Chapter 7, Engine and Machine Tool
It is mostly just a momentary sentiment; Li Xian quickly came to terms with it. The best way to prevent counterfeiting is to strengthen oneself as soon as possible and widen the gap between the two sides. A backward country can replicate cars, but it absolutely cannot replicate a space shuttle! Even if the data on the space shuttle were placed before them, they could only stare in disbelief.
After a period of reorganization, Li Xian stepped into the "research room"
However, the cunning and shrewd Li Yulong took the same action as Li Xian regarding stainless steel—respectfully and solemnly putting it aside. Yet, he also forged a small batch of weapons to take away, the purpose of which remains unknown
Tang Rong sits upright in the center, as the person with the highest cultivation level at present, he is qualified for this position
Li Xian was very satisfied after inspecting the bearing. The quality of the bearing has reached the level of ordinary industrial products. However, I would like to make a few points of advice— I know you are very excited, but the tail cannot be raised.
The engine produces a casing, which also serves as the stator; it is also necessary to create an internal rotating core, known as the rotor
In the past, the carpenter Liu Bin showed a gradual trend towards becoming a mechanical engineer, although the engineer is currently only researching weaving machines
Progress is certainly commendable, but excessive progress does not seem to be a good thing. Therefore, I have decided to... conceal my abilities instead
Senior Song Gang, you can try adding different metallic elements to forge various alloys. Some alloys are wear-resistant, some are hard, and some are oxidation-resistant. This requires you to conduct research bit by bit. Additionally, do not limit yourself to just one size of bearings; make several sets. Senior Liu Bin, besides the loom, I have another task for you. It has certain similarities with the loom, and I believe you will be able to research it quickly. This machine is called a machine tool. A machine tool is a machine for processing and producing other machines, and there are many types. You should first study a type of machine tool that can forge weapons and grind blades. The simplest machine tool only requires a main spindle slide, a pulley, a crank, several connecting rods, some bearings, a few belts, and several pulleys. The belts can be woven from hemp thread and coated with animal glue to prevent slipping. Once the technology matures, you can add a ruler, a lifting screw, gears, and so on.
Li Xian smiled with satisfaction as he observed everyone engrossed in studying and reorganizing the formation's fundamentals
The next focus is the engine. Without the engine, everything is in vain
Tang Rong smiled upon seeing the bearing structure, saying, "This thing is simple; it was just not thought of in the past. With magic, one can condense very smooth balls."
For an engine to start moving, it must undergo "repulsion"; similarly, the interactions of the five elements, such as mutual generation and mutual restraint, as well as the opposition of yin and yang, can all be utilized to create corresponding engines
The research laboratory, this "strange" institution, has now become the absolute core of the workshop. Here, the array of colored lights has been improved several times, and the colored lights produced today are increasingly beautiful and dazzling
The jade craftsmen quickly carved the jade stone molds, completing three qualified molds—two inner and outer bearing sleeves and one ball mold—in just one hour.
Li Xian walked calmly to the front of the blackboard and said, "Starting today, we will study two things. One is called a bearing, and the other is called an engine. Only with these two things can our workshop truly undergo a transformation."
Then Song Gang took the mold and went out to cast it. Liu Bin also followed him outside, preparing to be the first to improve the loom after the bearings were completed
The old gentleman, infuriated, pointed at Li Xian's nose and vehemently accused him of being a rogue businessman
This is truly challenging. How did you come up with such an idea, young master
Liu Bin also exclaimed, "This is simply incredible; the loom has become more than twice as easy to operate. This way, I can manufacture larger looms that can be operated by a dozen people simultaneously"
The atmosphere in the laboratory is very lively; upon seeing Li Xian enter, everyone continues to busily attend to their own tasks
Looking at the blueprints provided by Li Xian and listening to his explanation, Liu Bin immediately patted his chest and exclaimed, "It's simple, much simpler than a loom!"
