The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 32: Assigning Tasks, Let's Get Started

After a day of cleaning and moving, the experimental workshop needed by the new alloy project team has been completely tidied up and cleaned.

Although the order to tidy up the workshop was given at a meeting yesterday, the Second Steel Rolling Mill had already started the process three or four days earlier.

After they came up with a set of rules internally, they began to manually clean up the workshop.

The next few days were spent reporting to the Ministry of Metallurgy, and after receiving permission from the leadership, the workshop was almost ready.

Zhou Zhiqiang arrived relatively early, but when he arrived, more than half of the people in the workshop were already there.

Even Professor Zhang Deli, who is quite old, came, which made Zhou Zhiqiang feel a little ashamed.

He thought he was one of the early arrivals, but he underestimated the enthusiasm for construction among most people in this era.

Zhou Zhiqiang approached Zhang Deli and asked, "Professor Zhang, where is Deputy Team Leader Bai?"

"He was here for a while, then went out to allocate supplies. He should be back in a bit."

After Zhang Deli finished speaking, he pulled Zhou Zhiqiang aside and introduced him: "Come on, let me introduce you to your juniors. This is your senior, who graduated from our school last year."

"He is Professor Guo Linhua's beloved student. In the days to come, you will be working with your senior in the project team. You must study and observe diligently."

Although Zhou Zhiqiang is a recent graduate, his solid theoretical foundation in mechanics and materials is evident from the principles and improvement methods of the new alloy steel smelting process he presented.

These professors had been trying to improve steel, but after much discussion they still hadn't come up with a clear idea. Then Zhou Zhiqiang came up with it.

The new alloy steel smelting process he presented convinced most of them that it was worthwhile to experiment with and try it.

After listening to their introductions, Zhou Zhiqiang greeted them with a smile, saying, "Hello, I am Zhou Zhiqiang. Teacher Zhang flatters me. I just joined the nation's construction earlier than you."

After you graduate, we'll all be part of building society. If there's anything you don't understand, let's talk to each other."

After greeting the students, Bai Shaokang happened to arrive at the workshop. Seeing Zhou Zhiqiang there, Bai Shaokang smiled and walked over.

As he approached, Bai Shaokang said, "Team Leader Zhou, you've come at the right time. I just checked, and all the supplies on the list should be delivered by this afternoon at the latest."

"That's good, thanks to you, Deputy Team Leader Bai."

Zhou Zhiqiang laughed and said that having someone from the factory take the lead makes many things much easier. Things like supplies and logistics are much easier for Bai Shaokang to handle without him having to worry about them.

"Deputy Team Leader Bai, Professor Zhang, I'd like to proceed separately from now on; the smelting process for the new alloy steel requires two key pieces of equipment. I plan to go back to the machine shop and have a senior technician help with the processing, while I'll also oversee things there."

"Dafeng Machinery Factory? That's fine too."

Bai Shaokang nodded after hearing this. Although he thought that Dafeng Machinery Factory was a small factory with only a thousand employees, he didn't say it out loud.

"Team Leader Zhou, if Dafeng Machinery Factory can't make what you want, I'll help you contact the First Machine Tool Factory."

It's a pity our factory doesn't have many parts that can be machined, otherwise it would be most convenient to work at our factory.

Their factory is mainly responsible for steelmaking and rolling, and at most, they cut the steel and then ship it to other factories.

There are very few skilled workers who can make parts; in fact, you could say there aren't any.

If their factory's machinery malfunctions and their own repairmen can't make the necessary parts, they have to ask other factories for help.

"Can Deputy Team Leader Bai still contact the First Machine Tool Plant?" "He has some friends there; he can put in a good word for them."

Zhou Zhiqiang was surprised to hear this, then nodded and said, "Okay, if it doesn't work out, I'll come back to you."

"As for the other aspects of the renovation, the task scope was assigned yesterday. Professor Zhang, please keep an eye on the technical aspects. As for the other matters, Deputy Team Leader Bai, you will be in charge."

Zhou Zhiqiang paused for a moment, then continued, "I will come back once a day. If there are any technical disputes, I will let you know then."

That's a bit arrogant. Logically speaking, since Professor Zhang Deli from the Industrial University is here, one should be asking him for technical advice.

Zhou Zhiqiang's words seemed disrespectful to his seniors, and the students listening in felt that their teacher had been offended.

However, Zhang Deli didn't feel that way at all. He had communicated with Zhou Zhiqiang and knew that Zhou Zhiqiang had a deeper understanding of the new alloy process technology than he did, so there was nothing wrong with listening to him.

If it works, it works; if it doesn't, it doesn't. This is the rule that Zhang Deli believes in. There is no such thing as seniority or hierarchy in academia, and he hates that the most.

After giving some instructions, Zhou Zhiqiang prepared to leave with the blueprints.

The core equipment he is currently in charge of comprises hundreds of parts.

More than 60% of the components cannot be manufactured on a large scale by domestic industry.

It can only be slowly handcrafted by a highly skilled craftsman, and even the slightest difference will render it unusable; forcing it to work will cause major problems.

Just like manufacturing mushroom bombs a few years later, we first hand-crafted precision parts before installing them on mechanical equipment.

During this period, Zhou Zhiqiang had to keep a close eye on things. He estimated that there would be frequent rework, to the point that the senior workers would get angry and frustrated, and even then, they might not be able to produce a qualified product.

"By the way, Team Leader Zhou, if you don't make it back in time for lunch, you'll definitely have lunch at your factory. Remember to collect your allowance when you get back; that will count as fieldwork."

Bai Shaokang reminded you, "Now that you're part of the project team, our factory also provides you with a subsidy for two meals a day when you're on fieldwork. You might as well take it."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and said, "I can't believe there's such a good thing. Thank you for reminding me, Deputy Team Leader Bai."

He didn't get to eat for free at the Dafeng Machinery Factory; he had to buy meal tickets. However, eating at the factory was indeed cheaper than eating at home, as the factory would subsidize him quite a bit.

Workers usually eat at the factory if they can, unless it's really hard to swallow.

Moreover, the factory also limits the number of meal tickets sold; the number of meal tickets each person can buy per month is predetermined.

The second steel rolling mill also provides subsidies, which really saves Zhou Zhiqiang money. With two meals a day, he can save five or six yuan a month.

After leaving the No. 2 Steel Rolling Mill, Zhou Zhiqiang quickly rode his bicycle back to Dafeng Machinery Factory.

He went directly to Deputy Factory Director Liu and reported the need for senior technicians.

However, Deputy Factory Director Liu couldn't handle it for the time being, as he rarely took charge of specific production-related work.

The factory has one factory director and two deputy factory directors. One of the deputy factory directors is a private individual who has not been seen for a long time, and now even his salary has been stopped.

Liu Fuhua, the deputy factory director, was mainly in charge of logistics, labor relations, and the technical department. He had some advisory authority regarding production, but that was all he had.

After listening to Zhou Zhiqiang's request, Liu Fuhua pondered for a while before speaking: "I can help you communicate with the workshop director for one or two people, but you need more than a dozen people, Zhiqiang. You should talk to the factory manager about this, since the factory also has production tasks."

(End of this chapter)