The noise in the conference room was almost deafening. Director Ma, his face flushed, insisted on the main drive failure theory, while the electrical engineer repeatedly emphasized the abnormal load data. The experienced engineers each held their own opinion, and none could convince the others. The chief engineer's brow furrowed deeper and deeper, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table, revealing his anxiety and impatience. Time ticked by, and the stalemate remained.
Just as the almost suffocating noise reached its peak, a clear and calm voice, not loud, but like a sharp blade, suddenly sliced through the chaotic sound waves.
"Distinguished leaders and experienced colleagues," Liu Li stepped forward and walked from the periphery of the crowd to a brighter spot. Her voice carried a hint of tension, but was mostly composed. "I have an immature idea that I would like to ask for your guidance."
In an instant, all eyes were on her. Surprise, doubt, scrutiny, and even a hint of annoyance at being interrupted. A young female technician speaking in this setting?
Liu Li did not back down. She took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping over the main decision-makers present—the chief engineer and workshop director Zhao—and finally lingering briefly on Master Wang Jianguo's steady gaze, drawing a silent strength from him.
“I think,” she said, speaking at a steady pace, trying to make her statement clear and organized, “that the root of the problem may not be the core gear set inside the main transmission, nor a single mechanical jam in the feed system, nor a simple electrical component failure.”
These words elicited a few soft gasps and whispers in the conference room. This effectively negated all previous directions of the argument.
Liu Li seemed not to hear and continued, "I noticed a detail: there was abnormal oil stains on certain parts of the bed guide rails, and there were very new longitudinal scratches on the lead screw guard. More importantly, before the equipment tripped, I heard a series of short, dull, rhythmic 'clunks' accompanied by a linear increase in motor load, rather than a one-time huge impact."
She paused briefly to process the information before offering her core assessment: "Based on these indications, I am more inclined to believe that the fault may be hidden in a more sophisticated link between mechanical motion and electrical control—for example, in a mechanical-electrical interlocking device responsible for coordinating feed and main drive, or for position feedback and safety interlocking."
She used the relatively technical term "mechanical-electrical interlock device," but her explanation was not obscure: "It's possible that a precision component inside this device, due to poor lubrication, slight deformation, or wear, caused sluggish action or inaccurate signal transmission. It gradually jammed during operation, manifesting as a continuous 'clunking' sound and abnormal load, eventually triggering the overload protection of the electrical system. The oil stains and scratches are likely traces left by the abnormal expulsion of lubricating grease or slight interference between components during this process."
Her voice echoed in the silent conference room: "If we only focus on the main drive or the feed system itself, we might overlook the problem that has occurred on this 'bridge'. It may seem insignificant, but once it fails, it can be enough to paralyze the entire machine."
One stone stirs up a thousand waves.
After a brief silence, questions immediately arose.
"An interlocking device? That thing has a complex structure and is usually very reliable, so how could it break down so easily?"
"Comrade Liu Li, your observation is very careful, but isn't it too arbitrary to make such a judgment based solely on a little oil stain and sound?"
"Yes, that kind of part is very troublesome to disassemble. If it weren't for that problem, wouldn't it be a waste of precious time?"
Faced with the questions, Liu Li did not argue, but calmly added: "This is just my preliminary analysis. But if this judgment can be linked together with the abnormal mechanical traces (oil stains, scratches), the sound characteristics of operation (rhythmic lag), and the electrical protection actions (overload tripping) to form a relatively complete logical chain, I think it is worth prioritizing the investigation."
Her gaze returned to the chief engineer and Director Zhao, as well as Wang Jianguo, who had remained silent.
Master Wang met her gaze and nodded almost imperceptibly. Fu Jingchen stood among the technical staff, his eyes filled with undisguised support.
The chief engineer stopped tapping the table, his sharp gaze lingering on Liu Li's face for a moment before sweeping over the arguing crowd. Finally, he spoke in a deep voice, delivering the final verdict:
"Comrade Liu Li has provided a new and valuable approach. We currently have no better direction, and time is of the essence. Let's follow this approach and prioritize checking the mechanical-electrical linkages and interlocks between the feed system and the main drive! The mechanics and electricians, prepare immediately and conduct targeted inspections based on the abnormal locations pointed out by Liu Li!"
The deadlock was broken by this sudden yet logically sound statement.
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