Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 885 - 599: The Order Has Arrived! (Part 2)
"Secretary Han, can we buy one?"
"This is specialized equipment. Filling flour is different from filling fertilizer. It’s unrealistic to use it for filling sand and gravel. The design is not difficult, but it takes time for the manufacturer to produce it."
As soon as Han Yu finished speaking, Jiang Kun raised his hand again, "We can make one ourselves, it’s very simple, mainly involving three parts: conveying, vibrating, and sewing. We can buy composite rubber springs, rubber springs, chains, conveyor belts, screw conveyors, belt conveyors, vibrating motors, and reducers."
It’s really hard to deal with ordinary machinery; those who can, find it easy, those who can’t, find it difficult.
Han Yu had full confidence in his brother-in-law because he was not only a mechanic. Back then, when the Port Authority followed the trend to produce cars, his brother-in-law was a key technical figure at the Port Authority’s automobile manufacturing plant!
However, they mainly assembled the chassis and engine and only made the shells, but they did manage to produce a few minibuses, which caused a sensation throughout Binjiang at the time. However, due to poor quality and frequent breakdowns, along with high production costs, the factory eventually closed.
In fact, it wasn’t only the Binjiang Port Authority that produced cars. At one point, all of Binjiang’s seven districts and counties had their own car manufacturers, which, like the Port Authority’s plant, eventually closed for various reasons.
Procuring steel, mechanical equipment, and spare parts to make a semi-automatic sand and gravel filling and sewing machine is easier than assembling a car.
Han Yu smiled and said, "Brother-in-law, this task is yours. Hurry up and make a list, and once the order comes down, go procure what you need!"
Hao Qiusheng asked curiously, "Will there be enough time?"
Before Han Yu could speak, Jiang Kun confidently said, "We have so many people and machine processing equipment, and four or five days will be enough. Besides, we only need to make one that works, it doesn’t need to look good."
"But if the order really comes, we can’t wait four or five days!"
"We can work on the ship. By the time the fleet reaches Jingjiang, the filling machine will surely be ready."
The camp didn’t only have his brother-in-law and the few mechanics under him. The machiners and sailors on the floating cranes, ferry boats, and tugboats almost all knew a bit about machine processing.
Han Yu firmly believed that with the current technical ability, they could manage. He said thoughtfully, "Brother-in-law, I don’t know how heavy the metal belt packing machine Zhang Erxiao talked about is. Let him find out later, and if it’s quite heavy, you also need to solve the issue of binding sandbags efficiently."
"If it’s quite heavy, then weld a bracket, mount a sliding rail or a movable arm on the bracket, and hang the packing machine on it. When you need to bind and pack, pull it over, so it’s not as tiring as holding it up."
"That’s exactly what I’m thinking. In short, you need to use your brains—whatever’s fastest, do that!"
"Got it."
"Manager Zhang, if there’s a filling and sewing machine, how long does it take to fill and sew one sandbag?"
Jiang Kun thought for a moment and said with a smile, "Three to four seconds."
Master Lu picked up a calculator and calculated while talking, "Let’s say it takes four seconds to fill one bag, that’s 900 bags filled and packed in an hour. Each sandbag is about 80 pounds, which means 36 tons of sand can be filled in an hour, enough to bind 36 metal belt cages.
If personnel work in three shifts, 24 hours of continuous filling and binding, we’ll produce over 800 one-ton metal belt sand cages in a day and night. Calculating at 0.4 cubic per ton of sand, that’s equivalent to 345 cubic meters of block stone in a day and night."
Upon hearing Master Lu’s calculation, President Hao was less optimistic than before, frowning and saying, "What can you do with over 300 cubic meters? That’s only equivalent to one ship of stone."
"President Hao, Master Lu, I can figure out a way to make two to three outlets and increase the filling efficiency two to three times."
"Increase to the equivalent of 1,500 tons of stone in 24 hours?"
"Yes."
"While it doesn’t solve a major problem, having 1,500 tons is certainly better than nothing."
"Everyone, there’s still a problem, where will the sand come from?" Han Yu pondered with his chin in his hand, "First, you need materials to fill the hopper."
