Xiaomi Heavy Industry, its first entrepreneurial venture!

Chapter 292 Enduring! (First Update!)

The test machine made a lot of noise, and even after being forcibly stopped by the restraining cable, it still slid forward for about 10 meters, dragging the cable with it.

Finally, I stopped, unwilling to give up!
Hearing the loud bang, Liao Ping and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief. He stared at the experimental machine that had been forcibly brought to a stop for a long time before suddenly turning around and shouting to the others:
"Disconnect the power to the console. Confirm the power is off and it is safe to start collecting data!"

"Be quick, collect the first set of data, and begin the second test!"

Once the command was given, the operator on the console pressed one switch after another to turn off the power to the test machine and prevent accidental activation.

After giving the order, he immediately ran to the test stand, took the laser rangefinder, and measured the distance at which the test machine was pulled to a stop.

The entire test stand is 500 meters long and is divided into three areas.

The first 200 meters is the acceleration phase.

Within this 200-meter range, the simulated test machine will rapidly increase its speed with the help of the hinge.

At its fastest, it can reach speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour.

The middle 200 meters is the simulated landing zone, and fighter jets can only land in this 200-meter area.

In the simulated plan, the installation of arresting cables mainly followed the America model, with a set of four cables, starting from the stern of the aircraft carrier.

Because the plane landed from the stern of the aircraft carrier.

The first arresting cable is installed 50 meters from the stern of the aircraft carrier. The second and third arresting cables are spaced 12 meters and 24 meters apart from the first cable, respectively.

As for the fourth one, it is also 12 meters away from the third one, close to the bow, and is the last one to provide protection.

Under normal circumstances, when a pilot lands, he primarily aims to use the second and third rules.

Article 1 will be used to a limited extent, while Article 4 is the final safeguard.

Once deployed, the pilots can expect to have to write a self-criticism!

100 meters behind the test stand is the margin area.

If the arresting cable used for testing cannot hold the testing machine, it will have to rely on the following 100 meters to slow down.

Liao Ping used the laser rangefinder to test the range more than a dozen times and obtained an average score.

13.798 m.

The data is very good.

He put away the laser rangefinder, then took a magnifying glass from his colleague and began to observe the deformation of the arresting cable with the naked eye.

He examined it from head to toe for a long time but saw no obvious deformation. He put the magnifying glass back in his breast pocket, turned around, and asked the others:

"Have you collected the mechanical data? If you have, let's begin the second test!"

"Two minutes!" shouted Wang Chuan, another chief engineer, from the side.

Two minutes later, he put away his notebook and nodded to Liao Ping: "That's enough!"

Liao Ping walked back to the control panel, picked up the walkie-talkie on it, tapped it lightly, and began issuing the instructions for the second test:

"The weight of the testing machine has been increased to 31 tons, and the testing speed has been increased to 260 kilometers per hour!"

"Start making adjustments now!"

The simulated testing machine was a shuttle-like carriage structure. As Liao Ping's voice fell, several staff members next to him controlled the crane to lift 10 cast iron balance weights weighing 100 kilograms each.

It was then evenly filled into the shuttle's carriage.

After the hoisting was completed, they checked it again to confirm that the cast iron balance block was in place before moving the crane and turning the working red light to green.

Once they were ready, Liao Ping picked up the walkie-talkie: "Personnel evacuate, prepare to begin the second test!"

With a sound, the testing machine was fixed in place again. As the motor on the testing platform roared, the clips holding the testing machine in place suddenly came loose.

The testing machine shot straight ahead like an arrow released from a bow.

Acceleration phase passed!

Passing through at 50-meter intervals!

The next second, the barrier rope in front of them sprang up, stopping the rampaging monster with lightning speed.

From Liao Ping's perspective, the distance intercepted this time was not much different from the last time.

However, as the chief engineer of this project, I cannot rely on the naked eye; I must use equipment to measure it.

He put down the walkie-talkie and replaced it with a laser rangefinder.

He ran to the testing platform, took the laser rangefinder and fired a series of shots, obtaining another data point.

13.895 meter

After recording this data, he began to compare it with the previous data.

Despite adding a ton to the weight and increasing the speed by 10 kilometers per hour, the second set of data showed no significant improvement in arresting distance relative to the size of the aircraft compared to the first set.

This unscientific!

