Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 588 An Engineer's Eyes Are More Important Than His Hands
The exhibition hall was brightly lit, the floor was polished to a shine, and a small car gleamed with a metallic sheen in the center.

Yu Anshan, Hao Fengchun, and Cao Qinghang were waiting by the car early on. When they saw the review team approaching, they quickly went to greet them.

"Greetings, leaders! We are the automobile delegation from the Provincial Machinery Factory. Welcome to our visit and guidance!" Yu Anshan greeted warmly.

Zhou Bingran laughed and said, "Your provincial machinery factory's cars are really making waves lately!"

"Many of the cars running in the city these past two years are made by your factory, and they drive quite well!"

Yu Anshan smiled modestly and said, "Those were the early first and second generation cars, and there were still many areas in the process that needed improvement. We later made several rounds of improvements to the engine noise, body vibration resistance, and painting process. The prototype we brought this time is the latest version."

"Oh?" Zhou Bingran's interest grew even stronger, and he walked around the car.

"Great! It looks very stylish, with clean lines and well-proportioned features. It's just as good as imported cars."

"It's not easy for domestic cars to achieve this level."

Yu Anshan quickly replied, "Your judgment is truly accurate, sir."

"For this model, our factory invited an Italian consulting team to participate in the exterior design, referencing the streamlined style of the current European market. At the same time, we adjusted the chassis and body width to take into account the road conditions in China, making it both stable and agile, and suitable for mixed urban and suburban road conditions."

Zhou Bingran walked to the car door and gently wiped the silver paint on the edge of the door.

"The spray painting technique is quite good."

At this moment, Luo Qimin, who had already circled around to observe the front of the car, nodded and affirmed:

"It's really good, the reflective layer is very fine... Is this metallic paint?"

Hao Fengchun immediately replied, "Yes! This is a new high-gloss metallic paint developed by our factory, which uses a double-layer spraying process. The outer layer has added micro-particle reflective powder, mainly for the hot and humid climate of the south."

He added, "The sun is strong and the sea breeze is heavy in Hong Kong and Macau. This paint is both sun-proof and anti-oxidant, and it has a higher gloss and a longer lifespan than ordinary paint."

"Hong Kong and Macau?" Zhou Bingran raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Hao Fengchun quickly stepped forward, opening the car door as he explained:
"We specially designed this right-hand drive vehicle to cater to the Hong Kong and Macao markets."

As the car door clicked open, everyone was startled!
The driver's seat was indeed located on the right, with the steering wheel wrapped in fine-textured leather and the instrument panel layout clean and symmetrical.

Not only the steering wheel, but also the interior details are meticulously crafted.

On the dashboard, all the signs are printed in both Chinese and English;
Next to the accelerator, brake, turn signal, and temperature control knobs, there are small, neat English letters.

Even below the nameplate on the front of the car, there's now a line of embossed English model number:
"JINBA Type-H Export Edition".

The silver light flowed along the engravings, giving it an exceptionally elegant appearance.

This scene was almost "unprecedented" at the time.

Even several experienced experts couldn't help but exchange glances.

"This is the first time I've seen a right-hand drive structure on a domestically produced car."

One of the materials experts sighed in a low voice.
"In China, all civilian vehicles are left-hand drive. This right-hand drive layout is really novel."

Another senior engineer from the Machinery Department gently stroked the nameplate and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:
"The lettering is pressed so finely; the mold is very precise."

“In the past, we had to carve the letters ourselves and hammer them one by one with a punch. This looks like it was formed by a single mold, and the flower was die-cast in one go.”

Another expert stared at the dashboard for a long time, then said with satisfaction:
"The handling of the bilingual (Chinese and English) standards is quite sophisticated, neither blurry nor messy, and the layout is also even."

Hao Fengchun replied enthusiastically, "We considered that the export models are mainly aimed at foreign drivers, so all functions are equipped with English labels, and the instruction manuals are available in Chinese, English, and Japanese. Even the warning labels are printed in multiple languages."

"it is good."

Zhou Bingran nodded slightly, his tone clearly showing approval.

"They have an export mindset and a design vision."

As he spoke, he walked along the side of the car to the rear, then bent down to examine the exhaust pipe, raising an eyebrow slightly:
"Was this section of the exhaust pipe replaced? Didn't the old one have a single-sided curved nozzle?"

Hao Fengchun immediately replied, "The prototype vehicle had a single-bend exhaust system. Considering the narrow roads in Hong Kong and Macau, we changed it to a centrally located dual-outlet system. This makes the exhaust flow smoother and reduces noise."

"Oh?" A bespectacled technical expert became interested and bent down to examine the area.
"Was the engine's intake system also adjusted?"

Cao Qinghang reacted quickly and immediately replied, "It's been adjusted."

"The original model was a carburetor with negative pressure. This version has been changed to a pressure-stabilized intake and a secondary air return port has been added, resulting in a more stable idle speed and a fuel consumption reduction of about seven percent."

"Seven percent?"

Luo Qimin raised an eyebrow, showing a hint of surprise.

