Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

Time passed by, and the sky outside the window gradually darkened, making the office lights appear even brighter.

After an unknown amount of time, Zheng Guowei finally let out a long sigh of relief and closed the last page of the report.

He then rubbed his slightly sore eyes, neatly placed the report on the coffee table, looked up, and stared intently at Li Feng.

"Great! This is so well written!"

Zheng Guowei's voice carried a hint of fatigue, but even more so, an irrepressible excitement and admiration.

"Detailed! Rigorous! Bold! And full of scientific spirit of careful verification!"

He was lavish in his praise.

"From the explanation of technical principles to the specific design of the production line, to equipment selection, personnel training, cost accounting, and even the risks and contingency plans that may be encountered during project implementation, everything has been considered clearly! Every piece of data has a source, every argument has support, the logic is rigorous, and everything is interconnected! Li Feng, to be honest, this is no longer a simple project report, it's practically a textbook! A textbook on how to build an automated ceramic production line!"

Despite receiving such high praise, Li Feng maintained a humble smile: "Director Zheng, you flatter me. This is the result of everyone's joint efforts. I was just responsible for writing and organizing it."

"You always take credit for others," Zheng Guowei said with a smile, pointing at him. He was clearly pleased with Zheng Guowei's modesty.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip of the scalding hot tea to moisten his slightly dry throat, and then steered the conversation to another core topic.

"I've read the report; it's impeccably written. Now, tell me more about the situation at the West Suburbs Research Institute."

"Since your report to Minister Jiang at the factory last time, what new progress has been made? How exactly will this integration with our fully automated production line be implemented?"

This is the issue that Zheng Guowei is most concerned about.

The West Suburbs Research Institute, nominally the "Third Guesthouse of the Ministry of Light Industry," was the core and soul of the entire plan.

Without the technological breakthroughs there, fully automated production lines are just castles in the air.

Li Feng's expression also turned serious. He gathered his thoughts and reported in a deep voice, "Director Zheng, since I reported to you and Minister Jiang last time, I have focused my main energy on the factory."

“We have focused on optimizing the core algorithms of the computer control system for the special process of ceramic production, especially in the two key stages of glazing and firing. We have introduced preliminary models of fuzzy control theory and neural network algorithms.”

"Simply put, it's about enabling computer systems to simulate the judgment process of our most experienced master craftsmen."

"It no longer simply executes rigid instructions like 'stop heating when the temperature reaches a certain degree,' but can make dynamic and minute adjustments based on real-time changes in the temperature, humidity, and atmosphere inside the kiln, infinitely approaching the most perfect firing curve."

"This improvement was extremely difficult, but the results were also remarkable. According to our latest simulation test results, the rate of high-quality products can theoretically be increased by another 3% to 5% after adopting the new algorithm! Moreover, the precision of control has been greatly improved for some difficult glazes and shapes, such as kiln-transformed glazes and crystalline glazes."

Li Feng's voice wasn't loud, but every word clearly reached Zheng Guowei and Wu Na's ears, as if it possessed a kind of magic, conjuring up a picture of a future factory before their eyes.

Inside the vast production workshop, only a few technicians monitor the data on screens in the central control room. Production lines operate smoothly under precise computer control, producing a steady stream of exquisite ceramic products. "Currently, the optimization of the algorithm and the adaptation of the hardware are undergoing final debugging."

"A few days ago, I called my colleagues at the research institute and set a timetable. I expect that in three months, at most one hundred days, the first fully mature, industrially viable, fully automated computer control system for ceramics will be officially launched!"

Li Feng paused, then said with even greater determination, "When the second phase of our ceramics factory's infrastructure is completed and the equipment is installed, this system can be immediately installed and debugged. The second phase of the project will become the first truly automated ceramics production line in the country, and even the world, developed and built entirely by the people of our Dragon Country!"

"Snapped!"

Zheng Guowei slapped his thigh hard, his face flushed with excitement.

"Good! Great!"

His voice trembled slightly.

Number one in the country!

Number one in the world!

He knew all too well what those two words meant to a cadre of his rank.

This is not just a technological transformation project for a factory; it is a monument worthy of being recorded in the history of China's industrial development!
If successful, the entire Ministry of Light Industry will benefit immensely.

On a smaller scale, this was Zheng Guowei's most dazzling achievement during his tenure, and the most solid stepping stone in his career.

On a grander scale, this will completely change the backward state of China's light industry, giving us the confidence to compete with any industrial power in the international market!
More importantly, the computer control technology behind this system has application prospects that are not limited to the ceramics industry.

Textiles, food, home appliances... almost all light industrial sectors can be integrated and promoted with technology.

What a magnificent technological revolution that would be!
As a promoter and supporter of this revolution, Zheng Guowei's name will surely be remembered by history!

"You've made excellent arrangements at the West Suburbs Research Institute." Zheng Guowei suppressed his excitement and tried to keep his voice steady. "The final stages of the project must be expedited and firmly managed! If you need any support from the ministry—personnel, funding, or materials—just let me know, and I'll give you the authority to handle it on a case-by-case basis!"

Li Feng nodded emphatically: "Please rest assured, Director Zheng, before I left the research institute last time, I had already broken down and arranged all the follow-up tasks in detail, assigning responsibilities to specific individuals, and providing daily progress reports."

"As long as the experimental data fully meet the standards and the verification is successful, our ceramics factory can immediately enter the practical application stage and seamlessly connect with it."

"Hmm." Zheng Guowei nodded in satisfaction.

Li Feng's proactive and forward-thinking work style made him feel incredibly at ease and reassured. (End of Chapter)