The essential function of arresting cables is to change the motion state of a target object, which requires the application of sufficient force.

According to Newton's second law, the greater the mass, the greater the force required to intercept its motion; the higher the speed, the greater the energy and impulse required to intercept it.

Adding both will generally increase the interception range.

But what if the interception distance doesn't increase...?

Liao Ping shifted his gaze from the data in his hand to the supporting parts of the arresting cable, namely the hydraulic equipment.

The working range of these things is larger than he thought!

He stared at the hydraulic equipment for a while, then closed the folder and looked back at Wang Chuan:

"Has the data collection been completed?"

"All done, we can begin the third test!"

Liao Ping returned to the control panel and picked up the walkie-talkie: "The third test begins. Increase the weight to 35 tons and the speed to 300!"

"Begin preparations!"

Hearing the numbers he shouted, the people busy at the testing station stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Liao Ping, their eyes filled with incomprehension at his command.

The prototype of their simulator is the J-15 fighter jet.

That was China's first twin-engine, heavy, multi-role carrier-based fighter jet, which made its maiden flight in August 2009.

It is currently in the testing and upgrade phase and has not yet been fully finalized.

The aircraft has an empty weight of approximately 17.5 tons. If it takes off from land, its maximum takeoff weight can reach 32.5 tons. However, if it takes off from a ski-jump ramp, the weight is strictly limited to 28 tons.

According to data provided by China North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO), the aircraft landed at a speed of 240-260 kilometers per hour.

Using a 31-ton test aircraft with a speed of 260 kilometers per hour can be considered a perfect fit for the landing requirements of this carrier-based aircraft.

If it passes 100 tests without any problems, then this arresting cable is a success!
Now, the weight has been increased to 35 tons and the speed to 300 kilometers per hour.

At the moment of landing, the peak force on the arresting cable was approximately 1500 tons.

Upon hearing this number, everyone turned their attention to Liao Ping. Why did they always feel that this chief engineer was targeting them?

After staring at Liao Ping for a while and noticing that he had a frown, everyone turned their attention to the barrier cable hanging on the testing machine.

Can this thing withstand it?

Liao Ping is the supervisor. He has veto power and decision-making power. As long as the instructions are correct, everyone else can only obey.

Taking a breath, the worker responsible for installing the balance weights got up and began to control the crane, transporting the spherical mill cast iron balance weights to the testing machine and installing them on the machine.

Meanwhile, the person in charge of controlling the speed began adjusting the hinges.

Accelerating from 200 meters to 300 kilometers per hour places high demands on the equipment.

Half an hour later, all preparations were complete. With Liao Ping's command, the test machine was pulled by the hinge and accelerated suddenly from 0 kilometers per second to 300 kilometers per second within a distance of 200 meters.

In that instant, everyone heard a whooshing sound, followed by an even more ear-piercing crash.

The test machine, which was traveling at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour, was forcibly brought to a stop by a pop-out arresting cable before anyone could even see it clearly.

Compared to the previous two times, this time, the test vehicle dragged the arresting cable forward a greater distance.

Seeing the device forcibly stopped, Liao Ping smiled, his gaze lingering on the testing machine for a few seconds before he closed his eyes and began to take deep breaths.

After taking a few breaths, he brought the walkie-talkie to his mouth:

"Collect data!"

This time, he did not measure the distance of the interception.

Instead, he crossed his arms and watched others collect data.

Gao Hai and Lin Ze stood by from the very beginning of the test, witnessing the entire process.

They were anxious during the first two tests, but Liao Ping was even more anxious, so they didn't go up to bother him.

Seeing that Liao Ping didn't step forward to collect data, they finally mustered up their courage, approached him, and asked:

"Professor Liao, how is it?"

"Very good!" Liao Ping nodded with admiration, then picked up the data he had just recorded, ran his fingers over it, and explained in detail some of the results he had calculated in his mind:
"Weighing 35 tons and moving at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour, if you want to stop this monster within 12 meters, the peak force on the arresting cable at that moment will exceed 1500 tons."

“Our J-15, when taken off from an aircraft carrier, even when fully loaded, only weighs 28 tons, and will never reach that limit.”

"The fact that it was able to stop the cable is enough to demonstrate its strength."

"Next, we just need to test its durability."

"As long as the durability meets the requirements, the arresting cable project will be completely solved."

