Great Power Industry: You're a private company building an aircraft carrier?

The Yellow River Factory has a long history, dating back to 1935 when it was a car repair shop established by the government. In 1958, it produced its first Yellow River brand TN220 jeep, and from then on, it began to make its mark.

Their main product is still the Yellow River TN150 eight-ton truck, which filled the gap in the domestic heavy-duty truck market. When General Zhu visited the Yellow River factory, he was very satisfied and personally wrote the two characters "Yellow River".

Later, when the country opened its doors, in order to solve the problem of a shortage of light and heavy equipment, Steyr technology was introduced from Austria. The Yellow River Plant was one of the main counterparts. After digesting and absorbing the technology, the Steyr produced by the Yellow River Plant has become the most important transportation tool in China.

The workers at the Yellow River Factory were naturally highly regarded, belonging to the absolute blue-collar elites in the industry!

They not only work in the factory to earn money, but also go to small factories outside on weekends to work as technical consultants.

In this era, many workers in large state-owned enterprises are using this method to earn extra money. Some even have the courage to resign and go to companies in the south to make big money.

When they arrived at the small factory, they were considered top-notch technical experts. The factory manager had to treat them like gods, providing them with transportation, good food and drinks, and even paying them wages in cash.

Workers in the capital only earn 400 yuan a month, but they can earn 200 yuan in two days by "performing" outside the capital. If they go out four times a month, that's 800 yuan, which is an absolutely high salary.

Zhao Shuren, a veteran worker at the Yellow River Steel Plant, received an invitation from the Laiyang Steel Plant. The small factory he had been working for had just gone bankrupt, so he accepted the offer.

They never expected that the factory would not value them, and the factory leaders would not even come out to greet them!

Zhao Shuren, being a master craftsman, was expected to be well-mannered, but his apprentice Pan San refused to listen and immediately made some harsh remarks.

"Gentlemen, I'm very sorry, our hydraulic press just arrived, and the factory manager is busy directing the unloading."

Li Runping walked over: "I'm the head of the sales department at the factory. Just call me Lao Li. I'm here on behalf of Yanggang Steel Plant..."

"Hmph, do you think you can represent us? Get your factory manager over here!"

"Xiao Pan, what are you saying? Be kind and honest, don't put on airs all the time."

Zhao Shuren finally spoke up: "Old Li, don't blame him. This young apprentice is hot-blooded and speaks impulsively. I brought him out here so that he could experience society and broaden his horizons. The salary doesn't need to be too high, fifty a day will do."

It's common for experienced craftsmen to bring their apprentices along when they come out to earn extra money. After all, which master craftsman doesn't have an apprentice? There always needs to be someone to serve them.

When he spoke on the phone, he didn't mention bringing any apprentices, but since Zhao Shuren had spoken, Laiyang Steel Plant had no choice but to accept it.

Sure enough, Li Runping nodded without hesitation: "No problem, fifty it is. Gentlemen, let me first introduce our factory to you..."

As they were talking, a clattering sound rang out, and Qin Jianguo directed his men to push the gantry crane out.

The 500-ton hydraulic press refers to the pressure, not its own weight.

This hydraulic press is divided into two parts, upper and lower, with four hydraulic columns in the middle.

The working surface is in the center of the hydraulic column. The weight depends on the size of the working surface. Later lightweight four-column hydraulic presses weighed only about ten tons, but the old guys of this era were solid iron lumps, weighing more than twenty tons!

Most machinery factories are equipped with gantry cranes for easy loading and unloading. These are usually homemade and very rudimentary, capable of lifting five or six tons at best.

The one from Laiyang Steel Plant is even bigger, with a maximum lifting capacity of only about 20 tons, which is just right.

Zhao Shuren looked at the large wooden box on the brand-new Liupingchai and said, "This should be a 500-ton hydraulic press produced by Erzhong Machinery. After a few years of use, some of the joints are prone to oil leakage. I will check it for you after it is installed."

"Yes, thank you."

"By the way, you bought the hydraulic press, but did you buy the molds?"

Li Runping shook his head.

"It still doesn't work. It seems that all I can do this time is help repair the hydraulic press."

“Old Li, let’s make this clear in advance: my master has to work for two full days if he comes out. Even if it’s only half a day, he has to be paid for two days’ work. Otherwise, my master’s remaining time will be wasted.”

Li Runping was slightly angry. It wasn't about the money; their factory had tens of millions in its accounts, so what was a few hundred yuan? The key was the tone of the young apprentice's voice. Zhao Shuren was the master craftsman, so it was normal for him to call him Old Li. What right did this young apprentice have to call him that?

"Xiao Pan, how dare you speak like that?" Zhao Shuren gave him a stern look: "Is 'Old Li' someone you can call me? You should call me Section Chief Li!"

"Yes, Section Chief Li."

"Old Li, don't take it to heart. He hasn't been out much. But about the wages..."

"Don't worry about the pay, it will definitely be for two days," Li Runping nodded.

This master and apprentice are really in sync, like a double act!

"Yes, if you need molds, I can help you make contact."

Zhao Shuren said, "A mold that can be used on a 500-ton hydraulic press and can press two and a half thick steel plates would cost 800,000 yuan if purchased in a standard way. I'll get in touch with you and it will only cost 500,000 yuan."

Five hundred thousand? Li Runping was moved. He only spent five hundred thousand on the hydraulic press and even got an Audi 100 as a gift. Now he had to spend so much more on the molds?

"We need to hurry, where is your factory manager?"

"Director Qin, Director Qin, Master Zhao is here!" Just then, Zhu Xing finally found Qin Jianguo, who was busy directing the movement of hydraulic presses.

"Really?" Qin Jianguo slapped his forehead, realizing he had forgotten!

Even experienced craftsmen have their tempers. If it's their first time coming and no one greets them, they might get upset!

"Director Qin, I'm here!"

Zhao Shuren's voice rang out from behind: "We're all on the same side, no need to be polite. Come on, be careful when moving this machine!"

After much effort, the four-column hydraulic press was finally installed in the workshop, and the workers walked around it excitedly.

"Hey, where's Xiao Chuan?" Qin Jianguo was overjoyed for a while, but when he turned around, his son was nowhere to be seen!

"Go to the foundry workshop."

"What's he doing there? Our factory abandoned sand casting a long time ago!"

Sand casting is a casting process in which molding sand is used to make a mold, and then molten steel is poured into it to cast the corresponding material. Car engine blocks and rural coal stoves can be manufactured in this way.

However, their steel plant now manufactures steel pipes using hot rolling technology. Sand casting has long been abandoned, and it won't be used for manufacturing gas cylinders either.

"Making molds."

"What?" Zhao Shuren immediately frowned. "Isn't this just nonsense? How could a mold possibly be cast!"

“That’s right. My master has been doing machining for decades and has never heard of using casting to make molds. What a joke!” Pan San said with a mocking smile.

"Let's go over and have a look."