A heavy cloud of defeat hung over the meeting room of the Red Star Factory's leadership team. The smoke was thicker than at any previous meeting, almost stagnant. The ashtray in front of the factory director was overflowing with cigarette butts, and the Party Secretary's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, making a dull thud. The deputy factory director in charge of production, the deputy factory director in charge of logistics, and others either bowed their heads in thought or looked troubled; the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
"Tell me, what are we going to do?" The factory manager finally broke the silence, his voice hoarse from staying up all night. "The foreign trade company has already called to inquire about the progress, and they sounded very dissatisfied. The ministry has also sent an inquiry letter. Three months, almost a month has passed now, and we haven't even produced a qualified prototype!"
The deputy production manager sighed and rubbed his face. "Manager, it's not that we're not trying hard enough, it's just that the standards... are just too high. Our equipment and processes are what they are; we can't reach them if we try too hard! Should we... talk to the higher-ups about the difficulties and see if we can relax the standards a bit, or... extend the deadline?"
"Postponement? Relaxing the standards?" The Party Secretary suddenly raised his head, his eyes sharp. "Old Li, what are you thinking! This is an export task, the contract is signed in black and white! It concerns the country's reputation! Now you're telling the higher-ups that it can't be done? Then how can our Hongxing Factory survive in this industry?!"
"But it's just impossible!" The deputy director of production was also a little agitated. "Even a skilled cook can't make a meal without rice! We haven't even fully figured out the root cause of the noise and lifespan issues yet, so how can we solve them?"
The meeting reached a stalemate, and a sense of powerlessness permeated the atmosphere. Admitting defeat would come at an unbearable cost; continuing to push through would lead to an uncertain future.
Just then, Liu Li, who had been silent all along, raised her head. Before her lay the detailed test report and the preliminary failure analysis compiled overnight by Fu Jingchen and the technical department. Her face showed no panic, only extreme calm and focus.
"Factory Director, Party Secretary, and other leaders," her voice rang out clearly in the somber conference room, drawing everyone's attention, "I believe that now is not the time to discuss 'whether it can be done,' but rather to think about 'how to make it happen.'"
She stood up and pushed the few pages of documents in her hand to the center of the table: "This is the technical department's preliminary analysis of the first batch of failed samples. The abnormal noise is preliminarily judged to be mainly due to insufficient gear meshing precision, insufficient tooth surface smoothness, and housing resonance; the lifespan problem is directly related to the stability of the metallographic structure after material heat treatment, stress concentration at the root of the gear, as well as the cleanliness of assembly and the control of bearing preload."
Instead of talking about difficulties, she went straight to the specific technical problems.
"This means that we are not facing a single problem, but an interconnected and systemic technological challenge." Liu Li's gaze swept over everyone present, her tone calm and forceful. "We need to break the existing 'each workshop and each process is fighting its own battle' model and carry out cross-departmental and full-process collaborative research. Treating the symptoms rather than the root cause will not solve the fundamental problem."
The factory director took a deep drag on his cigarette and looked at her: "Comrade Liu Li, what do you mean?"
“I suggest,” Liu Li said decisively, “that we immediately establish an ‘Export Product Quality Improvement Task Force’! We should concentrate the factory’s best technical personnel and most experienced master craftsmen, grant them full authority from the factory management, break with conventional processes, and be directly responsible for the quality of the final product. From the inspection of raw materials upon arrival at the factory to the forging of blanks, rough machining, heat treatment, precision machining, assembly, and testing, the task force should be responsible for the technical coordination, process monitoring, and quality control of every step!”
This proposal was groundbreaking. It meant centralizing power that was previously scattered across various workshops and granting it immense authority to a temporary body.
The Party Secretary pondered for a moment and asked, "Who will lead the assault team?"
All eyes were on Liu Li. In terms of comprehensive technical skills, innovative problem-solving abilities, prestige among workers and technicians, and the organizational and coordination skills she demonstrated in ministerial-level projects, she was undoubtedly the best candidate, despite her young age.
Liu Li did not back down at all. Meeting the gazes of the factory director and the party secretary, she said frankly, "If the organization trusts me, I am willing to serve as the captain of this commando team."
The meeting room fell silent. Several of the more senior deputy factory directors wore complex expressions, but none of them voiced their opposition. At this moment, whoever could come up with a feasible solution was the only hope.
The factory director and the party secretary exchanged a quick glance, both seeing the determination in each other's eyes.
"Good!" The factory director slammed his hand on the table, making the ashtray jump. "It's settled then! The factory has officially decided to establish an export product quality improvement task force, with Deputy Factory Director Liu Li as the captain, granted the authority to make on-the-spot decisions. All departments and personnel in the factory must unconditionally cooperate with the task force! We'll provide manpower and coordinate equipment as needed! There's only one goal—to produce 100% qualified export products within the stipulated time!"
He looked at Liu Li, his gaze heavy yet full of expectation: "Comrade Liu Li, the livelihoods of thousands of people in the factory, the reputation of Hongxing Factory, and the credibility of the country are all in your hands! The pressure is immense, but I believe in you, and I urge you to hold on!"
"Yes!" Liu Li straightened her back, her voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable force, "I guarantee to complete the mission!"
There were no grand pronouncements, only a weighty promise. She knew that taking on this responsibility meant she would be standing at the forefront, bearing unprecedented pressure. But looking at the failed test report and thinking of the disappointed looks in the workers' eyes, she felt no fear, only a resolute determination to overcome the difficulties.
As the meeting ended, Liu Li was the first to leave the conference room. She didn't return to her office, but went straight to the technical department. Time was of the essence. She needed to immediately assemble a team, refine the key strategies, and fight this crucial battle that could only be won, not lost. From this moment on, the fate of the Red Star Factory, whether it could be put back on the right track, depended on her and the elite team she was about to build.
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