Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 531 The Great Debate on General Standards

"Now our factory's vehicles are sold all over the country, but the most authentic and timely feedback comes from the repair shop in Pian'er City."

"I suggest establishing a 'user tracking and feedback team' to collect maintenance records and user feedback, and then use that information to improve design and manufacturing processes."

At this point, a flicker of excitement crossed Chen Luyang's heart.

Once the repair shop can take the lead and become the first officially established "feedback group" in the factory.

That means the repair shop's status will be recognized by the entire factory; it will no longer be just a repair shop, but a link in the factory's institutional chain.

In this way, the repair shop can legitimately stand on equal footing with the assembly and design departments, and their bargaining power can be significantly increased.

Moreover, once this mechanism is running smoothly,

The data originates from the repair shop, is collected at the factory headquarters, and then fed back to the design and process departments. In this process, he, as a junior supervisor, becomes an essential link in the chain.

No matter which workshop or engineer wants to get first-hand market information, they all have to go through him.

This is the benefit.

It's good for the repair shop.
This is even more beneficial for Chen Luyang.

The meeting room fell silent for a moment as soon as he finished speaking.

Cao Qinghang spoke first, tapping the lid of the teacup lightly with his fingers: "Xiao Chen is right."

“Our factory usually relies on data from the test track, but the environment is too idealized. Many problems cannot be seen on the test track, but they will be exposed once the car is on the market. Repair shops deal with broken cars every day, so they can see the problems most directly.”

Hao Fengchun nodded and said in a low voice, "Yes, no matter how beautiful the design drawings are, they are not as practical as a repair shop's repair order."

“Sometimes we think there’s nothing wrong with the design, but once the car goes to the repair shop, all the problems are exposed. If we could compile this data, we could avoid a lot of detours.”

But soon, a technician wearing glasses frowned and raised a question:
"Can a repair shop represent the whole country? The situation in a small town is unique, with its own specific conditions such as fuel quality, road conditions, and climate. If we rely too much on data from one region, we are prone to generalizing from limited information."

A low murmur immediately rose in the conference room.

"That's true. It's freezing cold in the north, while it's humid and hot in the south, and users' car-driving habits are different."

"There are also differences in road conditions. Big cities have paved roads, while small towns still have dirt roads and gravel roads. The intensity of driving is simply incomparable."

"As for oil products, the level and quality of oil refineries vary from place to place. Some are relatively clean, while others have a lot of impurities in their light oil, causing the oil pipelines to get clogged every few days."

"The fact that the problem is concentrated in one place does not mean that the problem is the same in other places."

"Yes, our Jinba cars are selling more and more widely, all over the country."

"I think we can't just focus on one point in Pian'er City, and we can't treat isolated phenomena as universal laws."

“It’s good to set up a team, but don’t end up making the whole factory change just because we look at data from one point.”

……

The meeting room was filled with buzzing sounds, with everyone seemingly able to offer a reasoning.

Chen Luyang immediately said, "I didn't say that repair shops represent everything."

"But at least it represents the most direct and authentic voice of users. Those broken cars and repair orders are the clearest reminders."

"To this day, our factory still doesn't have a single place where we can systematically collect all these things."

"If we can't even grasp this point, then what will we rely on to judge the bigger problems across the country?"

Cao Qinghang chimed in in support: "I think Xiao Chen is right!"

"What we lack is not data, but access. Repair shops deal with broken cars every day. If we don't use the information from the front lines, are we going to wait until all the problems have erupted before taking action?"

Hao Fengchun nodded: "At least it can serve as a supplement. Having more data sources is always better than having less."

At this moment, Wang Qingzhou, who was sitting in the main seat, raised his hand and steadily suppressed the rising murmurs.

Before anyone else could speak, Wang Qingzhou raised her hand: "I support this."

"It's true that repair shops can't represent the whole country. But they're dealing with real, hard-to-resolve user issues."

"Their maintenance records are the most authentic data. Without these voices, we're just making decisions behind closed doors, developing solutions in isolation."

He paused for a moment, then decisively said, "Establish a 'Usage Tracking and Feedback Team,' with the repair shop providing data regularly, summarizing it monthly, and including it in the factory's regular meeting mechanism."

"It's settled then."

With the factory manager's approval, no one else could say anything.

After discussing business, the atmosphere in the meeting room became much more relaxed.

Yu Anshan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked:

"Director Chen, I heard you took the blueprints for the general-purpose parts back to the factory and had the workshop manufacture the parts?"

Chen Luyang said shyly, "Well, the factory has both machines and people, so I took advantage of the factory's resources and made a few sample parts first."

Huang Jianshan smiled and chimed in, "If we can actually develop a universal component someday, it will save us a lot of trouble!"

