The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 139 Some Minor Trouble [Please Subscribe]

"It's really troublesome."

With the end of the year approaching and less than a day left before the Spring Festival holiday, Zhou Zhiqiang's brows have been furrowed for the past two days, and he hasn't relaxed his expression.

The combine harvester he envisioned couldn't even achieve industrial-scale mass production of its key components, let alone standardize them.

We can only do rough processing first, and then let some master craftsmen with a particularly good feel for the work, such as Zhou Zhiqiang, who has excellent skills, do the finishing.

In this way, there are no standards, repairs after damage are too troublesome, and production efficiency will be reduced.

Large-scale production is even more impossible, given the current production efficiency of Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory.

Unless several production lines producing small tractors and threshers are shut down to make way for combine harvesters.

Even so, the production capacity is only two or three hundred units per year at most. This is the production efficiency achieved by mobilizing many senior workers. Otherwise, others would not be able to handle such high-precision bearings and seals.

"Section Chief, what's bothering you?"

Chen Li asked, "Zhou Zhiqiang has been frowning while looking at the blueprints ever since he came back from the workshop. I don't know what happened."

"Are you worried about the combine harvester?"

"I guess so. Our machinery branch is completely unqualified because it lacks factories that produce supporting parts."

After thinking for a while, Zhou Zhiqiang came up with a solution and said, "If our factory wants to produce combine harvesters, we'll probably have to build another supporting factory."

We specialize in producing high-precision bearings and seals; otherwise, production efficiency would be too slow, and it would be almost a one-off transaction with no subsequent maintenance or replacement, quickly leading to obsolescence.

China can indeed manufacture special steel. The Second Steel Rolling Mill made significant progress last time, and later collaborated with universities and materials research institutes to produce two more types of special steel.

If the materials are satisfactory, and Zhou Zhiqiang can also realize the design and manufacturing ideas and drawings, then all that remains is the processing technology.

If production is to be carried out, Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory will need a supporting factory that specializes in producing precision bearings and sealing components.

This factory also needs high-precision grinding machines and boring machines, otherwise it cannot improve production efficiency.

Chen Li said, "It sounds like it won't be built in a short time, especially with this combine harvester."

"We absolutely have to do it. Even if we just make a prototype harvester first, it will at least show that we can produce it, but we can't mass-produce it on a large scale for the time being."

Zhou Zhiqiang said firmly, "If all else fails, I will handle some of the difficult-to-process precision parts myself. I am a little uneasy about entrusting them to others."

If I were to do it myself, I could definitely finish it, but it would take a little longer to process after the New Year.

During this period, Zhou Zhiqiang received numerous rewards for collecting deduction assistants, and his physical fitness and agility have become extremely high.

The eyes and hands are almost like micrometers, and the error can be controlled to within 0.1 micrometers.

Aside from those exceptionally gifted individuals, few workers in China can control errors with the same precision as Zhou Zhiqiang.

"Chen Li, in the future, when we produce combine harvesters, we will definitely need to build a factory to produce supporting parts. I will write down the plan first."

At that time, the factory only had one prototype, but production would definitely continue in the future; when you submit the project plan, the factory and the ministry will definitely build the factory according to your suggestions.”

Zhou Zhiqiang addressed Chen Li by her first name, which surprised him a bit; Chen Li requested that he call her by her first name in private, instead of calling her "Deputy Section Chief Chen".

However, Chen Li called him "section chief" and rarely called him by his name, and she even rarely called him "comrade".

Upon hearing this, Chen Li immediately shook her head and said, "How can that be? This is your achievement, Section Chief. If I hand it over, wouldn't that be stealing your credit?"

"A supporting factory plan is hardly an achievement; at most, it adds to the glory."

Besides, I wasn't even at Dafa Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory anymore then, so what use would I have for these achievements?

Zhou Zhiqiang waved his hand and said, "It's settled then. You asked me to treat you as a friend, but you're being so petty and calculating with me."
So, do you consider me a friend, or not? Comrade Chen Li.

"Thank you so much, Section Chief."

After hearing the last sentence, Chen Li hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing.

"Section Chief, you must come and eat more this Chinese New Year."

Zhou Zhiqiang chuckled and said, "Your way of expressing gratitude is quite unique."

After speaking, Zhou Zhiqiang returned to his office and began planning to write some proposals.

He has optimized all the parts of the combine harvester that could be modified, reducing manufacturing costs and improving the original functions.

If it were manufactured now, it could rival some of America's combined engines. In fact, it could even surpass them in terms of horsepower.

The difficulty lies in mass production.

Until this problem is solved, they truly have the technology but can't turn it into a treasure trove.

However, Zhou Zhiqiang will be going to the Second Machine Tool Plant after the New Year, where he will definitely need to solve the problem of manufacturing precision parts.

If he couldn't achieve anything, he would feel ashamed of the great power his superiors had given him.

Zhou Zhiqiang had barely finished writing his project proposal when Chen Li knocked on his door, asking him to come with her to the factory's general meeting of employees.

There will definitely be a meeting at the end of the year; now the workers are the owners of the factory.

So, whatever achievements the factory makes, it must report to the factory owner.

Therefore, the general meeting of all employees became a way to report on last year's achievements, select outstanding workers and individuals, publicize their deeds, and encourage everyone to learn from them.

After the work achievements were reported, it was time for the individuals to receive recognition and awards.

Zhou Zhiqiang was among those who received awards at this time. He hadn't really wanted them, as he had already received the titles of Advanced Individual and Model Worker. But this time, Zhou Zhiqiang was seconded to the First Ministry of Machine Building, where he made significant contributions and brought honor to the factory.

