Reborn in 1985, starting from a machine factory

March 5, 1985, Beiyang Machinery Factory.

The massive gantry milling machine let out a mournful cry, and this Soviet-made steel behemoth abruptly stopped all movement.

Four or five workers simultaneously stopped what they were doing and looked at the equipment.

Chen Mo was the same; he stood on tiptoe, looking at the huge thing in front of him.

Soviet gantry milling machines didn't often have any major problems, but they were prone to gear breakage and spindle bearing failure.

Chen Mo carefully examined the guide rail and nodded slightly. Having lived a second life, this thing was broken in the same way as before; it had nothing to do with the shaft or gears.

The problem was caused by a broken nut inside the lead screw, coupled with metal filings getting stuck in the guide rail.

In my previous life, I easily discovered this problem, and it took me three days and three nights to accurately locate the slipped screw and the deformed position.

Before Soviet experts could provide guidance, the gantry milling machine was successfully revived, ensuring the order could be delivered.

It was because of this incident that he was commended in the newspaper and won the title of technical pacesetter, becoming the youngest level six worker in Dongyang.

However, my good luck came to an abrupt end after that; my promotion was no longer relevant to me.

There's no hope of getting a separate room or anything like that!

On the contrary, if even one screw on a machine is loose, someone will inevitably criticize him for not being meticulous enough.

It was as if all the engineers in the technical department were watching him work the whole time!

Of course, he finally understood this more than a decade later, after being framed, laid off, cheated out of his house, and separated from his wife and children.

This proves the old saying: "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down."

However, this task still needs to be done, because the wages for a level 6 worker and a level 2 worker are twice as high!

"Boss Song, the equipment is broken!" Chen Mo said to the person next to him.

"What's all the fuss about? Am I blind? Can't I see?" Song, the foreman, wearing blue overalls and a hat askew, approached the equipment.

"What are you standing there for? You look like a silly roe deer!"

"Take the protective cover off, and you'll see it's a missing tooth on the gear. You have absolutely no sense of detail!"

Chen Mo did not answer. He opened the heavy metal toolbox and took out several tools.

Song, the foreman, was a chatterbox and concerned with his reputation, but he was also incredibly quick. In no time, he dismantled the protective cover and removed the two gears.

The gears, covered in engine oil, were a dark, grimy mess. Foreman Song counted them one by one by hand, carefully counting them twice.

The gear is intact.

The remaining gears are hidden under the bearings and protective plates and are completely invisible.

Several workers were staring at Foreman Song. Foreman Song blushed, but he didn't loosen his grip on the gears. He counted them carefully again.

Chen Mo leaned closer and whispered, "Boss Song, we can't handle this. How about we ask the people in the technical department for help?"

Without even looking up, Song, the foreman, carefully wiped the oil off the gears, seemingly ignoring Chen Mo's words.

Chen Mo understood Song's hesitation. Most of the engineers in the technical department were college or university graduates, which was completely different from the workers on their production line.

They're always sitting in offices, born to be superior to workers.

Everyone knows that this kind of thing requires asking an engineer from the technical department, but nobody wants to go.

Those people were urged three or four times but still refused to come. When they did come, they had long faces and scolded everyone.

If it's fixed, we'll have to yell at them, calling them good-for-nothings.

If they can't fix it, they'll yell at the workers for ruining the equipment.

Chen Mo lowered his eyebrows slightly. The situation back then was the same as now, so it wouldn't be long before the new factory manager came to inspect the workshop.

This is an opportunity; if you seized it in your past life, you should seize it even more in this one.

"Boss Song, this can't go on like this; the workshop is waiting to start operations!"

"How about I ask an engineer from the technical department?" Chen Mo whispered.

Foreman Song immediately looked up: "Do I have to teach you how to do the work?"

"Go and get an engineer from the technical department right away!"

"You can't afford to take the blame if we delay the workshop's production targets!"

"Alright, Boss Song!"

