The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 177 What is he here for?

"Then let's give it a try, Comrade Zhiqiang."

Mr. Zhou finally made up his mind and said to Zhou Zhiqiang, "After you go back, prepare a list and give it to me, and then we can discuss the research and development."

However, if a consensus cannot be reached, and some people believe that now is not the time to research and manufacture CNC machine tools, then the decision will be postponed until next year or later.

"Comrade Zhiqiang, do you accept it?"

"Or we can start an engineering project to develop CNC machine tools after the country has recovered from this crisis."

It's really tough right now. The situation in various places hasn't improved yet, and Mr. Zhou will have to go to other places to take a look in a while.

Investment in industrial construction and research and development is certainly necessary, but the problem is that the situation in China is very tense.

Mr. Zhou, the chief steward, has been doing his utmost to scrape together funds and explore every possible means to maintain progress in several directions simultaneously, including relief, development, and diplomacy.
He originally wanted to refuse Zhou Zhiqiang, but Zhou Zhiqiang's confidence was so firm, as if he was certain of success.

After careful consideration, Mr. Zhou decided to give it a chance and convene engineers and technical experts in the relevant fields to discuss the matter together.

If everyone considers it a research and development phase, then as the chief steward of the domestic affairs, he will scrape together enough resources, even if it means working with the top leaders to find a solution.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang immediately replied, "I accept, Mr. Zhou. If anyone believes that now is not the time for research and development, then I will abide by all the organization's decisions."

"Okay, then you should go back and prepare."

Mr. Zhou said with a smile, "Comrade Zhiqiang, the Second Machine Tool Plant is developing very well. You have done a great job in developing the original Second Machine Tool Plant to its current scale in just one year."

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Zhou, but I don't think it's good enough."

Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, "We can still go on. My goal for the Second Machine Tool Plant is to be number one in Asia and among the top three in the world."

Mr. Zhou immediately smiled and said, "Hehe, that's quite an ambitious goal. You'll have to work hard for it."

After finishing their business, Zhou Zhiqiang and his group had nothing else to say, so Mr. Zhou let them leave without keeping them.

Mr. Zhou is busy for more than ten hours every day, and his rest and meal time are very short. If he spends a long time meeting with other cadres, it takes up his rest time.

Anyway, Mr. Zhou won't reduce his working hours.

Therefore, the cadres all shared a common understanding: when meeting Mr. Zhou, they should only talk about work, and leave immediately afterward, without wasting his time.

After leaving Zhonghai, Zhou Zhiqiang, along with Leader Sheng and Deputy Leader Wu, talked outside for a while.

He planned to return to the factory immediately, list out the organizations and personnel needed for the CNC machine tool project, and then come up with a theoretical research and development direction that could convince them.

Complete these tasks within a week and then report them to Mr. Zhou immediately.

After such a long period of simulation, receiving results, and self-study, Zhou Zhiqiang has a thorough understanding of the technology and processes required for CNC machine tools and the fields involved.

Zhou Zhiqiang can list out which fields need research and development in which direction right now. If he didn't have the necessary skills, he wouldn't have made such a promise to Mr. Zhou and taken on this difficult task.

Leader Sheng and Deputy Leader Wu knew that Zhou Zhiqiang was racing against time, so they didn't stand on ceremony with him and said goodbye to him near the Zhonghai Institute, telling him to go straight back to the factory.

------

Factory No. 190.

The factory's name consists only of numbers and is kept highly confidential; outsiders have no idea about it, and even getting close to the factory is somewhat difficult.

He was only responsible to the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry. Although his rank was not high, his position was very extraordinary. Even Mr. Zhou often paid attention to this factory.

In the factory manager's office, the phone on the desk suddenly rang. Factory manager Liu Ruiguang picked up the phone and said, "Hello, this is Liu Ruiguang."

"What? They want to come for a visit and exchange, Director Wang? What does this mean? When did our factory start offering this kind of service?"

"Zhou Zhiqiang, deputy director of the Second Machine Tool Plant? I don't know him. I've never had any dealings with him before."

"Okay, I understand. Our factory's current research and development and production are very precise. I hope this Deputy Factory Director Zhou will not interfere with our factory's normal production order."

"Then I'll go and talk to Deputy Factory Director Zhao."

After hanging up the phone, Liu Ruiguang got up and walked towards Deputy Factory Director Zhao Chenghui's office.

Although they were appointed as the factory director and deputy director respectively, they discussed and decided on all matters in the factory together. Moreover, Zhao Chenghui was not only the deputy factory director but also the chief engineer.

