Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 488 Nokia, Siemens, Ericsson... they all use technology from Northwestern Polytechnical University!
"Brother Liangzi, will the Europeans agree?" Yang Duo'er asked curiously.

Qin Liang smiled and said, "Of course it won't be that easy to agree. After all, it involves the actual interests of individual manufacturers. The Europeans talk about cooperation, but in reality, there are all sorts of wrangling and exchanges of interests. Getting them to agree won't be easy."

"So what do we do?"

Looking at his capable wife, Qin Liang patted her pert buttocks with satisfaction: "Of course, we'll do it first and then talk about it."

Northwestern Polytechnical University Guesthouse.

European electronics manufacturers are watching closely as people of different skin colors and languages ​​come and go.

"Are all these people here to cooperate with Northwestern Polytechnical University?"

"Yes, Northwestern Polytechnical University has strong technical capabilities, so countries all come to cooperate with us..."

“We absolutely cannot cooperate with Northwestern Polytechnical University. This would only strengthen Northwestern Polytechnical University and be detrimental to us!” Naruen said.

To this day, he still opposes cooperation.

Nokia is a powerful telecommunications company, and they absolutely do not want to see themselves dominated by Easterners!

"Even if our European technology lags behind, we must develop it ourselves. Don't forget, our main goal is to avoid being controlled by others!"

Everyone fell silent.

That's right, they want to develop their own technology, not just import it directly!
Narunen then looked at Matthias: "Mathias, Nokia has decided to agree with your technical approach. We will work together on the TDMA path, even if this technology is somewhat behind that of Northwestern Polytechnical University, it is still our own European technology!"

Narunen then looked at Werner: "Werner, as you can see, Northwestern Polytechnical University has registered all the CDMA technology patents. Let's just bypass this technology route and start from scratch! Everyone, as long as we European manufacturers cooperate, we will definitely be able to forge our own path in Europe, Pierce!"

Pierce was stunned.

“Mr. Pierce, as the GSM team leader, you must consider things from our European perspective!”

Pierce's expression was complicated.

"Alright, give us three days to think it over!"

That night, many people had no sleep.

The next day, Matthias got up very early. He wanted to see how Northwestern Polytechnical University had achieved world-class technology and what secrets it held.

Even though it's winter break, there are still countless students on campus. In the morning, they like to exercise and then go to the cafeteria for breakfast.

canteen.

As Matthias listened to the beeping sound and watched the students insert a small card into the machine, which then began to display the amount, his eyes widened.

"Excuse me, how does this meal card work?"

"There is an IC on the card, which is a chip."

Outside, high-tech chips are being used as meal cards here!

Northwestern Polytechnical University is really rich and powerful...

The most important thing for developing advanced equipment is investment! And what Europeans lack most when it comes to cooperation is investment!
“Mr. Matthias, what a coincidence! I thought you would be eating at the restaurant. Since you’re eating in the cafeteria, I’ll give you a meal card with no limit on the amount.”

Matthias turned his head, saw Qin Liang, and handed him a meal card.

He carefully took it, looking at the metal contacts on it with a complicated expression.

"This meal card is just its initial use. In the future, it can be expanded to many other areas, such as banks. Magnetic cards, which have been used for decades, have many drawbacks, such as being easy to demagnetize and easy to be counterfeited. IC cards, on the other hand, are much more reliable."

Matthias's eyes remained fixed on the metal contacts, beneath which lay an integrated circuit!

"For example, various consumer venues, public phone booths on the street, VIP cards in shopping malls, etc., can all use this kind of card. Its market is very broad. If Ericsson wants to monopolize the European IC card market, we can help you by selling you this kind of chip at cost price, ten dollars per chip."

In later generations, IC cards were issued by banks for free, but things are different now. Not only do you have to pay to apply for various cards, but you also have to pay an annual fee!
Ten dollars isn't a high price at all, considering it contains a chip! What kind of chip can be made to cost only ten dollars?

And then think about the vast European market...

Matthias took a deep breath: "President Qin, rest assured, Ericsson fully supports Northwestern Polytechnical University's technological path!"

This is what trading is all about!
They support Northwestern Polytechnical University's approach, and Northwestern Polytechnical University is giving them the entire European IC card market!
Qin Liang nodded: "Okay, let's get some food and try the delicious food from Northwestern Polytechnical University!"

Ericsson got it sorted out!
Siemens representative Werner had a sleepless night, not only due to jet lag but also because he was deeply impressed by the high technology of the East.

They proposed the CDMA route because they knew it was the right path, but at the same time, they were also aware of just how technically difficult it was, and that it might not be possible to develop it within ten years.

And look at the East, they've already started commercializing it!
How can we pursue this?
They wanted to be the dominant force in this field, which is why they took on the most difficult challenge. Now... their ambitions have vanished without a trace!
Taking the TDMA route? What a foolish idea! It only solves the immediate problem; in the long run, our path will still be completely blocked!
With these thoughts in mind, he had difficulty falling asleep. He finally drifted off to sleep in the early morning and slept until noon.