Chen Mo smiled and agreed. He turned and walked out of the workshop. As he passed the electrical box, he made a point of checking the switch.

The switch had already fallen the moment the equipment malfunctioned. He examined it carefully, then took a wooden sign painted in red that read "Do Not Close the Switch" and hung it on the electrical box.

After doing all that, he clapped his hands and approached the technical department.

The technical department in the third workshop was filled with smoke. There were four engineers in total, three of whom were on duty. When they heard the knock on the door, none of them even opened their eyes.

Some were reading newspapers, while others were playing with birds.

Those who smoked kept smoking one cigarette after another.

After waiting for a while, Chen Mo couldn't help but push open the green-painted wooden door. The smoke that rushed out made him cough.

"Damn it, whoever comes in, they don't even knock before entering the house anymore!" Mr. Yang, who was smoking a cigarette, glanced at the person who came in and said.

Chen Mo covered his mouth and nose with his hand and looked at Yang, who was standing closest to him: "Yang, the gantry milling machine in the workshop is malfunctioning. Do any of you have time... cough cough... to take a look..."

"Pah!" Engineer Yang spat his cigarette butt forcefully onto the ground. "Get out, knock before you come in!"

One of the people reading the newspaper chimed in, "How can you explain rules to a lowly laborer?"

"Seriously, what are you guys good for! How can there be so many malfunctions?" Engineer Yang rolled his eyes.

Chen Mo did not retaliate.

"Tell me, why are there so many malfunctions? Did you deliberately sabotage it?"

"Go back! Fill out the fault report form, get your foreman and workshop director to sign it, and wait patiently!"

"We'll go when we have time!"

Yang didn't even look at Chen Mo directly. In fact, he deliberately turned his head to the side and cursed in a voice that Chen Mo could just hear.

Chen Mo remained silent until he heard the words telling him to go back. He then slightly raised his head and left the room.

He closed the door behind him.

If I had known it would be like this, I would have encountered similar things far too many times in my past life!

It's just different this time.

Chen Mo unconsciously quickened his pace. Upon arriving at the workshop, he checked the electrical box again before walking over to the gantry milling machine.

At this moment, Song Bantou kept his head down very low and didn't dare to breathe.

Beside them, two men wearing leather shoes stared at the equipment in front of them.

Chen Mo steadied himself and said, "Factory Director, Secretary Liu."

The factory director looked up at Chen Mo, then at Secretary Liu.

Secretary Liu understood and said, "Xiao Chen, Squad Leader Song said you just went to the technical department. Why did you take so long?"

"Secretary Liu, I checked the electrical box, which took a while."

"These things use 380V electricity, so if you are not careful, the consequences will be too serious."

"Oh, I saw you checked it both times. Wasn't there a sign saying 'Do not turn on the switch'?"

"Secretary Liu, we have so many people in our factory, and the workers are all highly qualified, but it's inevitable that some will be negligent."

"Safety first, it's always better to be careful!"

Secretary Liu didn't speak; he looked at the factory director.

The factory manager nodded slightly: "Xiao Chen, what's wrong with this gantry milling machine? If the machine can't be started, we can't produce anything."

"This is a loss for the country. The country is in such a difficult situation right now, we can't afford to delay."

"Factory manager, I think there's something stuck in the travel guide of this gantry milling machine. I was there when it stopped."

"There was a sudden loud bang, and then the entire gantry milling machine jammed and became unable to work. This is not a common problem; it's likely an issue with the guide rail travel."

"I've already asked my colleagues from the technical department to come over later. They should have a more accurate assessment and repair plan for this gantry milling machine."

Chen Mo was neither humble nor arrogant, and his words were clear and logical.

The factory manager didn't answer immediately; after a while, he finally spoke: "Okay, let's wait for our colleagues from the technical department!"

"Yes!" Chen Mo replied.

Secretary Liu did not answer; he looked at the gantry milling machine, as did Chen Mo.