Major Heavy Industry: Starting with a Fake Marriage

Chapter 4 Helpless

Jiang Cheng's expression changed, and he ran towards the steel rolling workshop.

Before he even reached the door, he saw a group of people gathered outside the workshop, discussing the situation. Someone saw Jiang Cheng and shouted, "Chengzi, something happened to your master!"

Jiang Cheng's heart tightened, and he pushed through the crowd to get in.

The steel rolling workshop was a mess. The brand-new imported steel rolling mill stood there, surrounded by several twisted pieces of steel. Next to the machine, Huang Deqing was squatting on the ground, his face ashen, his hands covered in machine oil.

The factory manager and the technical staff had also arrived. The factory manager, surnamed Zhou, was in his fifties and a veteran of the Eighth Route Army. His brows were furrowed in worry: "What's going on? Weren't you told this machine was fine?"

Old Meng, the head of the technical department, wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Director Zhou, it was normal when we were testing it yesterday, but it just started production today, and when we rolled the third steel billet... it got stuck."

"Stuck? It's that simple?" Factory Manager Zhou pointed at the machine. "So, what now? Can it be fixed?"

Old Meng stammered, "Well... we've never disassembled imported equipment before, we'll have to ask the manufacturer's technicians to come."

"The manufacturer? This machine was imported from West Germany. Getting someone to come over will take months!" Factory Director Zhou's voice rose. "The factory is waiting for this batch of steel to complete the national plan!"

Huang Deqing stood up, his voice low: "Factory manager, I just checked it, and it's probably a problem with the roll bearings. The rolling force of this machine is too high, and we may not have controlled the billet temperature properly."

Factory Director Zhou looked at him: "Old Huang, you're a level six fitter, do you think we can fix it ourselves?"

Huang Deqing hesitated for a moment: "I...I can't guarantee anything. This machine is too sophisticated. We don't have the blueprints. It's easy to disassemble, but difficult to put it back together."

Jiang Cheng stood at the back of the crowd, his eyes fixed on the rolling mill. From his perspective, it was a typical hot strip mill, but its design was somewhat unusual—the way the rolls were supported was different from what he remembered. Huang Deqing had suggested it might be a bearing problem, but Jiang Cheng felt it wasn't that simple.

"Everyone, disperse and go about your business." Director Zhou waved his hand. "Old Meng, contact your superiors and see if they know any West German experts. Old Huang, think about it carefully again. If all else fails, we'll have to find a way."

The crowd gradually dispersed. Jiang Cheng walked up to Huang Deqing: "Master, let me help you."

Huang Deqing glanced at him, said nothing, and just sighed.

The master and apprentice squatted in front of the rolling mill. Huang Deqing tapped here and there, his brows always furrowed. Jiang Cheng didn't say anything, just observed silently.

The rolling mill looked brand new, with its nameplate entirely in German. Jiang Cheng could vaguely recognize some of the technical terms from memory. His doctoral research focused on engineering mechanics, so he was no stranger to the structure of rolling mills. However, his current status was only that of a level four fitter, and rashly offering any professional insights would likely arouse suspicion.

"Master, you just said it might be a problem with the bearing. What's your basis for that?" Jiang Cheng handed over a Fighting brand cigarette.

Huang Deqing took the cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag. "Listen, here." He tapped the support of the roller with a wrench. "The sound is off, it's muffled. A normal sound should be crisp."

Jiang Cheng also tapped it, and it was indeed as Huang Deqing had said. But he noticed another detail: there was a very shallow scratch on the surface of the roll, almost invisible unless you looked closely. According to the normal production process, this scratch should not appear.

"Master, look here." Jiang Cheng pointed to the scratch.

Huang Deqing took a closer look and his expression changed: "What... is the roller rubbing against something?" He stood up, went around to the other side of the mill, squatted down and looked inside.

"Old Huang!" A voice suddenly rang out, and Old Meng, the head of the technical department, turned back, followed by two people. "These are Engineer Chen and Engineer Liu from the Provincial Machinery Research Institute. I asked them to come and take a look."

Two middle-aged men in Zhongshan suits walked over. The one wearing glasses, Engineer Chen, glanced at the scene and asked directly, "What is the fault?"

Huang Deqing explained the situation. After listening, Engineer Chen went to the control panel, checked the instrument records, and then returned to the rolling mill, inspecting several parts with his magnifying glass. He then exchanged a few words with Engineer Liu in hushed tones, and Engineer Liu nodded.

"Where is Factory Director Zhou?" Engineer Chen asked.

"The factory manager went to a meeting," Lao Meng said.

"Let me explain," Engineer Chen said, adjusting his glasses. "The problem with this rolling mill might be more serious than you think. Judging from the symptoms, it seems the bearing housings of the rolls have shifted, causing the roll axes to become non-parallel, thus jamming the steel. But the reason for this shift is complex; it could be an installation problem or a design flaw. We recommend immediately shutting down the machine and contacting the West German manufacturer to send someone to handle it. Before that, it absolutely must not be restarted, otherwise it could cause even greater damage."

Old Meng's face was grim: "But the factory's production targets..."

"Which is more important, production tasks or equipment?" Engineer Chen asked seriously. "This equipment was bought with foreign exchange; no one can afford to take responsibility if it breaks down."

Old Meng had no choice but to nod: "Well... alright then, I'll report to the factory manager."

Engineer Chen and Engineer Liu looked at the machine again, then left. Old Meng also left.

Huang Deqing squatted there, not saying a word. Jiang Cheng knew he was upset—as the factory's most skilled fitter, being helpless in the face of a malfunction was more frustrating than anything else.

"Master, let's go back first," Jiang Cheng advised. "We'll think of something tomorrow."

Huang Deqing stood up and dusted off his knees: "Let's go."

The master and apprentice walked out of the steel rolling workshop. The sun was shining brightly outside, but Huang Deqing's face was so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

"Chengzi, do you think I'm getting old?" Huang Deqing suddenly asked.

Jiang Cheng was taken aback: "Master, what are you saying? You're only in your forties."

"I'm in my forties, not old for a fitter, but this machine... this thing is from abroad, I can't even understand the blueprints, how am I supposed to fix it?" Huang Deqing shook his head, "Our country is backward."

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know where to begin. He knew, of course, that in a few decades, China's industry would make rapid progress, but that would take time and the efforts of countless people.

"Master, don't be discouraged. Foreign things are also man-made. We'll figure them out eventually if we keep thinking about them," Jiang Cheng said.

Huang Deqing glanced at him and smiled wryly: "You're quite optimistic."

The two returned to their respective dormitories. Jiang Cheng lay on his bed, his mind filled with the rolling mill. Using his modern knowledge, he had roughly determined the cause of the malfunction—it wasn't a misaligned bearing seat, but rather a problem with the material of the rolls. The mill's design rolling force might have been overestimated. In actual production, when the billet temperature was slightly lower, the rolling force increased, exceeding the rolls' tolerance limit, causing micro-cracks on the surface, which in turn led to steel jamming. However, further verification was needed.

He sat up, wanting to go to the workshop again, but then thought it wasn't a good time to go. It was already dark outside, and the workshop should be locked.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, it was Zheng Yanxi.