Chapter 117 Engraving Precision Breakthrough to 1 Micrometer

Ten minutes later, inside the underground constant-temperature laboratory of the Changguang Institute.

Everyone was changing into anti-static suits.

Engineer Liu, who was in charge of the equipment, seized the opportunity to introduce, "The current problem is that the scribing machine's precision cannot be stabilized."

"Although we have installed vibration dampeners on the foundation,"

"even the slightest temperature change, or a large truck passing by outside,"

"will cause micron-level errors in the lead screw feed."

"We have been stuck between 2 microns and 5 microns for three years."

Old Wang sighed and said, "If only we could stabilize it at 1 micron."

"Our optical instruments could take a huge leap forward, and we wouldn't have to look at the foreigners' faces anymore."

After changing into the anti-static suits, they pushed the door open and entered.

What came into view was a huge, complex JG-1 grating scribing machine.

It was resting quietly on the anti-vibration table.

It was the mother of all industrial machine tools, the machine that manufactures "rulers."

But at this moment, a strange device was connected next to it—a circuit board without any casing.

It was densely soldered with all sorts of jumper wires.

The core was a z80 chip.

This was the "gift" that Lin Xi had brought.

"What is this?" Engineer Li frowned.

"This is the 'brain' for the machine."

Lin Xi skillfully opened the simple input device, his fingers flying.

"Engineer Li, we have calculated the lead screw of this machine."

Lin Xi looked at the code provided by the netizens in the Streamer room, inputting it while explaining,

"At 36 degrees, 72 degrees, 108 degrees... these specific points."

"Due to wear and tear, the lead screw will have micron-level periodic errors."

"We have created a lookup table inside the z80 chip."

"When the lead screw turns to these angles,"

"the chip will control this added piezoelectric ceramic, applying a reverse voltage."

"To make the tool rest... 'shrink' back just a little bit."

In the Streamer room, the netizens' barrage began to scroll.

[High energy ahead! This is software compensating for hardware!]

[This isn't just code! This is creating a lookup table inside the z80!]

[Exactly! The mechanical error at every angle of the lead screw is fixed. Calculate all these errors and convert them into reverse compensation instructions!]

[I've lost hundreds more hairs for this code! Streamer, you must make it work!]

Twenty whole minutes.

1024 sets of data were entered.

Lin Xi stopped his fingers and pressed the red "Run" enter key.

"Hum—"

"Start!" Lin Xi gave the order.

The machine started.

On the oscilloscope nearby, the waveform representing the scribing error was gently jumping up and down.

The peak value had been hovering around 2 microns.

Engineer Li stared fixedly at the screen, his palms sweating:

"Is it still not working..."

"Don't rush."

Lin Xi pressed the red "Compensation" switch.

Swoosh!

A miracle happened.

That frantic waveform line, as if pressed down hard by an invisible giant hand, was instantly "forced straight"!

It turned into an almost flat microwave.

The fluctuation amplitude...

"This..."

Engineer Li stared fixedly at the screen, his voice trembling and changing pitch,

"This... how is this possible?!"

"1 micron?!"

"It stabilized? It really stabilized?!"

The entire laboratory was dead silent.

Everyone looked at that crude circuit board and the young man standing in the shadows as if they were looking at a monster.

The mechanical craftsmanship they were so proud of.

The hair they had turned white trying to reduce that tiny bit of error.

The curse that had plagued them for three years.

Was solved by this young man in ten minutes.

This was not a technical exchange.

This was technical crushing!

Back in the office, Old Wang's gaze toward Lin Xi had changed.

"Manager Lin..."

Old Wang said, "How much does Red Star Technology intend to sell this algorithm for?"

This was not just technology; it was their lifeline.

"Not for sale." Lin Xi was concise.

Old Wang was stunned, his eyes instantly dimming.

That's true, such a unique skill, who would be willing to...

"I am donating it to the Changguang Institute." Lin Xi completed the second half of the sentence.

"Donate... donate?" Old Wang even suspected his hearing had deteriorated.

"Old Wang, everyone, seniors."

Lin Xi's voice was not loud, but every word was like a hammer,

"Scientific research is for forging heavy weapons for the country, not for trading one's life."

"This kind of scientific research that requires tightening one's belt to survive."

"Can grind out micron-level parts, but cannot grind out the future of Chinese optics."

"The laboratory can make a few grating rulers in a month."

"But industrialization can produce a hundred in a day."

"Being able to make money, support people, and support more research projects."

"That is the right path."

"I propose establishing a 'Red Star - Changguang Joint Center'."

Lin Xi threw out the plan he had prepared long ago:

"Red Star is responsible for investment, equipment procurement, and achievement transformation; the Changguang Institute is responsible for core technology breakthroughs."

"Independent accounting, profit sharing."

"Old Wang, you will be the director, controlling the direction;"

"Jiang Jun will be the deputy director, managing money and algorithm transformation."

Speaking of this, Lin Xi held up five fingers, his tone calm:

"Red Star Technology's initial capital injection, 500,000."

The room breathed a slight sigh of relief; although 500,000 RMB was a huge sum, if they gritted their teeth...

"US dollars."

Hiss—!

Sounds of gasping for air rose one after another.

500,000 US dollars in 1981!

That was an astronomical figure!

That was foreign currency that could buy top-tier imported equipment!

Old Wang's lips trembled, and he couldn't make a sound for a long time.

"This money, not a cent will be kept; it will all be poured into equipment and... people."

Lin Xi's voice suddenly sank:

"From today on, the Joint Center will cover all three meals a day for the entire institute, and there must be meat."

"Everyone will receive a monthly nutritional subsidy; medical expenses and family resettlement fees will all be covered by Red Star."

The Streamer room barrage was scrolling crazily:

[This is the correct way for a transmigrator to open the game! I offer my knees!]

[Tears! The Streamer is securing a spot in advance!]

[This move has won everything! Directly sponsoring the cradle of the lithography machine!]

"This... this is too valuable."

"We are unworthy of receiving it..."

Old Wang's eyes turned red.

He was the patriarch here; he knew best how much suffering these brothers had endured following him.

"Unworthy?"

Lin Xi chuckled and took out a stack of crumpled paper balls from his inner pocket.

Seeing those pink paper balls, the experts' faces instantly turned pale, and they subconsciously reached out to stop him:

"Manager Lin, that cannot..."

Lin Xi didn't give them a chance.

In front of everyone, he unfolded and stacked those "Central Blood Station Nutritional Subsidy Payment Vouchers" one by one.

"Rip—"

The crisp tearing sound was like thunder in the quiet office.

The pink paper scraps fluttered down like snowflakes onto the paint-peeling desk, covering those blueprints.

"Manager Lin! You are..." Engineer Li choked with sobs.

Lin Xi patted the paper scraps off his hands.

His voice was not loud, but every word was like a hammer, striking everyone's heart:

"Old Wang, Engineer Li."

He pointed at the pile of torn paper, and then pointed at the vast mountains and rivers of the country outside the window:

"From today on, the blood of the Changguang Institute shall only boil for breaking through limits."

"It is absolutely forbidden to be shed for filling stomachs ever again!"