372: Chapter 372 Test Results! Very Satisfactory!

After listening to Professor Zhou's question, Zhao Yang nodded and began to explain.

"It's roughly in this range." Zhao Yang wrote a numerical value in his notebook.

After Professor Zhou and the others took a look, they turned their gazes toward Zhao Yang, filled with inquiry.

Zhao Yang continued to explain. "The reason it's in this range is that this angle must be smaller than the critical value to ensure the carbon fiber does not lose material contact during the latter half of the stretching cycle. Otherwise, when the cable elastically retracts, the winding force will decay faster than expected."

As he spoke, Zhao Yang casually picked up a pen and added a few auxiliary lines to the engineering drawing.

"I previously ran a few sets of numerical simulations and verified this. According to my calculated results, the power transmission efficiency is highest within this angular range, and the propagation rate of fatigue cracks in the carbon fiber layer is indeed suppressed."

Researcher Ma took over the conversation and asked a few questions regarding the corrosion current at the steel wire-carbon fiber interface in a long-term salt spray environment.

Zhao Yang answered off the cuff, and the group discussed it for nearly an hour, with Vice Dean Qian listening from the side the entire time.

Finally, the engineer from the Naval Equipment Department listed the test standards one by one, and Zhao Yang provided corresponding data support for every single item in his proposal.

"Based on the current situation, my proposal is feasible, at least in terms of data." Zhao Yang said, looking at the group.

The others nearby nodded. Everything Zhao Yang said was well-founded and not just results pulled out of thin air. Except for the lack of a physical prototype at the moment, there were no issues with the data.

Vice Dean Qian closed his notebook and stood up. "In that case, let's stop wasting time and just make a sample to test it."

The group drove to one of the military's material factories. The factory was in the suburbs of Beijing, surrounded by walls and guard posts.

When Vice Dean Qian led Zhao Yang into the factory floor, several engineers who were busy at the operating tables looked up, their gazes falling simultaneously on Zhao Yang.

"God Zhao!" A young engineer rushed over to Zhao Yang, his face flushed red with excitement.

"I've watched that response you posted on Weibo more than a few times! That's exactly how it should be! Why must our papers be published in English journals to count? Your words truly made us feel so invigorated!"

The accompanying experts stood to the side, their expressions varied. Professor Zhou gave a light cough but didn't speak. Researcher Ma lowered his head to adjust his gloves, avoiding the topic.

It was clear that these veteran experts, who had been grinding away in the academic circle for decades, each had their own opinions on Zhao Yang's approach regarding Chinese journals. Some might feel that Zhao Yang was taking too big a step, while others might think the timing wasn't mature enough, but in the current setting, no one wanted to waste breath on these opinions.

"Alright, we're here to do real work today." Vice Dean Qian clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back to the experimental bench.

According to Zhao Yang's proposal, the first batch of carbon fiber-steel cable composite wound test samples began production in the workshop.

The ultra-strong carbon fiber material was taken out of the constant temperature and humidity storage cabinet, and according to the winding angle calculated by Zhao Yang, it was woven alternately in three layers with high-strength steel wire on a specialized stranding machine.

Amidst the roar of the running machines, the carbon fiber bundles and steel wires, like thin silver and black threads, were woven layer by layer on the winch.

A few hours later, the first batch of finished test samples was already placed on the test bench.

The physical carbon-steel composite cable bundle looked much thinner than traditional pure steel cables, but it felt heavy in the hand. The outer layer of steel cable, interwoven with carbon fiber, flowed with a faint, dark blue light under the lights; as the angle changed, the layers of luster also shifted.

A naval engineer picked it up to examine it for a few seconds before placing it back on the test rack: "This luster and texture are quite different from all the arresting cables we've used before."

"Let's run the test first and see how it goes!" Vice Dean Qian's expression didn't change much as he said this directly.

In engineering materials science, no matter how perfect the theory is, it still relies on physical objects to reach a conclusion; sometimes, theory is theory, and reality is reality.

The test personnel fixed the sample onto the hydraulic tensile testing machine. The test began. The clamps tightened, the hydraulic system started, and the crossbeam of the testing machine began to rise slowly. Several curves spread out simultaneously on the data screen as the values for tensile force, deformation, and elastic potential energy climbed rapidly.

By the time it reached half of the standard working load, the test sample remained motionless. At full load, the vibration amplitude of the fiber bundles was still very small. Continuing to load it up to 1.5 times the rated load, the stress on the outer layer of steel wire reached the threshold of the yield point.

But the strength of the inner carbon fiber layer began to exert force simultaneously, keeping the elongation of the entire cable steadily within the safety red line.

Finally, when loaded to an overload level that far exceeded the design requirements, the outermost steel wires of the sample showed necking, and then, with a crisp snapping sound, the entire cable bundle finally tore apart.

The test team leader looked at the data on the screen, his eyes gleaming with a hint of excitement as he said: "The tensile strength is over 30% better than the previous samples. Although the fatigue test hasn't been done yet, judging from the ultimate tensile force, this cable can absolutely be used as an arresting cable!"

Thunderous applause erupted in the test workshop. Everyone's faces showed excitement. "It met the standard!" "Professor Zhao's proposal is truly feasible!" "It has to be God Zhao! Once God Zhao stepped in, he solved it directly!"

Several young engineers shouted excitedly, while the older engineers also took off their safety helmets to wipe the sweat from their foreheads, smiles appearing on their faces as well.

Regarding the matter of the carrier-based arresting cable, they had been working themselves to the bone for a while now, but the material had never met the military's acceptance standards. Now, this problem was finally solved! This made them all breathe a sigh of relief.

They discussed the follow-up work for a while longer, mainly concerning subsequent supply and the integration of mass production processes. The production line for the new carbon fiber-steel composite arresting cable needed to be re-planned, and the production capacity at Spark Technology's New Materials Department also needed to be evaluated. Engineer Zheng had already been working on commissioning a hundred-ton-level production line, so opening another workshop for composite cables wouldn't be a big problem, just requiring time and manpower.

Vice Dean Qian said the military would procure it via a special order, with the price set at the highest standard for special military materials, and the contract details would be handled by the Equipment Department and Spark Technology's legal team subsequently.

By the time the group returned to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it had already grown dark. Zhao Yang had intended to go straight back to his villa; from last night until now, he had been tossing and turning for almost an entire day, from mechanical modeling to factory testing, having hardly rested at all. Even with Zhao Yang's 33 points in physique, he was now feeling slightly exhausted.

But just as he walked into the lobby, Vice Dean Qian called him over. "Professor Zhao, come sit in my office for a while; there is something else I want to discuss with you."

Zhao Yang paused his steps and turned to look at Vice Dean Qian. His expression now was much more relaxed than it had been at the factory that afternoon. Zhao Yang nodded and followed him onto the elevator.