He was a little hungry, so he had no choice but to get up.

There was a restaurant downstairs from the guesthouse, so he didn't have to worry about food. He walked downstairs with heavy steps, ate some mutton stew at the guesthouse, and then wandered around.

Without realizing it, he strolled into the mechanical engineering laboratory. The sound of CNC machine tools working inside attracted him, so he gave the translator next to him a wink, strode in, and went inside.

Inside, a student spoke in a low voice.

"Senior, the Germans are here!"

Although Qin Liang is already the principal, many people still like to call him "senior brother," as it makes him seem different from others and more affectionate.

"Our PLC needs further upgrades. A graphical user interface alone is not enough; we need to move towards automation!" Qin Liang raised his voice, giving instructions to the group.

What is Siemens' greatest strength? It's definitely not refrigerators or washing machines in the consumer market; its most advanced technology is its industrial control system, namely PLC!

In 1975, their first SIMATICS3 product entered the market. With its simple interface and binary control function, it quickly became a leader in the market.

In 79, it was upgraded to the S5 system, the most significant feature of which was the adoption of a microprocessor.

After entering the 1990s, their S7 series appeared, which had fully automated control functions and a market share of more than 50%.

Now, we need to defeat them in their strongest areas and show them that they'd better choose to cooperate with Northwestern Polytechnical University when faced with its powerful technology. Only cooperation can lead to a win-win situation!
“Principal Qin, don’t modern PLCs already have automation capabilities?” Werner said. “If your technical reserves in this area are insufficient, you can purchase professional S5 chips from Siemens.”

When Siemens' areas of expertise are mentioned, a confident smile appears on Werner's face.

"Really? If your PLC is used on a CNC machine tool, can it directly receive 3D design drawings and convert them into CNC machine tool code itself?"

Werner was stunned: "How is that possible?"

In this day and age, the cutting code for CNC machine tools needs to be written by the user; it's impossible to automatically convert it just by receiving a drawing!
"What kind of automation is that?"

What?
Werner asked incredulously, "Do you really have this ability?"

"We are developing related technologies. Currently, some parts that are not particularly complex can already be automatically converted."

Not too complicated? If it's a simple cylinder or cone, the program can indeed automate the process.

Werner breathed a sigh of relief; in this field, Siemens was the strongest!

Wait, what's on that screen?
Werner's gaze was drawn to the screen, which was graphical and clearly showed the shapes of the parts.

Irregular shape, with protrusions, and oil passages inside, this is... an engine crankshaft!

This is recognized as one of the most difficult parts to process. You call this kind of part a "not particularly complicated part"?
Werner's eyes widened: "Now... what is this machine doing?"

"Automatically convert this not-so-complex part into program control code."

Um... do you guys have some kind of misunderstanding about what "not particularly complicated" means?
Werner took a deep breath.

"Could you... convert a completely new part for me to see? I have... a design drawing here."

Werner pulled out a CD. He didn't believe the technology here could be so advanced; what if it was a fake?
The disc was inserted into the machine, and with a buzzing sound, it began reading the disc.

“Let’s choose the third one,” Werner said.

It was a design drawing of an automatic transmission housing, with an irregular shape and a dense network of oil lines.

"Okay, no problem! This part can be machined from aluminum ingots. The processing time is very short. Let's see the results in a bit."

The design drawing was quickly read in, and a 3D perspective view of the part appeared on the CNC system screen, followed by the generation of various codes on the right.

It’s really ok!

Isn’t this too awesome?
Five minutes later, the CNC machine tool started.

The cutting tool spun rapidly, and the aluminum wire danced in the air.

An hour later, the machine stopped.

"All right!"

Wearing white gloves, Werner trembled as he accepted the finished product.

It's actually been manufactured!

Even if there are issues with precision, the fact that the control code can be generated automatically is already incredible!

Not to mention…

"Here, let's check the accuracy." Qin Liang handed over the vernier calipers.

The casing tolerance is 0.02 mm!

Oil circuit error: 0.02 mm!

The accuracy is also fully up to standard!

"This PLC is amazing..."

Werner stopped abruptly at this point.

A CNC machine tool that can automatically calculate control codes will definitely lead a revolution in this field. Siemens... won't they be left with nothing?

Is Siemens still the world's number one PLC manufacturer?
With Northwestern Polytechnical University around, they can only be second best.

Werner looked dejected.

"Are you planning to sell this machine tool all over the world?"

"There are no such plans at the moment. After all, advanced technology must be prioritized for domestic use, while second- or even third-rate equipment can be exported."

This……

Does COCOM still exist? Easterners, by their own strength, can easily shut down Western high technology!
Werner felt a sense of relief, but also a sense of accomplishment. It was fortunate that Siemens hadn't planned to export these advanced machine tools to Europe; otherwise, Siemens would have been in dire straits!
"By the way, is your technology... for sale? If so, Siemens is willing to buy it, no price is too high!"

