The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 191 They're pushing themselves too hard, they're really pushing themselves too hard!

The news of having a child was a joyous occasion for the family, but Zhou Zhiqiang's long working hours were bad news for Guo Yuting.

Although I often worked overtime before, I came home at least four or five times a week, even though I always came home very late, by which time she was already asleep.

But at least you can see Zhou Zhiqiang when you wake up the next morning.

They are still in Beijing, but Zhou Zhiqiang will not be home for several months, which makes Guo Yuting feel a little sad and unable to accept it.

However, Guo Yuting soon came to a realization: her husband had gone to do important things for the country.

Zhou Zhiqiang had explained his reasons to her, saying that he couldn't let this cause unpleasantness in the family. However, Guo Yuting kept reminding Zhou Zhiqiang to take care of his health.

Moreover, she has to have a physical examination every six months as required, otherwise she won't feel at ease with this kind of lifestyle.

I have to do scientific research experiments during the day, so I can't find the time.

We can only try to schedule training for other technicians in the evenings, but that leaves too little time, and coming back would just waste our rest time.

Learning in a short period of time is too slow. Zhou Zhiqiang plans to train for five hours a day. If we include research time, his working hours may exceed sixteen or seventeen hours a day.

It is indeed compact, but if there are not enough semiconductor technicians, even if CNC machine tools are developed, production efficiency will be a bottleneck every year.

If we don't train semiconductor technicians, we'll probably only be able to produce a hundred or so CNC machine tools a year at most.

Let alone exporting and earning foreign exchange, it will take more than ten years to replace it just to meet domestic development needs.

At the very least, a ministry should take the lead in developing training materials and establishing more relevant majors in vocational schools and universities.

Zhou Zhiqiang had a good idea of ​​how to train the technicians. He now had a good understanding of semiconductor production and processing and related technologies. Next, he just needed to teach and compile teaching materials at the same time.

Early the next morning.

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished breakfast, he heard a car horn outside and knew that the driver had arrived. The driver assigned to him by the security department would honk the horn as soon as he arrived and then wait for him at the door.

"Yuting, I'm leaving."

Zhou Zhiqiang picked up his briefcase, went back into the house, and said to his wife, "You're pregnant now, so please take better care of yourself."

Fortunately, her mother-in-law came back; otherwise, it would have been quite difficult for Guo Yuting, who was pregnant and taking care of a three-year-old son.

"You're much more tired than me, you should take better care of yourself."

Guo Yuting stepped forward, straightened Zhou Zhiqiang's collar, and then continued to ask, "If I go to your factory to find you and you're there, don't hide from me because you're busy with work."

"No, if I knew you were coming to see me at the factory, I would definitely see you."

Zhou Zhiqiang immediately shook his head and said, but he was referring to the Second Machine Tool Factory. Although the security there was also strict, it was not like the 190th Factory, where family members were not even allowed to get close.

The Second Machine Tool Factory is strict in its checks, but if the identity verification is correct, outsiders can still be allowed in.

Guo Yuting didn't have anything else on her mind; she just wanted to wait until her family had cooked something delicious and then send a box to Zhou Zhiqiang.

It just depends on whether it's a coincidence or not. Zhou Zhiqiang might be at the Second Machine Tool Plant at any time. He'll definitely be there on Monday, but whether Guo Yuting will have time on Monday is uncertain.

Factory No. 190.

When Zhou Zhiqiang arrived at the factory, he was already a little late; everyone else had already started calculating how to produce qualified silicon wafer samples.

"Comrade Zhiqiang is here! How are things on your end?"

"Thankfully, we've managed to get through this. They shouldn't bother us again."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he sat down at his desk, but then suddenly remembered something and said to Zhao Chenghui, "Comrade Chenghui, Deputy Director Liu from the Technical Department of the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building will be here in a while. I have something to discuss with him. You should come too."

"Deputy Director Liu, Comrade Liu Weiqiang? How can he do it? I know, I will definitely come."

When Zhao Chenghui thought of Comrade Liu Weiqiang, he didn't immediately realize what this deputy director was there for, and it didn't seem to be from the CNC machine tool project team.

Zhao Chenghui didn't think much of it since he knew it soon enough, and continued to study the manufacturing of silicon wafers.

Zhou Zhiqiang then began to develop a training plan for semiconductor technicians. He recalled that unless it was a necessary period to overcome difficulties, they usually worked until 10 p.m. and then prepared to rest.