"Now the factory only produces cars and small trucks, but the parts production is different."

“Things like bolts, bearings, and rubber hoses can be used interchangeably, but when it comes to clutches, rear axles, and brake push rods, the specifications are completely different.”

"The warehouse has to be stocked separately. When repairing cars, we often run out of this or that, and just scheduling takes a lot of time."

"If there were truly universal parts, we could save a significant amount of space in the warehouse, and the assembly process in the workshop and the repair shop could be several times faster."

Although everyone knows that Chen Luyang is in the business of general parts in Pian'er City, they don't know the specifics.

Now that the conversation had gotten to this point, one of the technicians asked curiously, "Director Chen, what's the situation with your general-purpose parts?"

Chen Luyang's expression became more serious: "It's about picking the most easily damaged and common parts, such as ignition coils, brake push rods, and coupling sleeves, and standardizing their specifications and dimensions."

"This way, different models of cars can use the same set of parts, eliminating the need to create a separate mold for each car."

The technician asked doubtfully, "Can it really be used on all cars?"

Compared to ordinary people, technicians are clearly more rational in their attitude towards this matter.

He adjusted his glasses, his tone carrying a calm analysis:
“The parts for each car model are not standardized. Take cars for example, there are more than just us manufacturing cars across the country now.”

"Factories like Dahe, Guang'an, Nan'an Power, and Jiang'an Machinery Factory all followed the foundation of Jiangbian, but none of them simply copied it verbatim." "We developed the fourth-generation car here, with significant reinforcements to the engine and chassis. Dahe modified the suspension and gear ratios to suit the mountainous road conditions; Guang'an went even further, modifying the body and widening the track; and Jiang'an Machinery Factory tampered with the carburetor, adapting the original model to a localized structure."

"As a result, although the car can still run, all the parts are in a mess."

The technician began to give examples as if reciting a familiar list:
“Take the carburetor for example. We use a 32mm diameter here, but Jiang’an insisted on changing it to 40mm. The assembly interface is completely wrong.”

“Take the ignition coil for example. Ours has an 80mm pitch, but Dahe has stretched it to 82mm. They look similar, but if the model is wrong, it just won’t screw on.”

In the past six months, Chen Luyang has collected a large amount of data and information.

However, the machine factory wasn't fighting in the dark either.

Over the past year or so, the factory's workers sent out for sales, besides selling and repairing cars, have also been involved in other tasks.
Each of them conducted targeted investigations of other car manufacturing plants, collecting and bringing back a considerable amount of information.

The technician was skeptical: "Unless the standards are unified nationwide first, it's unrealistic to try to install a single part on all car models."

Chen Luyang is optimistic: "There are no standards now, but once we've made the product, the standards will emerge, right?"

This seemingly casual remark, like a pebble thrown into a lake, created ripples throughout the conference room.

Several senior engineers exchanged glances, and one of them couldn't help but tap his finger lightly on the table.

That's easy to say. There are so many factories across the country, each with its own business. Who gives them the right to set the rules?

Chen Luyang laughed and said, "Rules are all made by people."

“If everyone waits for others to speak first, there will never be a standard. If we don’t try, who will? There has to be a beginning.”

“I don’t make generic parts on a whim.”

He raised his finger and explained point by point: "The core of universal parts is interchangeability. This is not about forcing them to be exactly the same, but about unifying the key dimensions and fit tolerances within a standard range."

"The universal ignition coils made in our repair shop have a uniform mounting hole spacing of 80±0.2 mm, which ensures that the screws are aligned whether it is a small truck or a car."

“In the past, if a car’s coil broke, we had to wait for the original model. Now we can just replace it and drive off.”

After hearing Chen Luyang's words, Hao Fengchun also had doubts:
"Can this part really be replaced with an original one? It saves on materials, but can its durability keep up?"

Chen Luyang explained with a smile: "It's understandable that people are worried about the strength and durability of the materials and processes."

"But we've tried it. We used 42Cr steel for the brake push rod, and after heat treatment, the hardness reached HRC30 or higher. This ensures that the lifespan is on par with the original parts from our factory."

"The rubber gaskets have been replaced with oil- and cold-resistant nitrile rubber, which remains flexible and will not crack even at minus 20 degrees Celsius."

At this moment, a technician in the back row spoke up: "Even if the materials and lifespan can keep up, what about the assembly?"

Chen Luyang looked at the technician.

The man continued, "For universal parts to be compatible with several car models, the key dimensions can only be a compromise."

"If the size is right, it's fine. But if the hole spacing is off by one or two millimeters, the screw holes won't align, and the worker will have to use a hammer. Many parts may also need to be fitted with washers or adapters to be compatible with multiple interfaces, which can turn a five-minute job into fifteen minutes."