During the research process, Li Xian continuously provided everyone with a hint, but just a single hint was sufficient
Not enough, the power is too small and the size is too large. The engine must have sufficient torque, um... it needs to have enough rotational force, and this force must be immense, as intense as the moment of a thunderous explosion. However, it must also be sufficiently stable and continuous. Most importantly, it must be controllable
In the evening, Song Gang rushed back excitedly, "We succeeded, we succeeded, young master succeeded! We have manufactured a total of 10 identical bearings, and even the main shaft is completed"
Seeing that the issue with the bearing was resolved in just one morning, Li Xian felt a bit emotional. The world of magic is truly remarkable, and the progress is astonishingly fast. However, deep down, there is a hint of concern—does this mean that others can easily replicate it as well? How can one prevent imitation? There are no patents in this world
After Tang Rong took it over, he further optimized, adjusted, and reinforced it using earth-type magic, and then inscribed reinforcement and high-temperature resistance formations. A complete mold was thus finished
On the morning a few days later, Li Xian opened his eyes and was taken aback. He had a dream last night, where all the fundamental knowledge of formations intertwined and confused him. When he got up in the morning, he suddenly realized that he had actually mastered the basics of formations
"How to make things rotate automatically? It's quite simple; a whirlwind spell is sufficient." Tang Rong continued to assume.
Next, Li Xian elaborated on the most fundamental structure of a ball bearing
There was just one thing that made Mr. Sun Ming so angry that his beard trembled; he had clearly developed a formation that could extend the lifespan of the colored lights to two years, yet Li Xian respectfully set this formation aside and ignored it.
In fact, after suddenly comprehending the principles of formations, Li Xian had already devised more than a dozen designs for engines, all of which were true perpetual motion machines—thanks to the Gathering Spirit Formation. The greatest difference between knowledge research and the scientific system and cultivation is that—cultivation is an individual endeavor, while research is a team effort. Therefore, Li Xian consciously began to cultivate his first team.
Li Xian proposed a solution: "Create a mold and use it for casting. By solidifying a mold, countless identical parts can be produced. Let us use jade to carve the mold, and Teacher Tang Rong will engrave a reinforcement formation on the mold."
Secondly, He Lin also smiled very happily. The construction made of stainless steel has significantly increased the size of the loom and made it much easier to operate, with the weaving speed increasing by more than 30 percent
Song Gang laughed the loudest. After several explorations, stainless steel has been produced. The emergence of stainless steel even startled Li Yulong, who for the first time began to take the "cheap industry" seriously.
The crowd began to discuss; primarily Tang Rong and several elites from the Artifact Workshop, with Sun Ming also able to contribute to the conversation
Speaking of which, Tang Rong indeed cast a small whirlwind spell. In order to make up for the previous loss of face, this spell was crafted with great care, resulting in a small tornado approximately seven feet in height, which spun very steadily
Ah... everyone immediately began to ponder deeply. In the past, if Li Xian had said such a thing, everyone would have just laughed it off; but now it is different, as everyone has come to regard Li Xian as a "sage" and worship him.
The weapons in the hands of soldiers can only be used for a maximum of three years, with rusting being the primary issue. Even many magical tools used by foundational stage cultivators are primarily made of ordinary steel, and these tools will still gradually rust.
On this day, Tang Rong finally produced the first engine, which is a perpetual motion machine
Once again! Li Xian did not know whether to cry or to laugh. The last time, he followed Sun Ming to learn how to carve jade lamps, and as a result, he muddled through and grasped the knowledge of the jade lamp formation; now, after a good sleep and a pleasant dream, he has integrated a year's worth of foundational teaching arranged by Tang Rong.
Li Xian raised his head and smiled, "I promise that from now on, everyone will forever enjoy a reward of 5% from the profits of the engines. Do not underestimate the engines; in the future, every loom will be equipped with an engine, and every cart will have an engine installed. The sales of engines will be as ubiquitous as the current jade lamps, needed by every household. Even a profit of 0.5% can make everyone wealthier than in the Great Xia Kingdom"
Moreover, after mastering the formation, Li Xian finally advanced to the sixth layer of the Qi Refining Stage. The family heirloom technique of the Li family, "Qingyun," is quite excellent, remaining comprehensive from the Qi Refining Stage all the way to the Tribulation Transcendence and Ascension.
Several days have quietly passed, and Li Xian has been here for a full one hundred days
The magical orbs of condensation are indeed very smooth and round, quite adorable. With a single spell, they scatter across the ground like marbles. However, after half an hour of busy searching, no one managed to find two orbs of the same size. This outcome left Tang Rong feeling quite embarrassed, his face flushed.