Chapter 57: Can It Really Be Achieved?

Factory Lou Changzhang and Li Shouzheng stared at the blueprints, dumbfounded; this completely overturned their understanding of factory production.

"Assembly line? What kind of concept is this?" Factory Lou Changzhang asked, bewildered.

Li Mingyuan explained patiently: "Simply put, it means breaking down a complex production process into multiple simple steps, where each worker or machine is only responsible for one fixed step, and the product flows like water from one workstation to the next until it is finished."

Li Shouzheng suddenly realized: "Oh, just like serving food in a cafeteria! One cook serves the rice, one cook serves the dishes, and one cook collects the money—it's much faster than one person doing everything!"

"Yes, that is the principle." Li Mingyuan nodded.

"But industrial production is more complex and requires precise calculation and coordination.

First is the workstation layout, to ensure the material flow is smooth.

Second is the work-hour balance; the workload at each workstation must be roughly equivalent to avoid 'bottlenecks.'

Finally, there is quality control; every process must have inspection standards to ensure the quality of semi-finished products."

Factory Lou Changzhang studied every detail on the blueprints carefully and exclaimed: "In this way, how many times would production efficiency increase?"

Li Mingyuan answered confidently: "Conservatively estimated, at least 5 times. If all links are coordinated properly, it might even reach 10 times."

"Ten times!" Li Shouzheng stood up abruptly, his hands trembling with excitement, "Xiao Li, do you know what this means? We could produce ten times the weapons within the original timeframe!!"

Factory Lou Changzhang also became excited: "If this system can be successfully implemented, it won't just be our factory—the entire country's industrial production method will be revolutionized! This is... this is simply an industrial revolution!"

Li Mingyuan accepted this praise calmly, although in his view, this was merely a fundamental transition from "workshop-style production" to "industrialized production," which did not count as any innovation by modern standards, but in this era, it was indeed an epoch-making advancement.

"I have already prepared the blueprints; next, the factory needs to organize manpower and resources to renovate the workshops, train workers, and establish a new management system according to the blueprints."

Li Mingyuan opened another stack of documents, "This is the 'Standardized Operation Manual' I drafted; every position has detailed work processes and quality standards to ensure that even if the operating personnel are changed, product quality will not be affected."

Factory Lou Changzhang took the manual and flipped through a few pages casually; the more he looked, the more shocked he became:

"This... this is too detailed; even the worker's standing posture and the angle of operation are clearly stipulated."

"That's right, this is the Hexin of standardization," Li Mingyuan explained, "Only by standardizing every detail can we ensure the consistency of mass-produced product quality and good interchangeability."

Li Shouzheng was thoughtful: "Just like military drills; every movement has a standard, so that the coordination of the overall action can be guaranteed."

"An incisive analogy." Li Mingyuan nodded in approval, "Industrial production and military action have many similarities; both require strict standards and discipline."

Factory Lou Changzhang finished reading the entire proposal and took a deep breath: "Chief Engineer Li, our factory is blessed! I will report this proposal to the Military Industry Department immediately, request special approval for funds and materials, and support the renovation with all our might."

Li Shouzheng also gave his final word: "That's right, this is more important than any breakthrough we've had before. Xiao Li, rest assured, I will personally report the importance of this proposal to the superiors."

At seven o'clock in the morning, outside the Military Industry Department conference room, Factory Lou Changzhang and Li Shouzheng paced nervously, clutching that thick stack of blueprints in their arms.

"Lao Li, do you think they will approve it? This is going to be a massive undertaking," Factory Lou Changzhang wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked in a low voice.

Li Shouzheng took a sip of water, his gaze firm:

"They must approve it! This proposal from Xiao Li is the most impressive one among all the designs I've ever seen."

The door to the conference room suddenly opened, and a young man in military uniform poked his head out: "Come in, the leaders have all arrived."

Factory Lou Changzhang and Li Shouzheng looked at each other, took a deep breath, and walked into the conference room holding the blueprints.

Sitting in the conference room were seven or eight leaders, led by Yang of the Military Industry Department, whose gaze was like a torch and whose posture was upright.

"The comrades from the Hongxing Rolling Mill have arrived, sit down."

Yang pointed to the chairs at the lower end, "I heard you brought an important proposal?"

Factory Lou Changzhang wiped away some sweat, his voice even trembling slightly:

"Yes, Yang, this is the new-style production assembly line proposal designed by our factory's Chief Engineer Li."

Li Shouzheng added: "This proposal can increase our production efficiency by more than ten times, and it guarantees product quality."

"Ten times?" Yang raised an eyebrow, and the other leaders also showed expressions of disbelief.

"That exaggerated? Bring it here and let me see."

Factory Lou Changzhang hurriedly handed over the blueprints, and after Yang took them, he gestured for the other leaders to gather around and look.

The conference room became terrifyingly quiet, with only the rustling sound of turning blueprints.

Yang looked at the first page, his brow furrowed.

He looked at the second page, his brow relaxed.

Upon seeing the third page, his eyes widened.

When he flipped to the fourth page, he slammed the table hard.

"Good! Excellent!" Yang's voice carried an undisguised excitement.

"Who designed this? Li Mingyuan? Is that the young man who came up with the Semi-automatic Machine Tool? The one who did 500,000 Bullets in ten days?"

Li Shouzheng nodded hurriedly: "Yes, that's him; that kid's head is full of treasures."

A tall, thin leader wearing glasses pointed at the blueprints excitedly:

"This Chain Conveyor Belt design is too ingenious; it completely breaks through our existing technical level!"

Another white-haired old leader's fingers trembled slightly: "This... isn't this that assembly line thing the foreigners do? I visited Mocheng and saw it, I didn't expect we could design it ourselves..."

"No, it's more advanced than that!" a leader who looked like a technical expert couldn't help but interject.

"I've also seen that line in Mocheng; it doesn't have such precise division of labor, nor such a perfect quality control system."

Yang's fingers moved back and forth on the blueprints, his eyes growing brighter: "The design of these Tooling Fixtures is simply genius; ordinary workers can process high-precision parts."

The atmosphere in the conference room gradually became heated, and the leaders took turns checking the blueprints, occasionally letting out exclamations of admiration.

Li Shouzheng pressed his advantage: "There is also this Standardized Operation Manual; every process has clear regulations, from the worker's standing position to the operating angle, everything is written out."

Factory Lou Changzhang added: "Chief Engineer Li said that with this system, our production capacity will increase by at least ten times, and up to twenty times."

"Twenty times?" Yang looked up in shock, his eyes flashing with incredulous light.

"Are you sure this isn't just a theoretical number? Can it really be achieved in actual operation?"