"Workers prefer things to be easy to do. If your standard parts become more and more troublesome to assemble, who would want to use them?"

As the conversation progressed, the initial curiosity about common parts gradually transformed into a discussion about them.

Faced with these questions, Chen Luyang showed no dissatisfaction; instead, her eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

The standardization of car parts will inevitably face various criticisms sooner or later if it is to be promoted.

The people sitting in this conference room now are the core force of the machinery factory—the factory director, deputy factory director, general assembly director, key personnel and technical experts from various workshops.

Their perspective is inevitably more profound and demanding than that of ordinary workers.

And that's exactly what Chen Luyang wanted most.

If we can answer these questions one by one here, we will have more confidence when the project is rolled out to the whole factory or even to the market in the future.

Moreover, these discussions can provide new insights into problems that one hasn't yet figured out.

“You’re right. If a common component is difficult to assemble, it’s a failure. But we’re not making the kind of thing that you can just ‘hammer into a hole’.”

He pushed the documents forward, his expression serious: "Take the coupling sleeve for example. The original part has to be aligned with the slide groove before it can be pushed in. Workers often spend a long time trying to figure it out, which is both laborious and time-consuming."

"The universal part we prototyped has changed the slot structure to 'beveled corner + guide groove', so it can be aligned by itself as long as you push it in the right direction."

"The workers can install it in two minutes, even faster than the original. Even Uncle Zhang himself said, 'Only if it can be replaced quickly can it be truly universal.'"

As soon as Chen Luyang finished speaking, the technician immediately asked a question:
“While ‘beveling and guide grooves’ can solve assembly problems, don’t forget about wear resistance.”

"Workers try to save effort and insert parts quickly, but if the guide surface wears out too quickly, the parts will not fit properly after two months, and they will still have to be repaired."

Suddenly, Chen Luyang, who had been speaking eloquently, was taken aback.

The technician continued, "In repair shops, workers don't have the opportunity to wipe their hands every day. Their hands are covered in oil and dust. When they install parts, the oil directly gets into the guide groove. If your groove isn't wear-resistant enough, it will get stuck in a few months."

He paused, then continued, "For example, in the north, where winter temperatures drop to minus twenty or thirty degrees Celsius, if the material of a general-purpose push rod is too brittle, it may crack when a worker twists it; in the south, where the rainy season is humid and hot, once the parts rust, whether they can be disassembled and reassembled smoothly is also a test."

Chen Luyang's expression immediately turned serious. She opened her notebook and quickly jotted down the technician's comments.

Cao Qinghang then offered his opinion: "Also, Xiao Chen, if you really want to promote your general-purpose components, you need to consider lifespan testing."

“The sample parts from your repair shop can run now, but they’ve only been running for two or three months, so the data isn’t enough. If they’re fine for 3,000 kilometers, what about 30,000 kilometers? Or 100,000 kilometers? Without durability testing, setting standards rashly is too risky.”

Huang Jianshan also spoke up: "There's also the issue of supporting facilities."

“Universal parts don’t exist in isolation. A push rod is connected to the brake master cylinder, and an ignition coil is connected to the electrical system. A single part that works isn’t truly usable; it has to be tested within the entire vehicle system to see if any new problems arise. If a universal part introduces new vibrations or wear, it will actually increase the number of potential failure points.”

Chen Luyang wrote them down one by one in her notebook.

These are all opinions from frontline experts, they are extremely valuable!
Hao Fengchun also spoke up: "Xiao Chen, and about that universal clutch pressure plate and friction disc you mentioned, I've looked at the drawings and the sample parts. The idea is fine; taking the middle value for the pressure plate dimensions of several car models does make them interchangeable. But I have a few comments."

Chen Luyang immediately said, "Uncle Hao, please speak."

Hao Fengchun began, “First of all, there’s the material of the friction pads. You’re currently using ordinary asbestos-based pads, which are sufficient for cars, but once they’re put on a small truck, they’re prone to slipping and burning under heavy loads for extended periods. If you really want them to be universally compatible, you have to switch to high-temperature resistant metal-based friction pads, otherwise they won’t be able to withstand the load.”

"Secondly, there's the pressure plate spring. Different car models have different clutch spring force requirements; cars require lighter springs, while trucks require heavier ones. Your current spring stiffness is a compromise—it's usable, but the experience isn't good. It's difficult to press the clutch on a light vehicle, and it slips on a heavy vehicle. It would be best to design a split spring or leave room for adjustment."

"Finally, there's heat dissipation. With universal friction plates, vehicle conditions are complex, including long and short distances, light and heavy loads. The pressure plate structure needs to take into account the heat dissipation channels, otherwise, in the summer in the south, the clutch might burn out after driving on a mountain road."

(End of this chapter)