liu Hua got up early in the morning and prepared to continue working at the steel rolling mill. The aluminum alloy he wanted was produced, and there were some unexpected surprises, so he has been studying those unexpected surprises these days.

Unexpectedly, just as he arrived at the factory gate, he was startled by a car horn. He saw the car window rolled down, and the chief engineer of the Y-10 was waving at him from inside.

Chief Designer Mr. Ma was from Liangxi and spoke with a Jiangnan accent. He was an extremely patriotic man who was determined to explore the path of independent design of large aircraft. Not long after the Y-10 was discontinued, Mr. Ma passed away.

Liu Hua got into the car, and Mr. Ma was the only one inside. After seeing Liu Hua go in, the driver opened the door and went out, leaving them with an independent space.

"Mr. Liu, you have done a great job on the aluminum alloy project." Mr. Ma first praised Liu Hua's work: "As the saying goes, a good cook cannot cook without rice. Now we have rice, but no pot."

"You mean the 50,000-ton hydraulic press?"

Mr. Ma nodded. "Yes, without a 50,000-ton hydraulic press, the quality of the aircraft keel cannot be guaranteed. However, Jiangnan Shipyard and Shanghai First Heavy Industry have not come up with an effective design so far, which is a waste of your work."

"Alas." Liu Hua shook his head and sighed: "In terms of modern heavy industry construction, we have always lagged behind the West. There is nothing we can do about it. Who made us have such a weak foundation?"

"After reading your resume, the deputy chief engineer suggested that you be transferred to the 50,000-ton hydraulic press project."

Liu Hua closed his eyes and thought for a while, then nodded and said, "Of course I have no choice but to do it, but I want Jiangnan Shipyard to learn how to make a 10,000-ton hydraulic press first. After all, I have no experience in this area."

“I can coordinate this.”

"I won't go to Jiangnan to work either, my daughter has just been born." Liu Hua said tentatively: "My parents are old, so I hope to adopt the model of the Y-10 project and summarize the work every once in a while."

Mr. Ma nodded and said, "I understand that you want to balance family life. This is human nature. I have served my country well throughout my life, but I feel guilty about my family. I don't want you to go back to your old ways."

"Thank you for your understanding, sir."

"When are you going to study at Jiangnan Shipyard?"

Liu Hua thought for a moment and said, "Let me summarize the work I have on hand. I also want to write two articles and submit them. Give me half a month. Once I finish my work here, I will fly to the Magic City immediately."

(End of this chapter)