Therefore, the factory unanimously decided to give Zhou Zhiqiang two more honors, and there was never a rule that an advanced individual or model worker could only receive the honor once.

In other factories, some workers have been awarded the title of model worker for three consecutive years.

Good performance should be rewarded, not given preferential treatment. These are Secretary Yan's exact words.

After the meeting, we received our salaries and New Year's gifts today, so we can go home early.

However, this year's New Year's goods are less than last year's. The New Year's goods given to Zhou Zhiqiang are now five catties of refined grains and three catties of meat.

Everyone else received a corresponding reduction, and newly promoted workers received only two jin of refined grains and half a jin of meat, which was just enough to make one meal of dumplings.

Zhou Zhiqiang knew that disaster was about to strike.

Over the past six months, too much food has been wasted, so signs of shortages began to appear at the end of the year.

The newly arrived deputy factory director, Li, is probably also in a bind. He's been busy for half a year, but the results are nowhere near what they were last year.

When Zhou Zhiqiang was receiving his New Year's gifts, he heard many people complaining loudly that the newly arrived Deputy Factory Director Li was far inferior to Deputy Factory Director An.

Deputy Factory Director Li was somewhat wronged. He might have been less capable of purchasing than An Xiangjie, but the biggest reason for the shortage at the end of the year was simply that they couldn't buy anything.

It is estimated that the factory canteen will also cut back on food and supplies next year or the year after, and the number of overtime hours will likely be reduced significantly.

After all, we can't let people work overtime on an empty stomach; that would cause accidents.

Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory has money, but next year, even with money, it won't be able to buy unplanned supplies.

"Yu Ting".

After finishing work and returning home, Zhou Zhiqiang called out to the inner room as soon as he entered the house.

After Guo Yuting came out, Zhou Zhiqiang continued, "I'm going to buy some New Year's goods. I guess it will be hard to buy them this year, so you don't need to go. Wait for me to come back."

Guo Yuting nodded after hearing this and said, "Then come back quickly and be careful on the way."

"Do not worry."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he carried the New Year's goods distributed by the factory to the kitchen. When he came in, he saw the New Year's goods that Guo Yuting had brought back.

It's also a welfare benefit provided by the neighborhood committee, but it can't compare to what their factory provides. It's a pound of flour and three ounces of meat. But that's how it is with the neighborhood committee; they don't offer many benefits.

The subdistrict office may seem to have a lot of resources available, but there are actually many more impoverished households in the subdistrict that need those resources.

The neighborhood committee can't just distribute supplies to its staff at nursing homes and orphanages and leave them hungry.

I bought the grain at the beginning of the month, and now I just need to buy some sugar, wine, and other non-staple foods, and use up all the coupons.

Guo Yuting ordered a Zhongshan suit for him a couple of days ago, but the silk shop was closed for the holiday, so he can only pick it up after the New Year.

It took a lot of effort to squeeze into the supply and marketing cooperative, and there were security guards at the entrance who kept reminding everyone to be careful of pickpockets.

"Comrade, give me four bottles of liquor, two bottles of Moutai and two bottles of Fenjiu. Here's the money."

"Comrade, could you please pack four pounds of sugar for me: one and a half pounds of shortbread, one and a half pounds of milk candy, and one pound of fruit candy? Thank you."

"Comrade, please pack me three pounds of peanuts and two pounds of sunflower seeds."

Zhou Zhiqiang squeezed into the supply and marketing cooperative for a long time, until it got dark and the crowd thinned out, before he was able to buy everything he wanted.

Most of the items were meant to be given as gifts, while the candies, peanuts, and melon seeds were what Zhou Zhiqiang and his wife kept at home for themselves.

Furthermore, Zhou Zhiqiang also planned to send some peanuts, melon seeds, and candy to his father-in-law, Guo Linhua. Since they couldn't buy them in the Northwest even with tickets, they sent a large package directly to him.

Fortunately, it wasn't too late when we left, only around 7 pm; however, the bicycle was already full of four bottles of wine and about ten kilograms of New Year's goods.

When they came out, the security guard from the supply and marketing cooperative took several extra glances at them. Anyone who could buy so much New Year's goods was definitely not an ordinary person.

When Zhou Zhiqiang returned home carrying large and small bags, Guo Yuting quickly went to take them.

Then he took the food from the stove, put it on the table, and asked, "Why are you back so late? Were there many people shopping?"

"It was so crowded that it almost crushed the bottles of wine I bought. I'm so glad you didn't go, or you would have been terribly squeezed."

After washing his hands, Zhou Zhiqiang sat down at the table to eat.

Then, remembering the matter of sending something, he asked while eating, "By the way, Yuting, you have a day off tomorrow, right? Then take advantage of the post office before it closes and send the things for your father-in-law."

"Later, divide it in half and send the remaining two cans of formula over as well. Your older brother has a second child, right? I've already written the letter."

His son is a year and a few months old and started eating solid food a long time ago. He still has two cans of formula left, and they haven't expired yet.

Last month, my father-in-law, Guo Linhua, wrote back and mentioned this matter, asking Zhou Zhiqiang to help inquire, as the chances of buying milk powder in Beijing were much greater than in the Northwest.

"Okay, I'll take care of it tomorrow."

Guo Yuting, sitting next to her, asked again, "Are we going to Aunt Fang's the day after tomorrow?"

"Let's go on New Year's Day. The day after tomorrow, let's clean up the house first. We haven't really cleaned it properly all year."

　Second update, please vote for me!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)