The atmosphere in the workshop was so oppressive it felt like you could squeeze water out of it. The C620-1 lathe lay limp in the middle, like a lifeless steel behemoth, surrounded by a group of people, their brows furrowed in worry. Director Zhao stood with his hands on his hips, his face ashen; Old Li from the mechanics team had a cigarette dangling from his lips, oblivious to the burning butt; Master Wang squatted beside the spindle box, his ear practically pressed against the metal sheet, silent for a long time, his face terrifyingly grim.
"The spindle must be seized." Old Li finally stubbed out his cigarette, straightened up, and patted the grease off his hands. His tone was full of helplessness. "Judging from the noise, the bearing inside must be broken, and the spindle journal might even be scratched. This is a big problem."
"Can't it be disassembled and repaired?" Director Zhao's voice was a little tense.
"Disassemble?" Old Li gave a wry smile, pointing to the headboard. "This is one of the most precision lathes in our factory. The spindle precision can't be off by even a fraction. What if we can't put it back together after taking it apart? What if the precision is gone after putting it back together? I think we should quickly submit a report and ask the original factory's master craftsman to come. Otherwise, there's nothing we can do."
"Help us with outside help?" Director Zhao frowned even more. "It would take at least a week for them to come and go! Can we afford to wait for these export orders? Who can afford the penalty for breach of contract?"
After those words were spoken, no one else spoke. This lathe was responsible for processing the critical connecting parts in the order; if it stopped, the entire production line would grind to a halt.
"Director Zhao, Master Wang, Squad Leader Li, let me give it a try."
A clear voice suddenly rang out, and everyone turned around—it was Liu Li. She stood at the edge of the crowd, still clutching a piece of cotton yarn for wiping the machine tool in her hand, her eyes fixed on the lathe, showing no sign of panic, but rather an air of calm.
"You?" Old Li was taken aback for a moment, then smiled, with a hint of advice, "Little Liu, I know you're skilled now, but this is a seized spindle, a serious problem! It's not as simple as you machining a small part or adjusting a chuck. There are a whole bunch of gears and bearings inside, don't mess around with it."
The young worker next to Sun Peng muttered quietly, "Does she really think she's all-powerful? Repairing equipment is a mechanic's job, what's she doing getting involved as an operator?"
Director Zhao frowned as well: "Liu Li, I know you want to help, but this is not a joke..."
“Director, I’m not trying to be a hero.” Liu Li took a step forward, her voice steady. “I’ve been learning equipment maintenance from Master Wang for almost two months now, and I know the structure of this machine pretty well. A few days ago, I felt something was wrong with it. There was a slight buzzing sound when it was running, but I didn’t pay much attention to it at the time. Now I think the bearings probably had some problems before, and it didn’t just break suddenly.”
As soon as she said that, those who had initially thought she was just messing around stopped looking down on her. Being able to notice unusual noises and even figure out the cause was no small feat.
Master Wang finally raised his head, his gaze falling on Liu Li. He didn't speak immediately, but instead asked, "How do you want to try?"
"I want to follow Squad Leader Li to disassemble it first and see how bad it is inside," Liu Li said decisively. "If it's just the bearing that's broken, our factory can replace it ourselves; even if we need to replace the main shaft, figuring out the situation first will save time, whether we repair it ourselves or ask for outside help."
Instead of acting recklessly, first find out the problem—this approach is clear and also gives the mechanic face.
Director Zhao glanced at Liu Li, then at Old Li, and finally fixed his gaze on Master Wang. Master Wang slowly stood up, dusted off his trousers, and said only three words to Director Zhao: "Let her see."
These three words carry great weight; it's as if Master Wang has vouched for Liu Li with his own reputation.
Director Zhao took a deep breath and waved his hand: "Alright! Liu Li, you work with Squad Leader Li, follow orders, and don't do anything reckless! If you need anything, just tell the workshop!"
"Understood, Director!" Liu Li felt a sense of relief, but immediately perked up again. She knew that this was not just about repairing lathes, but also about gaining everyone's recognition—that she could not only operate lathes, but also repair equipment.
She walked to the lathe, reached out and touched the cold spindle box, as if talking to an old friend: "Don't be afraid, we'll take you apart little by little and see where it's broken."
The workshop lights cast a long shadow of hers, falling on the metal bed. She looked slender, yet her figure exuded a resilient strength that seemed to withstand any challenge. And so began an emergency repair operation, racing against time to meet deadlines.
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