He could set the training time from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., with five hours of training per day, and train the first batch of people within four months.

Training materials are also needed. We should start by training technical personnel from vocational schools. Semiconductor R&D personnel can be trained a little later, but technical production personnel must catch up as soon as possible.

The CNC machine tool project may yield results in about ten months. If the current production efficiency cannot be increased by more than three times, the impact on the production of CNC machine tools will be too great.

Training technical production personnel was an idea Zhou Zhiqiang had long ago, and he had even drawn up a preliminary plan at the time.

Now all that's needed is to refine and clarify the details.

As for rest, Factory 190 will arrange a place for that; it has its own employee dormitories.

Factory 190 was highly secretive, and many of the factory workers lived in dormitories, which were also patrolled by the security department.

Not long after, Factory Director Liu Ruiguang sent someone to the technical department to find Zhou Zhiqiang and tell him that the leaders of the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry were coming.

"Comrade Chenghui, the person has arrived, let's go."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chenghui temporarily put down his work and quickly followed Zhou Zhiqiang.

After leaving the technical section, Zhao Chenghui asked in a low voice, "Comrade Zhiqiang, why don't you tell me what it is? I'm quite curious."

“Take a look at this and you’ll understand, Comrade Chenghui.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and then handed Zhao Chenghui a report on the plan to train silk production technicians.

After Zhao Chenghui took it, he walked around and looked at it, and soon he understood why he had been called.

He hadn't paid attention before, only thinking about producing the CNC system for the CNC machine tool as soon as possible. Now, after reading Zhou Zhiqiang's training plan for technical production personnel, Zhao Chenghui realized that he not only needed to develop the CNC machine tool, but also needed to consider the subsequent production.

Right now, their factory is producing transistor components, and the yield rate is indeed very low. It's already a bit of a struggle just to supply the Computer Institute. "You're thinking ahead, Comrade Zhiqiang."

Zhao Chenghui sighed and said that there are indeed very few technicians who can process and produce transistors nowadays.

Moreover, most of them only start learning after entering the factory, without systematic and complete training.

Zhou Zhiqiang said, "The technology for producing transistors will continue to upgrade in the future, and the need for manual processing may disappear in a few decades. After this project is completed, we can develop and improve the production process or the machinery required."

"This doesn't sound like a small project. You'll definitely be busy as a bee when it happens, Comrade Zhiqiang."

Although it sounded like a complaint, Zhao Chenghui said it with a smile; if he could really develop it, he definitely wouldn't feel tired at all.

Soon, the two followed the assistant to Director Liu's office.

Upon entering, they saw a middle-aged man in a Lenin suit. Seeing Zhou Zhiqiang and Zhao Chenghui enter, the man stood up, walked over, shook hands with Zhou Zhiqiang, and said:
"This must be Comrade Zhiqiang. I've heard comrades from the First Ministry of Machine Building talk about you before, and today I finally get to meet you in person."

I am Liu Weiqiang from the Technical Department of the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building. After hearing what Comrade Licheng said yesterday, I wanted to come and talk to you, Comrade Zhiqiang, but I thought it was too late and decided not to disturb you.”

After shaking hands and exchanging greetings with Zhou Zhiqiang, Deputy Director Liu turned to Zhao Chenghui and said, "Comrade Chenghui, you've been working hard lately."

He was very polite to Zhou Zhiqiang, not just because of Director Ren's influence.

Another important reason is that Zhou Zhiqiang is at the same level as him, both being deputy director-general level, and Zhou Zhiqiang's position carries more power than his.

However, when it comes to contributing to industrial development and construction, power and influence are irrelevant; but in other respects, Liu Weiqiang is inferior to Zhou Zhiqiang in every way.

He might still be calling Zhou Zhiqiang "leader" ten years from now, which is why Liu Weiqiang was so polite when they met just now.

Zhao Chenghui waved his hand and said, "What's so hard about it? I'm not working hard at all. It's Comrade Zhiqiang who's working really hard."

Those who work in R&D are straightforward and honest; everyone knows who works hard and who doesn't.

After having his assistant brew tea and bring it in, Director Liu said, "Everyone, sit down and let's talk slowly."

The group then sat down on the sofa in the office. After they were seated, Deputy Director Liu couldn't help but ask, "Comrade Zhiqiang, although I have already heard the general details from Comrade Licheng..."

However, there are still some parts I'm not quite clear about. Could you please explain them to me in more detail?

