The commotion at the group meeting, like ripples on the water, spread a few times before seemingly returning to calm. But Liu Li could sense that the atmosphere around her had become more subtle. What used to be polite distance had now turned into scrutiny, and occasionally, she could even catch a fleeting glimpse of eyes waiting to see what she would do next.

She ignored all of that, continuing to organize her materials and visit the library as usual, but she became even more silent. She read her notebook, filled with her thoughts, more frequently, adding and revising it from time to time.

That afternoon, near the end of the workday, team leader Chen Siyuan strolled over to her desk and tapped on the surface: "Comrade Liu Li, bring your notebook and come to my office for a moment."

Liu Li's heart tightened. They've arrived. She picked up her notebook and followed Team Leader Chen into his small, private office.

Chen Siyuan sat down behind his desk, not offering her a seat, and without beating around the bush, went straight to the point: "I'd like to hear again about the 'prestress compensation' idea you mentioned at the last meeting. Could you explain in detail how the amount of 'reverse deformation' is determined, and what the basis is?"

His tone was calm, but his eyes were sharp, as if they could pierce through one's heart. This was not a discussion, but a test, a debate.

Liu Li took a deep breath, opened her notebook, and found the relevant pages. She knew this was a crucial moment; she couldn't, and shouldn't, hide it.

“Team Leader Chen,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady, “the determination of this pre-deformation amount is mainly based on several aspects. First is the understanding of the material properties, such as the elastic modulus and yield strength, which determines how much pre-deformation it can withstand without causing permanent damage. We can obtain this data from the material handbook and previous experimental reports.”

As she spoke, she pointed out several key data points that she and Fu Jingchen had reviewed and marked in her notebook.

"Secondly, it is necessary to estimate the magnitude and direction of the cutting force during the machining process. The cutting force is the main external force that causes deformation, and we need to estimate the maximum deformation trend and approximate magnitude that it may cause on the workpiece. For this part, we can refer to the cutting force calculation formula and make corrections based on the machining experience of similar parts."

Chen Siyuan remained noncommittal, tapping his finger lightly on the table: "Cutting force is dynamic; tool wear and feed rate adjustments will all have an impact. How much error is there in your 'estimate'? How can you guarantee its accuracy?"

The question is very pointed.

Liu Li didn't shy away from the question: "You're right, that is indeed a challenge. So our approach isn't to pursue an absolutely precise 'dead' value, but rather to find a reasonable 'range'. Furthermore, in the fixture design, we can consider a certain fine-tuning mechanism, allowing for small-scale, measured-based compensation adjustments before actual machining." She pointed to the envisioned adjustable module on the sketch.

"Oh? Fine-tuning?" Chen Siyuan leaned forward slightly. "How do you fine-tune it? What are you basing it on? By feel?"

“It’s not based on feel,” Liu Li shook her head and continued to explain, “We envision integrating simple sensors into the fixture, or performing a very light trial cut before machining. By measuring the minute deformation after the trial cut, we can infer and correct the amount of prestress applied. This is a closed-loop approach of ‘prediction-measurement-feedback-correction.’ Although it cannot be fully automated, it can greatly improve the accuracy of control.”

She mentioned "sensors" and "closed loop," words that caused Chen Siyuan's eyebrows to twitch almost imperceptibly.

"Furthermore," Liu Li continued, turning to another page in her notebook, where a simple stress analysis diagram was drawn, "we're not considering compensation in a single direction. The deformation of thin-walled parts is often complex, potentially involving radial, axial, and even torsional deformation simultaneously. Therefore, the fixture design needs to be able to apply prestress in multiple degrees of freedom, and to perform combined compensation for the most predominant deformation modes."

She gestured with her hands on the diagram, explaining how forces from different directions work together to counteract complex deformation trends. These analyses clearly went beyond mere experience, bearing obvious traces of theoretical thinking and system design.

Chen Siyuan listened in silence, asking no more questions, but his gaze never left Liu Li and the notebook in her hand.

The office was quiet, save for Liu Li's clear voice and the faint sounds of cars outside the window. She presented the ideas that she and Fu Jingchen had been repeatedly refining and improving over the past few days as clearly and logically as possible. She didn't exaggerate or shy away from difficulties; when discussing details that were not yet fully resolved, she would frankly point out that "further calculations are needed here" or "the reliability of this institution needs to be verified."

She didn't know what Team Leader Chen would think, but she had done her best, laying out everything she could think of and prepare.

This is no longer just a fleeting idea, but a technical concept that has undergone preliminary thinking and demonstration. Although it is rough, the framework has been established.