Chapter 62: Renovating the Steelmaking Furnace

The key components for the Top-Bottom Combined Blowing Converter have all been manufactured, with precision exceeding expectations; we can now begin the next phase of work.

Li Mingyuan immediately summoned all technical personnel for a meeting to announce a major decision:

"Starting today, we are launching the Open-Hearth Furnace renovation project, with plans to complete all renovations within three days!"

As soon as these words were spoken, there was an uproar in the conference room.

The Open-Hearth Furnace renovation is a massive project; according to traditional methods, it would take at least half a month to complete.

"Three days? That's impossible, isn't it?" an old technician couldn't help but question.

Li Mingyuan was full of confidence: "It is entirely possible! I have already designed the renovation plan, adopting modular construction with multiple teams working simultaneously; we can absolutely finish within three days!"

The news quickly spread throughout the factory, even reaching the ears of Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, who were busy sweeping the toilets.

"What a joke!" Liu Haizhong sneered, "The Open-Hearth Furnace has been in use for years; how could it be so easy to renovate? That kid is bragging again!"

Yi Zhonghai also looked disdainful:

"Renovate the Open-Hearth Furnace in three days? I've worked my whole life and never heard of such a thing. He's going to take a huge fall this time!"

The two agreed that they must go watch this "farce" in the afternoon to see how that "genius engineer" would make a fool of himself.

At two in the afternoon, a large crowd of workers gathered at the entrance of the Open-Hearth Furnace Workshop, including Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, who had taken "sick leave."

"Here to watch the fun?" the Logistics Department Head appeared behind them at some point, asking with a smile.

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong gave awkward smiles, not daring to talk back.

Amidst a cacophony of noise, Li Mingyuan walked into the Open-Hearth Furnace Workshop with a team of technicians, followed by dozens of workers, each pushing carts filled with parts and tools.

"Begin construction!" Li Mingyuan gave the order, and the entire workshop immediately became busy.

Surprisingly, Li Mingyuan did not follow conventional construction methods at all; instead, he first divided the entire Open-Hearth Furnace into over a dozen independent modules, with each module assigned to a small team for renovation.

"What kind of operation is this?" Yi Zhonghai watched, dumbfounded, "The Open-Hearth Furnace isn't a set of building blocks; how can it be taken apart piece by piece?"

Liu Haizhong was also bewildered: "This doesn't follow the rules; I've lived this long and never seen this method of renovation!"

Even more shocking was that those components seemed to have been pre-machined, fitting perfectly into every interface of the Open-Hearth Furnace; the workers only needed to assemble them according to the blueprints, as simple as playing with building blocks.

"This... this... this actually works?" After watching for an hour, Yi Zhonghai was completely confused, "Did he measure the dimensions in advance and make all the parts?"

Liu Haizhong's face was livid: "Don't say it... it looks like he really might finish within three days..."

The surrounding workers watched, mesmerized, occasionally exclaiming in admiration: "Chief Engineer Li is too amazing! This brain, it's simply not something an ordinary person could have!"

"I heard he even thinks about work while sleeping; no wonder he can come up with so many brilliant ideas!"

"Yeah, this modular renovation method is simply revolutionary! From now on, we can use this method whenever we renovate equipment!"

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong stood in the crowd, listening to these words of praise, the unwillingness and jealousy in their hearts growing like wild grass.

"Why? Why does a green kid get so much praise? We've worked our whole lives and no one has ever praised us like this!" Liu Haizhong said through gritted teeth.

A flash of malice crossed Yi Zhonghai's eyes: "Don't be impatient; it's impossible for him to have everything go smoothly. There will always be a time when he shows a flaw; we'll just wait and watch the show!"

"No, we have to find a way to mess with him, otherwise, after this month, I'll surely get sick from holding it in!" Liu Haizhong gripped the brush in his hand tightly.

A flash of viciousness crossed Yi Zhonghai's eyes: "Don't worry, I already have an idea... wait a couple of days, and watch how I deal with him!"

In the Open-Hearth Furnace Workshop, dozens of workers were busy; they had never seen such a large-scale yet orderly renovation site.

Li Mingyuan stood on high ground, holding a precise blueprint, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's:

"Wang Shifu, has the furnace wall for the third group been dismantled? We have four hours left on the schedule!"

Wang Shifu wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave Li Mingyuan a thumbs-up: "Reporting to Chief Engineer Li, it was finished half an hour early; we are currently moving the scrap material!"

Li Mingyuan nodded with satisfaction and turned to another group:

"Zhang Shifu, how is the top sealing plate preparation coming along?"

"It's all prepared according to your blueprints, with dimensions precise to the millimeter; it's ready for installation at any time!" Zhang Shifu shouted excitedly.

The entire Open-Hearth Furnace Workshop was like a precise clock; every part and every worker acted according to the schedule designed by Li Mingyuan, without the slightest error.

In a corner far away, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong squeezed into the crowd of onlookers, their faces so gloomy they could drip water.

"What kind of trick is this kid pulling? Taking the Open-Hearth Furnace apart like this—can it even be put back together?" Liu Haizhong said with a sneer.

Yi Zhonghai narrowed his eyes: "Don't be impatient; wait until he shows a flaw, and watch how I expose his trick on the spot!"

By the afternoon of the first day, the old Open-Hearth Furnace had been completely dismantled, leaving only a few huge foundations on the ground.

"Next phase, install the converter body!" Li Mingyuan gave the order, and several small cranes started simultaneously, slowly lifting the massive converter base.

The watching workers held their breath; this was a behemoth weighing several tons, and the slightest carelessness would result in a major accident.

Surprisingly, as soon as the base was lifted into position, it embedded itself into the reserved grooves as precisely as a magnet, fitting perfectly!

"This... this is impossible!" an old engineer exclaimed, "With this kind of precision, how could it be in place on the first try without three or five adjustments?"

By the morning of the second day, the main body of the converter had already taken shape, with various pipes and valves installed seamlessly according to the blueprints.

"It's like playing with building blocks..." a young worker exclaimed, "Every part fits exactly, without even a sliver of a gap!"

Factory Director Lou stood to the side, so excited his hands were shaking: "Chief Engineer Li, how did you do this? How can such complex equipment be installed so quickly and accurately?"

Li Mingyuan smiled slightly: "The secret is simple—precise calculations and scientific methods. I used mathematical models to calculate the optimal dimensions and tolerances for each part, then designed specialized tooling to ensure machining precision."

The engineers on-site looked at each other; this explanation sounded simple, but when it comes to doing it, everyone knows how hard it is!

By the evening of the second day, the converter's lining, oxygen nozzles, and bottom-blowing device had all been installed, leaving only the top cover and control system to be installed.

"At this speed, we can finish by noon tomorrow!" Li Shouzheng calculated the time excitedly, "A full half-day ahead of schedule!"

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong stood in the corner, their faces looking terrible to the extreme.