Cao Qinghang nodded: "It's based on actual tests conducted by our factory, with data from 400 kilometers of continuous testing. There are many mountain roads in Hong Kong and Macau, and the new voltage stabilization system is faster, more fuel-efficient, and smoother than the old one."

After hearing the part about fuel consumption, Luo Qimin was about to nod when he suddenly noticed something.

He leaned down and gently tapped the edge of the taillight.

"And what about the lighting fixtures?"

He reached out and gently tapped the edge of the taillight. "Mixed-color taillights? Red for brakes, yellow for turn signals, white for reversing, all in separate sections?"

Hao Fengchun replied, "Yes, we also modified the taillights according to the standards of Hong Kong, Macau and the UK."

“Hong Kong and Macau follow the imperial system, which does not allow the use of mixed colors for taillights. So we specially remade the mold and used a three-cavity color separation.”

Luo Qimin nodded in satisfaction, "These details are beautifully done."

……

Listening to the introductions from Yu Anshan, Hao Fengchun, and Cao Qinghang,
Chen Luyang stood to the side, looking at the cars in the factory with a smug look on her face, her neck almost sticking out to the sky!

What a good brother!

All the suggestions he made at the repair shop were adopted by Cao Qinghang:
Right-hand drive conversion, split-cavity taillights, metallic paint... everything was brought to the exhibition.

Just as he was watching his family's car, which was shining brightly at the exhibition,
During the review process, an expert from the Import and Export Administration suddenly pointed to the nameplate on the rear of the vehicle.
Have you looked up this English sign in a dictionary?

Yu Anshan and Hao Fengchun were both startled and subconsciously turned their gazes to Chen Luyang.

All the English labels, manuals, and nameplate text on this vehicle were personally translated and reviewed by Chen Luyang.

Only he can explain it clearly.

at the same time,

Zhou Bingran and the others also raised their heads, turned slightly to the side, and focused their gaze on Chen Luyang.

As the technical advisor and translator for the conference organizing committee, Chen Luyang is the most suitable person to handle these kinds of issues.

Chen Luyang glanced at the English label: "Rear combination lamp".

He then answered calmly:
"Reporting to the expert, although this sentence is relatively obscure, there is a clue to it."

“Last year, the foreign trade department issued a batch of English templates for export models, and the taillight section used this format.”

"'Combination' refers to the three-chamber combination of braking, steering, and reversing mechanisms."

“The old-fashioned ‘Tail lamp’ only refers to a single-cavity lamp, which is no longer accurate.”

The expert raised an eyebrow slightly, then pointed to a spot in the instruction manual and asked, as if taking a test:
"What about 'Meter cluster'? Shouldn't it be changed to 'Instrument panel'?"

Chen Luyang tactfully said, "That photo also shows the terminology from the same batch of export templates."

“‘Meter cluster’ refers to a combination of instruments such as speedometer and fuel gauge. If it were changed to ‘Instrument panel’, it would become the entire center console.”

The expert chuckled: "It seems the conference organizers have put in a lot of effort in their translation work this year."

Chen Luyang smiled and said, "We checked everything against the ministry's standard template. We also cross-checked the wording in the documents to ensure it matches the export declaration terminology." "Good." The expert nodded, seemingly quite satisfied with Chen Luyang's answer.

Subsequently, the expert panel raised several technical questions:
Someone asked about methods for testing vehicle fuel consumption;
Someone checked the engine model against the actual power data;

Others have raised concerns about the seatbelt structure and the glass transmittance.

Yu Anshan, Hao Fengchun, and Cao Qinghang worked together seamlessly and answered questions fluently.

The experts listened attentively, taking notes, occasionally nodding, and exchanging a few words.

After Gao Bin finished recording the last piece of information and closed the notebook,

Zhou Bingran said with a smile, "You guys have prepared this vehicle very thoroughly!"

"The exterior, interior, and technical specifications all meet the requirements, and the language proficiency is also satisfactory."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Yu Anshan quickly spoke up: "Having the opportunity to participate in the preview is a rare learning opportunity for our provincial machinery factory."

"Our car manufacturing foundation is weak, and we started from scratch. Many aspects are still immature."

"I have benefited greatly from the detailed guidance I received from the leaders and experts this time."

Zhou Bingran smiled, exchanged a few warm words, and then turned to lead the team to the next exhibition area.

Chen Luyang followed at the very back.

As he walked past Yu Anshan, he secretly gave his boss a thumbs-up when no one was looking.

Yu Anshan was about to turn around when he caught a glimpse of this movement out of the corner of his eye.

I glared at him instinctively.
But his eyebrows still couldn't help but twitch upwards.

Regardless, being able to withstand the pressure of the car and answer the questions convincingly in front of the national review panel is commendable.

No mistakes, no mishaps.
I've passed the initial review without any problems.

……

Due to the large number of booths and area in the industrial machinery exhibition area, the judging panel had very limited time for each manufacturer.

Each car has an average of only about fifteen minutes of display time.

Chen Luyang followed the review team from one institution to another, carrying a thick stack of documents in her hands, listening and taking notes as she went.