Since our self-developed technology can't compare to Dongfang's, we might as well just buy it directly!
Qin Liang shook his head: "We're not even allowed to export equipment, so how can we sell technology? Our technology is too advanced; many domestic organizations are watching it closely. If we sell it, they'll accuse us of selling out our country."

Sell ​​it now!
Werner felt bitter.

“Mr. Werner, the technology of Northwestern Polytechnical University is so advanced that we often feel out of place in the world. Therefore, we need more friends to work together to promote our advanced technology to the world, whether it is PLC or CMDA.”

Werner's heart skipped a beat: "You mean, if we support you on the CDMA project, you'll sell us your advanced PLC technology?"

"Even if we don't sell, we can cooperate in other ways. We've always believed that cooperation leads to a win-win situation."

If you can't beat them, join them! Since we're not as technologically advanced as the East, cooperating with them is a great option!

"it is good!"

Siemens is on board too!
Of the three major telecommunications technology manufacturers in Europe, only Nokia remains!

Nokia was the most difficult to deal with because they had also been researching and developing in the field of communications technology for many years, and they had always wanted to become a leader in this field!
It's just difficult, not impossible!
Under the mobile communication tower, in the shade of the trees, stood several Europeans who had been watching from morning until afternoon.

"Hmph, they want to build base stations for us in Europe because they want to control our very foundation. We at Nokia will never accept Eastern technology; we will develop our own!"

"That's right, CDMA is indeed very difficult, but since people in the East have already developed this technology, then Nokia can definitely do it too. We are no worse than them!"

Just then, an elderly Russian man walked over, holding a mobile phone and making a call.

"Hello, Moscow? I'm calling you from my mobile phone right now. This technology is really good. We in the Soviet Union also want to import a lot of these. In the future, we want to expand our mobile phone production throughout Eastern Europe, and from Eastern Europe, we can also expand to Western Europe..."

Just then, the man glanced at the tree and his expression changed.

"Oh, damn it, never mind, hanging up."

He left in a hurry.

"What was he just saying?" Narunen asked the person next to him.

He said that Moscow also wants to introduce the technology from Northwestern Polytechnical University and distribute it throughout Eastern Europe.

This……

Narunen's expression was complicated.

Choosing a technological path can be a matter of life and death!

If you choose the wrong path and continue down the wrong road, the more you invest, the more you will lose in the end!
The Russians also want to use this technology and expand it to Eastern Europe, so Western Europe will be compared with Eastern Europe!

Can TDMA technology be compared with CDMA technology?

With fewer users and slower data transmission speeds, Western Europe will fall behind Eastern Europe. Western Europe will lose face and still have to choose CDMA technology, while Nokia's investment in TDMA technology will be wasted!
Once this news spread, Europe was left with no choice but to go with the CDMA route. In other words, Nokia's insistence on TDMA was pointless, and the previously proposed FDMA was even more of a joke!
So... what's next?
Agreeing with the Eastern technological approach? What would Nokia gain from that?
With mixed feelings, Naruen was taking a walk on campus when, without realizing it, he saw a figure across from him.

"Ms. Yang?"

"Hey, you guys are here? How did the phone test go today?"

"This……"

"Everyone, you'd better hurry up! I heard that the other two companies have already started designing. They hope Principal Qin can give them some ideas to develop more beautiful phones and capture the market. If Nokia is too late to get in, the market will be taken over by other companies!"

Have you already started working on the design?
Narunen's face darkened: "Did Principal Qin say anything?"

"Of course not, after all, we have to be fair. However, I did take his advice and said that we shouldn't focus on the appearance of a phone, but rather on its internal features, especially its sturdiness and durability. If a phone is sturdy enough, we can even use it to crack walnuts in our advertisements."

Narunen's eyes lit up. Yes, this was indeed a new direction!
Back at the guesthouse, everyone gathered in Pierce's room.

Narunen listened to the other two manufacturers' statements with a gloomy face.

"We at Ericsson believe that CDMA technology is indeed advanced and is the future trend. By introducing Eastern technology, we can make our European mobile communication technology leap to the world's most advanced level! We don't need to take other routes; those are all wrong."

"We at Siemens believe that CDMA is the most suitable route, and we fully support Northwestern Polytechnical University's proposal."

Alright, they've all betrayed us!
In that case, Nokia... has no choice but to start on the same footing as them, or it will fall behind!
“Narunen, what’s Nokia’s opinion?” Pierce asked him.

“We…we have no objections!” Narunen said through gritted teeth, “We need to pass the resolution quickly, set up the network quickly, and build a mobile communication network throughout Western Europe. The Motorola network under construction can be stopped.”

Pierce nodded: "That's right. Northwestern Polytechnical University's technology is two generations ahead of Motorola's. There's no need for us in Europe to import outdated technology. Fortunately, Motorola's network coverage is still limited."

In faraway America, the head of Motorola's mobility division suddenly felt a twitch in his eyelids.

(End of this chapter)