“That’s easy, Deputy Director Liu. Take a look at this first. It’s a summary of my thoughts over the past few days, along with some additional details.”

Zhou Zhiqiang handed the semiconductor technology production personnel training plan, which he had just shown to Zhao Chenghui, to Deputy Director Liu, and then continued...
"These are my thoughts on semiconductor talent training over the past few days. It's not just Factory 190; other semiconductor and electronic component factories seem to have very few technicians who can produce semiconductor components."

With such a small number of technical production personnel, it's simply impossible to handle the gradually increasing production tasks. Therefore, expanding the semiconductor technical production workforce is imperative.

"I suggest two approaches. One is similar to what I do in factories, providing technical training simply to teach them how to operate machinery and produce qualified semiconductor components."
This approach produces technicians who are somewhat specialized in one area; they might be considered production workers, but they would be able to handle future production tasks.

Zhou Zhiqiang paused for a moment, then picked up his water glass, took a sip of tea, and continued, "On the other hand, we need to offer more courses in vocational schools and universities. This requires your involvement. I'm just offering a suggestion."

Actually, there were semiconductor technician training courses four years ago and two years ago, but they were too small in scale and mostly focused on theoretical training.

The technical and production process training only took four or five sessions, and the trained technicians were simply unable to meet the ever-increasing production demands.

Zhou Zhiqiang now suggests establishing a growth-stage program, similar to vocational secondary schools offering courses in mechanical engineering and medical care, by adding courses specifically teaching semiconductor component manufacturing processes.

However, it's understandable that there isn't one now. After all, germanium transistors have only been manufactured for a short time, and it would be a bit difficult to immediately start training courses after just making a breakthrough.

Moreover, most university semiconductor textbooks focus on the principles and applications of semiconductors, with little emphasis on manufacturing processes.

Zhou Zhiqiang needed manufacturing talent, technicians who could mass-produce semiconductor components.

After reading it, Deputy Director Liu sighed and said, "We also have plans in this regard, and even require front-line production technicians to take on one or two apprentices during their work hours and teach them transistor processing and production technology."

However, the results were somewhat unsatisfactory.

"Production is too tiring; we simply can't keep up."

Zhou Zhiqiang shook his head and said, "I have talked to many technical and production staff at Factory 190. It's not that they don't want to teach, but they are so busy with production tasks that they don't even have time to rest, so they really don't have the energy to teach."

Compared to teaching apprentices, failing to meet production targets is a much bigger problem, so they're lucky if they can spare one or two days, or even just two or three days, a month to teach.

"Yes, and there is also a lack of teaching materials."

After thinking for a moment, Zhao Chenghui said, "It seems there aren't many textbooks on semiconductor manufacturing technology and processes?"

"It's not that there are only a few, it's that there aren't any."

Zhou Zhiqiang shook his head and said, "Comrade Chenghui, we are still feeling our way across the river, and the manufacturing process of silicon transistors has not yet been finalized, so there are naturally no teaching materials on this subject."

There might be a manufacturing process for germanium transistors, but I think that's in the future.

He didn't finish his sentence, but Zhao Chenghui understood.

Zhou Zhiqiang believes that silicon transistors will definitely have a wider range of applications than germanium transistors in the future, so promoting textbooks on germanium transistor manufacturing processes is not very useful.

"Comrade Zhiqiang, you're in charge of teaching, and you'll be teaching for five hours every day!?"

At this point, Deputy Director Liu also saw the training plan written by Zhou Zhiqiang. He planned to teach seventy people in each three-month session, with each person learning from him for five hours every day.

The total study time is 150 hours, and the subject is the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices.

After such a long period of learning, the final assessment test was conducted, and those who passed the test were assigned to the production line.

Those who don't pass will continue learning with the next batch of trainees.

In this way, the production efficiency of Factory 190 can be nearly doubled in just one year.

"Comrade Zhiqiang, I'm not doubting your teaching ability. If you were to teach, you could definitely train a group of technicians. But can you stick with it?"

Deputy Director Liu grinned and asked, "Don't you also have a CNC machine tool project on hand? If you add teaching on top of that, you'll be busy until 2 a.m. every day."

He was pushing Zhou Zhiqiang too hard. After reviewing the document, he dared not approve it. If he misused Zhou Zhiqiang, wouldn't the leaders of the First Ministry of Machine Building come knocking on his door?

(End of this chapter)