Chapter 35: I am a professional in instrument making

The two chatted and laughed as they finished their meal. Gao Zhendong put away the food and said, "You wash the dishes."

"Why? I won't do it."

"Because you only cooked one dish and I collected the dishes. If you want to eat for free, no way." Gao Zhendong smiled.

This feeling was very new to Lou Xiao'e, so she had no resistance and went to wash the dishes happily. While washing, she sweared in her heart: "Gao Zhendong, wait until I learn how to cook, then it will be your turn to wash!" She was so happy thinking that she almost blew a nose bubble, but she didn't realize what this thought meant.

After dinner, Lou Xiao'e had to go back. After all, she had been away from home for a whole morning and couldn't play outside endlessly.

Gao Zhendong offered to give it to her, but Lou Xiao'e refused. She didn't want Gao Zhendong to see her home. She was still a little sensitive about her background, and always hoped that Gao Zhendong would find out as late as possible.

Gao Zhendong did not insist. After lunch at around 1:00 p.m., she was safe. She was a grown-up girl and could not get lost.

When Lou Xiao'e returned home, her father was reading a book in the living room. When he saw Lou Xiao'e's expression, he was stunned for a moment, shook his head, and continued reading.

Lou Xiao'e put her things down and went to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, the cook was cleaning up after lunch. When Lou Xiaoe saw her, she first put her finger on her lips, made a "hush" gesture, and then quietly asked, "Sister Liu, can you do me a favor?"
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As for Gao Zhendong, after Lou Xiao'e left, he simply took out the online novel he hadn't finished reading and continued reading it. You know what, it was really good.

I don't know how long it was before someone knocked on the door. Gao Zhendong opened the door and saw that it was Liu Haizhong's second son, Liu Guangtian, a young boy. Although everyone was familiar with him, this was a rare visitor.

Gao Zhendong let the people in and asked, "Guangtian, what's going on?"

Liu Guangtian was a little embarrassed: "Brother Zhendong, I want to ask you for a favor."

Gao Zhendong looked at him: "Tell me, what's the matter?"

Liu Guangtian said hesitantly, "There is an event at our school, I want to borrow your bicycle."

Gao Zhendong didn't mind this, but it was a bit strange. Normally, Liu Haizhong should have come to tell him about this matter in person, and it shouldn't have been told by a teenager, because at this time of year, a bicycle is a big item, and generally related matters should be communicated with the person in charge at home.

Gao Zhendong nodded: "It's no problem to borrow the car, but where's your dad? Why didn't he come and tell me?"

Liu Guangtian's expression changed: "He doesn't want to."

It is said that Liu Haizhong favors the eldest child, and now it seems to be true. He is even unwilling to borrow a bicycle on behalf of the second child.

Gao Zhendong was not willing to tolerate Liu Haizhong's temper: "Guangtian, let me put it this way. I am willing to lend you the bike, no problem, but your parents have to tell me. Otherwise, if you, a young boy, have an accident while riding the bike, your family will blame me. I can't afford it. Don't you think this is reasonable?" Liu Guangtian lowered his head: "I know, Brother Zhendong, you are right."

Gao Zhendong nodded: "So if you want to borrow it, go back and tell your family. Master Liu or your mother can come and tell me in person. I will lend it to you immediately if they tell me. Okay?"

Liu Guangtian nodded and turned back. It would be fine if his father disagreed, but his mother wouldn't disagree either. This family was interesting, in two words: annoying.

Until Gao Zhendong went to bed at night, the adults in the Liu family did not mention this matter.
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Monday morning, as usual, was the research group meeting. We counted the progress together. The most important trial production and verification test of thermocouple materials had been completed by two-thirds, and the comparative test had been completed by about one-third.

At Liang Faming's place, the repetitive test design required last week has been completed. According to Gao Zhendong's three-level review requirements, Liang Faming did the review himself and was preparing to submit it to Gao Zhendong for review. After Gao Zhendong's review, it will be handed over to Lao Chen for approval. At this time, Lao Liang, who has completed the design, has returned to the experimental work.

All previous proposals of the research group were reviewed in this way. Lao Chen thinks this method is good and is preparing to form a system to promote its implementation in the entire department to change the previous chaotic situation of arbitrary review of results, disorderly review organization, and lax quality control.

In terms of the management of scientific research and design projects in China, this situation was the same from the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China until the 1960s and 1970s. It was relatively backward, and it gradually improved after the reform and opening up. If you are interested, you can read the memoirs of the 59 tank design team and the American General Jaguar light tank. It is not confidential public information, and you can see a lot from the memoirs.

Seeing that there were no major problems with the progress and work, Gao Zhendong adjourned the meeting and everyone continued to work.

He went back to his office. What was he going to do? Two things: one was to review the repetitive test design invented by Liang, and the other was to design and manufacture the secondary instrument of the thermocouple.

Simply put, a secondary instrument is an instrument that converts the sensor signal of a sensor into data that ordinary people can understand. Compared with a primary sensor, it has one more conversion, so it is called a secondary instrument.

People often see some meters that display the working voltage and current of the equipment on the electric control cabinets of various PLCs. They may be pointers or digital displays. These meters are typical secondary instruments. Of course, there are far more secondary meters than these.

When the sensor is not connected to an automatic control system, one of the simplest uses is to connect a suitable secondary meter to it and look at it directly.

As for the thermocouples studied this time, if they are first promoted and used, the simplest and most convenient means is to pair them with a secondary instrument so that front-line production workers can check them at any time during the production process. This is low-cost and quick to produce.

What Gao Zhendong was going to make was a secondary meter with a pointer display, which was somewhat similar to the pointer multimeter that was common in the past.

As for why a more intuitive digital meter was not designed, the main reason was not the lack of digital display tubes. In fact, digital Nixie tubes were already available at that time. Not to mention, they looked pretty good when lit up. Some retro electronic devices in the 21st century are still using these things.

The main problem is that the output signal of the thermocouple is a thermoelectric potential, a typical analog signal. It is very troublesome to convert the analog signal into a segment selection or bit selection signal used for digital display without the cooperation of a digital circuit. However, these days, digital circuit components are not so easy to get, and there are basically no digital circuit components in China.

This is also the reason why Gao Zhendong has to do the secondary instrument design himself. There are not many people in the technical department who understand automation. You should know that the 55 class of the automation major at China Europe International Business School, in which Gao Zhendong belongs, is the first class. Other universities are similar, or even later.

To use the words of the future Internet, Gao Zhendong is a top automation talent who graduated from a professional school after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Therefore, Gao Zhendong can say without any modesty in this era: I am a professional in instrumentation.

(End of this chapter)