The paper published in the Journal of Mechanical Engineering was like a pebble thrown into a pond, creating ripples far wider than expected. Liu Li and her team's "online dynamic balancing technology," accompanied by awards from the ministry and publication in a top-tier journal, quickly gained widespread recognition.
The first thing to notice the change was the project team's phone calls. Previously, they were mostly internal coordination calls or notifications from superiors; now, they're frequently receiving calls from strangers all over the country, with different accents.
"Hello, is this Comrade Liu Li from Hongxing Machinery Factory? We are from Northern Heavy Machinery Factory! We were very inspired after reading your paper! The vibration of the rotor of our large blower has been a major problem for us. We would like to learn from your experience. Could you explain in detail how you made that self-made sensor?"
"Hello Mr. Liu! I'm from the technical department of Jiangnan Shipyard. The vibration problem of the high-speed pump shaft on our ships has been troubling us. Could your fuzzy control approach be applied to our system? Is it possible to collaborate on a compatible version?"
"Is this Deputy Team Leader Liu? We're from the Electromechanical Department of Xishan Mining Bureau. The vibration and noise from the underground ventilation fans are unbearable for the workers. After reading your benefit assessment, we're really impressed! Could you send two technicians to your place to learn from you?"
The phone kept ringing, and letters poured in like snowflakes. Some inquired about technical details, others hoped for technical support, and still others directly asked if they could purchase the technology or collaborate on development. The colleagues in charge of receiving them couldn't help but joke, "Engineer Liu, your group is now our project's 'star window'!"
At first, Liu Li, Zhou Wei, and Sun Mei were quite patient, trying their best to explain over the phone or in writing. But they soon discovered that this was too inefficient, and many issues simply couldn't be explained in a few words.
“I received three calls today about the same question, concerning the details of sensor winding!” Sun Mei rubbed her dry throat.
"I spent almost half an hour explaining the rule base for fuzzy control to an old engineer on the phone, but he still didn't seem to fully understand." Zhou Wei also felt somewhat overwhelmed.
Looking at the stack of letters awaiting reply and the list of incoming calls on the table, Liu Li frowned slightly: "This won't do. Our own research progress will be delayed. Moreover, just talking about it won't help the other party understand the tricks and pitfalls in actual operation."
This sudden "spillover of fame" and the resulting surge in communication needs have become a happy dilemma. On the one hand, it indicates that their work has gained widespread recognition and has indeed addressed common pain points within the industry; on the other hand, how to efficiently and accurately disseminate their technology to help more partner organizations solve problems, without impacting their own work, has become a new and pressing issue.
“We need to think of a way,” Liu Li said to Zhou Wei and Sun Mei. “We can’t keep dealing with this piecemeal. Can we systematically organize these common problems, technical points, and operational precautions into something more intuitive?”
The success of the technology brought influence, but also new challenges—how to efficiently replicate and disseminate knowledge. Liu Li realized that their next task might not only be to continue exploring in the laboratory, but also to learn how to be a good "teacher" so that this technology could truly take root and flourish in a wider world.
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