"Moreover, it was an easy breakthrough."

All I can say is, you've struck gold this time!

Listening to Liao Ping's explanation, Lin Yi spoke of this thing with such a calm demeanor.

It seems like this is something very ordinary, something that can be seen everywhere.

Perhaps this is the difference between geniuses and ordinary people.

However, it's good that this problem has been solved, so everyone can now focus their attention elsewhere and overcome other technical challenges more quickly.

Once other technical challenges are resolved, China will be able to possess its own aircraft carrier in the shortest possible time.

With this, the ocean will no longer be a weakness of China.

Once this weakness is gradually corrected, we can have a good chat with America about what freedom of navigation really means!
Come to think of it, after serving in the navy for so long, I still don't know what freedom of navigation feels like.

Judging from America's appearance, she must have had a very comfortable time sailing freely.

Data collection complete, the 4th test begins.

Instead of adding more weight or increasing the speed, it started going crazy at the current settings.

Wow!

Wow!

Wow!

Each sound indicated that the test aircraft, traveling at 300 kilometers per hour, was forcibly intercepted by the arresting cable within a very short distance.

Every time the sound rang out, the smiles on the faces of the people in the testing workshop widened.

As the number slowly approached 50, the smiles on their faces grew even brighter.

"I bet 55, around 55 tries, and this thing will show obvious deformation!"

"Be bold, I'll bet 70 times."

"Don't just talk, put up some stakes. I'll bet a salted duck egg!"

I bet a beef sausage!

I bet a case of beer!

"Be generous, I'll bet 100 skewers of grilled meat!"

The voices of the crowd mingled with the sounds of the testing platform operating, echoing continuously throughout the huge testing workshop.

Fifty times was a strict requirement they set for the relevant research institutes.

Of course, the weight tested was 30 tons, and the speed tested was 250 kilometers per hour.

If, under these parameters, the device can intercept 100 times without significant deformation, then it's considered successful.

First, solve the problem of whether we have it or not, and then solve the problem of whether we have enough.

You have to eat one bite at a time, and you have to go step by step.

Take your time, don't rush!
Time flies, and before we knew it, it was already bright outside the window. The number of tests was also gradually approaching 50.

Feeling the hunger in his stomach, Gao Hai walked to Liao Ping's side and said softly:
"Professor Liao, why don't you take a rest first? Everyone has been working for a whole day and night, and you must be exhausted."

"Have something to eat, rest for a bit, and we'll continue this afternoon!"

"No!" Liao Ping was deeply moved, and then rejected the suggestion:
"This is the 47th time. We checked, and the arresting cable still shows no obvious deformation."

"I think after a few more tries, the arresting cable will reach its limit."

"We test to the limit, record the data, and then go to rest."

"A good night's sleep is all it takes to start a new job—it's a win-win situation!"

Liao Ping made the decision, and the others voiced their support.

Seeing this, Gao Hai couldn't say anything, so he could only take Lin Ze out to the cafeteria to bring breakfast for these hard-working guys.

It's always more comfortable to endure the ordeal with a full stomach than to endure it with an empty one.

It was an hour later when they returned with their belongings.

The number of tests has exceeded 50, and it is racing toward 100 deadly tests.

After handing the breakfast to Liao Ping, Gao Hai asked impatiently:
"How is it? Is there any obvious deformation? Has it reached its limit?"

"No!" Liao Ping shook his head and pointed to the area below the testing platform.

Following the direction he was pointing, Gao Hai saw several barrels containing hydraulic oil.

As he stared at the hydraulic oil drums, Liao Ping's voice rang out:

"On the 50th time, we did not see any obvious deformation, and we also checked the hydraulic pump and found no problems."

"But since everything has been checked, we have to replace something, otherwise we'll look like a bunch of lunatics."

"We just changed the hydraulic oil."

Gao Hai could understand Liao Ping's explanation. After all, when people are embarrassed, they always need to find something to do or something to ease the embarrassment.

After breakfast, the testing continued.

On this day, everyone at the Jiangnan Shipyard heard a strange sound coming from the warehouse.

But the new warehouse there is a confidential area, and people without authorization cannot go there.

If you absolutely have to go, then you'll have to experience the "regret chair" at the police station.

The sun rises in the east, slowly moves westward, and finally sets.

(End of this chapter)