As the factory director, he had to discuss many things with Zhao Chenghui.

However, Liu Ruiguang had no complaints about this. He knew the nature and importance of Factory 109, and the future of Factory 109 depended on the engineers and technicians in the factory.

dong dong!

After knocking, Liu Ruiguang pushed the door open and went in. He said to Zhao Chenghui, who was engrossed in looking at the blueprints, "Comrade Chenghui, I need to interrupt you for a moment."

"Factory manager, what is it?"

"The General Office called and said that Zhou Zhiqiang, the deputy director of the Second Machine Tool Plant, wanted to visit our factory for exchanges and asked us to host him."

Liu Ruiguang said, "Could you spare some time? Director Wang said that the Ministry of Machine Building had put in a good word for us, and it's hard to refuse, especially since they're also a technical person."

"Zhou Zhiqiang, the deputy factory director... that name sounds familiar."

Zhao Chenghui scratched his head, unable to recall where he had heard Zhou Zhiqiang's name before, though it seemed someone had mentioned it to him.

"But isn't the Second Machine Tool Plant a machine tool manufacturer? Why are they visiting our factory? It's completely unrelated to us."

"I don't know, but Director Wang called, and it wasn't anything particularly unreasonable, so it was hard to refuse."

Liu Ruiguang shook his head and said that the person just wanted to visit the factory for exchange, and it was the Ministry of Machinery Industry that made the arrangements.

If they were to refuse under the pretext of being too busy with work, it would be a huge disrespect to the Ministry of Machine Building.

If I ever need anything from the Ministry of Machine Building in the future, how will I have the nerve to ask for help?

"Never mind, let them come. I hope they don't take up too much time."

After sighing, Zhao Chenghui asked, "When are you coming?"

"In half an hour."

"There's no option to refuse at all. You should have just said so earlier, Factory Manager."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chenghui said irritably, "I know, I'll get ready and go to the door to meet them."

Not long after, the security guard at the factory gate called. After learning that the person had arrived, Zhao Chenghui asked the security guard to let him in, and then he went downstairs.

Seeing a car parked in front of the building, and a very young-looking man standing in front of it, Zhao Chenghui approached uncertainly and asked, "May I ask who you are?" "I am Zhou Zhiqiang, the deputy director of the Second Machine Tool Factory. You must be Deputy Director Zhao."

Zhou Zhiqiang reached out to shake hands and smiled, "I heard the security department call you by your name just now, so I remembered it."

"Hello, hello, I'm so sorry, Deputy Factory Director Zhou, you're even younger than I imagined."

Zhao Chenghui apologized, but he also had some doubts. How could someone so young, who looked like a college student, become the deputy director of the Second Machine Tool Factory?
After shaking hands, Zhou Zhiqiang said, "You're too kind, Deputy Factory Director Zhao. I came here specifically to exchange ideas and learn from you."

I'm still a complete novice in the semiconductor field. Because I'm quite curious about this area, I'm sorry to have taken the liberty of asking you for help.

Hearing Zhou Zhiqiang being so polite and humble, Zhao Chenghui felt a little embarrassed.

After all, the other party was also a deputy factory director.

Zhao Chenghui asked, "Deputy Factory Director Zhou, are you interested in semiconductors? Shall we start by looking at the research lab?"

"Of course, I'll follow your arrangements, Deputy Factory Director Zhao."

Zhou Zhiqiang said with great interest: "I remember that after Researcher Lin's team discovered germanium single crystals, they quickly developed and manufactured germanium alloy junction transistors based on germanium single crystals."

Moreover, it has extremely high electron mobility.

Zhou Zhiqiang's series of words left Zhao Chenghui somewhat stunned.

'How did he know that?'

These were previously classified data in their research lab, and it was unlikely that they would have known about them from the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry.

Moreover, he spoke so much right away, even explaining the technical processes in great detail. He didn't seem like a newcomer interested in semiconductors; he seemed more like a veteran technician who had been working in his lab for a long time.

Zhou Zhiqiang talked on and on, showing no sign of stopping. He even described in great detail how much the performance of germanium transistors was improved compared to vacuum tubes.

Just as Zhao Chenghui was about to interrupt him, Zhou Zhiqiang spoke up: "Deputy Factory Director Zhao, although germanium is already very suitable for manufacturing transistors and for application in the development of electronic computers and other electronic industries..."
But have you considered trying other elements? Perhaps there are even more suitable elements for the development of semiconductors.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chenghui chuckled and said, "I've thought about it, of course I've thought about it, but how many elements are there? How much time would it take us to test them one by one?"