Although he only evaluated seven car factories that afternoon, it left him with a turbulent feeling.

The last time he came to the auto show and exchange meeting with Wang Qingzhou and the others, cars from all over the country basically looked the same.
They all share the same Japanese-style lines: round front, short rear, and narrow wheelbase, making them look like siblings.

But this import and export preview is completely different.

The flower sea brought a newly prototype "Longlong" car. The front of the car has square and neat lines, the headlights are regular, and the mold is made very finely.

The prototype from Shouqi mainly showcased its technology, with a redesigned engine compartment wiring and cooling system. Even the water tank was changed to a horizontal, wide-flow type, which significantly improved heat exchange efficiency.

The model that overwhelmed the West Wind took a different approach.

The car features more rugged lines, a slightly higher body, and a tapered rear.

The front end has sharp angles, and you can almost see the shadow of European off-road vehicles.

Even a light industrial factory in the south has produced a prototype two-door sedan with a focus on fuel efficiency, consuming more than one liter less fuel than its competitors from last year.

This year's exhibition hall has become a "competition arena" for the nation's automobile manufacturing capabilities.

At each booth, Chen Luyang listened attentively to the expert panel's discussions on powertrain, process routes, and assembly standards.
Whenever he saw a new structure, he would bend down and examine it closely.
While the experts were still taking photos and the factory was still explaining, Chen Luyang quickly drew a diagram in his notebook and marked the key dimensions.

The more he saw, the more convinced he became of one idea:
We need to bring Zhang Nan along.

Although Zhang Nan had gained extensive experience in the repair shop, he was very knowledgeable about the matching of car parts, their materials, and the precision of lathes.

But that's at the level of "doing," not at the level of "seeing."

True growth is not just about trial and error, but also about gradually developing your own aesthetic sense and intuition by seeing better designs from others!
Chen Luyang always believed:
An engineer's eyes are more important than his hands!

At the repair shop, Zhang Nan learned how to manufacture products;

But you need to learn to "discern what is good".
We must come out.

Go and see the strongest factory, the brightest prototype, the newest parts, and the finest craftsmanship in the country!

Only by seeing higher mountains can one draw a truly ahead-of-its-time structure on paper.

Only by broadening our horizons can we find a higher starting point for "generalization projects".

As Chen Luyang examined the cars on display, occasionally offering a comment,
The experts on the review panel gradually developed some interest in this young translator.

Although Chen Luyang was someone who was frequently scolded by Tu Wang from the Mechanics Department, someone who didn't understand theory and only knew how to come up with random and nonsensical ideas and suggestions,

Amateur chicken,
layman,
Big fool!
but!!!!
When it comes to cars, Chen Luyang is definitely a theoretical expert!

As the old saying goes: "Read three hundred Tang poems by heart, and even if you can't compose poetry, you can still recite it."

During his year at the machine factory, Chen Luyang spent his days and nights translating in the small office of the fusion workshop.

Even he himself couldn't count how many original documents on Japanese and Italian automotive technology he had read.

Moreover, he was the only translator in the factory who could speak a foreign language.

Every time the workshop engineers and technicians discussed processes, modifications, and material testing with Ebimoto Watari and Madagascar,

He had to provide oral interpretation throughout.

Chen Luyang is thoroughly familiar with all the technical terms, technical points, and assembly logic of automobiles!

I can say with absolute certainty:
When it comes to building cars, Chen Luyang is really nothing.

However, when it comes to how to build cars, he can practically provide top-notch guidance to an entire workshop!
With strong and profound theoretical support, Chen Luyang unabashedly displayed his amazing technical skills in front of the various car dealerships.

His ability to "half-understand but always get to the point" is what makes him so popular.

Even in the translation of some details of word choice and structure, Chen Luyang could have a few words with Luo Qimin, the chief engineer of the National Machinery and Electronics Corporation.

After inspecting the third car factory, during a break in the review team's schedule,

Luo Qimin said, half-jokingly and half-seriously:

"Xiao Chen, I think you should quit working at the machine factory and come work for our head office!"

Currently, the country is in the midst of its Sixth Five-Year Plan, and the National Machinery and Electronics Corporation is focusing on the "Supporting Project for Exported Machinery and Electronic Products."
We urgently need a group of young people who are both technically proficient and fluent in foreign languages.

Chen Luyang is a rare talent who is proficient in multiple languages ​​and can communicate effectively with workshop engineers.
They are extremely rare in the entire system.

Looking at the young man, who was full of energy and had bright eyes, Luo Qimin really had the idea of ​​"stealing his man".

Chen Luyang's first reaction: Damn!

You, what are you saying to me in private?
Why don't you say that in front of my boss?

You've been so secretive, no one heard you say you've taken a liking to me.
Not only did I get all excited for nothing, but it also didn't create any sense of crisis for my boss.

He might be internally complaining, but his face remained perfectly serious:
"Chief Engineer Luo, you flatter me too much."

“I am still a student sent out by the factory for training. I am a freshman at Peking University. My studies are not finished yet, and I still have to follow the factory’s arrangements for the time being.”

(End of this chapter)