Moreover, without the right environment and sufficient support, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Once we have thoroughly mastered the research on germanium transistors, we will attempt new ones.”

"I have an idea, but it's just an idea. Whether it can be realized depends on your guidance, Deputy Factory Director Zhao. In the field of semiconductors, you are my senior."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, without paying attention to the fact that they were still in the corridor outside the research room, he took out a summary of the basic research and development theory of silicon crystals and the development direction of purification technology from his briefcase and handed it to Zhao Chenghui.

"Deputy Factory Director Zhao, please consider this assignment from my apprentice. Could you take a look and see if there are any problems?"

Zhou Zhiqiang came in a very humble manner this time, and there were several reasons that prompted him to do so.

One reason is that Zhao Chenghui is more than ten years older than him, and is his senior in research and development, work, and other aspects.

It is perfectly appropriate to use a polite tone and adopt a humble attitude; there is absolutely no exaggeration in this regard.

Moreover, he wanted to bring Zhao Chenghui, the deputy factory director, along with Factory 90, into the CNC machine tool project, so he had to be even more polite.

"The homework is too much, Deputy Factory Director Zhou. Let's exchange ideas. Oh, it's silicon. I remember that many people abroad have mentioned this. It seems that you have done a lot of research, Deputy Factory Director Zhou."

Silicon was proposed almost ten years ago, so Zhao Chenghui was not surprised to see it; at most, he thought that Zhou Zhiqiang had done a lot of research.

The semiconductor industry is still in its infancy, and people outside the field will have to put in a lot of hard work to gather information or news.

However, the basic theory was quite interesting, and the more Zhao Chenghui looked at it, the lower his brows became.

Completely plagiarizing foreign basic theories? That doesn't seem likely!

There are similarities, that's true, but some of his insights differ from those of the foreign theories he's seen, making them seem more profound!

Zhao Chenghui stood outside, flipping through the pages, nodding slightly from time to time and tapping his finger a few times.

After seeing the proposed direction of the subsequent technical processes, Zhao Chenghui closed his eyes, as if deep in thought.

After more than ten minutes, Zhao Chenghui suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Zhiqiang very seriously, asking, "Comrade Zhou Zhiqiang, who helped you with this theory and process direction on silicon, or did you summarize and develop it yourself?"
My question is, has anyone offered you any ideas?

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and said, "Deputy Factory Director Zhao, I didn't know any colleagues in the semiconductor field before you, but I do know quite a few colleagues who are good at mechanical structures."

These are all things I've researched privately. Because there haven't been any concrete experiments, they seem like castles in the air, which is why I wanted to ask you to take a look.

"Even a castle in the air has to look like a building; you can't just build it haphazardly."

Zhao Chenghui looked at the summary in his hand for a while, and then looked up at Zhou Zhiqiang.

I'm suddenly starting to wonder if Zhou Zhiqiang is here for an exchange or visit? Maybe he has some other purpose?
"Comrade Zhiqiang."

Zhao Chenghui changed his way of addressing Zhou Zhiqiang, no longer using the rather unfamiliar and formal "Deputy Factory Director Zhou".

This indicates that his attitude towards Zhou Zhiqiang has also changed somewhat.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang nodded and said, "Vice Factory Director Zhao, please speak."

"Are you really here for a visit today?"

"That's right, they're definitely here to visit and learn."

Zhou Zhiqiang nodded firmly and said, "Deputy Factory Director Zhao, I am actually very interested in semiconductors, but I studied mechanical structures in college. After graduation, I achieved some minor success in agricultural machinery and machine tools."

"I remembered!"

Zhao Chenghui suddenly interrupted Zhou Zhiqiang, then clapped his hands and said, "You used to work at Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory, right? I heard about you from a friend."

No wonder the name sounded familiar; it finally reminded him.

"Yes, at the beginning of last year, he was transferred from Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory to the Second Machine Tool Factory."

Zhou Zhiqiang paused for a moment before continuing, "However, I do have a real passion for semiconductors in private, so I often study them on my own."

However, I'm not sure if my research is right or wrong if I just bury myself in it, so I'm trying to use my connections to visit and learn from Factory 190, and also to ask Deputy Factory Director Zhao for some guidance.

"."

Zhao Chenghui still didn't quite believe it, but what he didn't believe was Zhou Zhiqiang's purpose. As for the statement that he had studied in private for a long time, he had no doubt at all.

Without several years of study and research in semiconductors, it would be impossible to have such a mature understanding of the application theory of silicon.

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(End of this chapter)