Hao Qiusheng said thoughtfully, "When we get to Jingzhou, we should first find a place where we can take soil, use two excavators to dig more soil and pile it up there. Whenever there’s time, go dig. But it’s unrealistic to rely on manpower to shovel sand into the hopper one scoop at a time. Our loader will also be busy with rescue operations, Secretary Han, can you think of a way to requisition another loader?"
Vice Mayor Qin said earlier, if vehicles and construction machinery are insufficient, just raise the issue, and he’ll contact leaders in Gaoru and Changzhou for help. However, this is limited to ordinary machinery; hoping for an excavator is unrealistic, as they may not have enough for themselves.
But a loader is not considered particularly rare construction machinery.
Han Yu smiled, "No problem. Considering the transportation issue of the metal sandbag cages after they are bound, I think we should also find a way to get a forklift."
Master Sun said thoughtfully, "Secretary Han, the metal belt sandbag cages shouldn’t only rely on a loader for throwing. Metal belts only provide binding and securing. Shouldn’t we incorporate something from the rebar cage method and tie them with steel bands or steel wires? That way, it’s not only easier to load onto ships, but we can also use floating cranes to throw during rescue operations."
"Definitely, brainstorm about how to do it cost-effectively while improving efficiency. I’m going to take a call."
"Okay."
Just as Han Yu walked out of the exhibition hall, he saw Huang Yuanchang hurriedly running over from the camp’s direction, and judging by his expression, it should be good news. But the call was from Master Xi, so he had to take it first, couldn’t ask Huang Yuanchang what was happening.
"Master Xi, it’s Han Yu."
"Salted Fish, the order came through. Master Liu from the Yangtze River Committee Design Institute called me just now. He’s now a flood expert at the Yangtze Flood Control Command, the most informed!"
"Really?"
"He even saw the order to transfer your camp!"
Han Yu was overjoyed and eagerly asked, "What’s in the order?"
"Hang on."
Master Xi picked up the phone record he made earlier and read, "To Commander Zhu Weihui and Political Commissioner Miao Baokun of the Jiangnan Province Military District, and further to Major General Wang Shengpeng of the 105th Army and Commissar Tian Fang of the Guangzhou Military Region: Due to continuous heavy rain in the Yangtze River Basin, the flood control situation in the Jingjiang section of the Yangtze River is severe. At the request of the Yangtze Flood Control Command, you are ordered to immediately send the Binjiang Flood Control Rescue Camp of the Jiangnan Army Reserve Division to Angong County, Jingzhou City, Beihu Province to be under the command of the 404th Division of the 105th Army, to assist in carrying out rescue tasks. Central Military Commission, July 6, 1998."
Han Yu thought he misheard and asked in a low voice, "Just those few words?"
Master Xi chuckled and asked, "You’re just a battalion-level unit, moreover a reserve camp, how much more do you want the Central Military Commission to say?"
"That’s true," Han Yu thought for a moment and asked, "But Director Huang from the Changhang Bureau said we’re to report to the Jingzhou Military District and be under their command. Why has it changed?"
Master Xi looked up at Master Yao and Xiao Chen, who were excitedly eager, and explained, "I was puzzled at first too. Then I asked Master Liu and found out that the superiors are worried you might cause trouble for the Jingzhou Military District, so they changed it to have you under the 404th Division’s command."
"Does the 404th Division know about flood control and rescue?"
"Don’t worry, they won’t be amateurs directing professionals. I almost forgot to tell you, I’ve been transferred to the Yangtze Flood Control Command, responsible for guiding flood control in the Jingjiang section. They are very respectful of my and the local water department’s opinions on flood rescue."
Finally relieved, Han Yu was about to ask when this order would be communicated to Binjiang when Master Xi added with a smile, "The 105th Army is an airborne army, the 404th Division is the training division for new recruits of the 105th Army. It shows how much the superiors care for you, treating you as new recruits. If the Changhang System’s logistics support can’t keep up, they’ll definitely feed you."
"They are paratroopers!"
"Yes."
"They are professionals at parachuting into combat, we indeed are the new recruits. But when it comes to flood control and rescue, we are the professionals, and they are the new recruits."
Thinking of the situation outside, Master Xi didn’t smile this time; he said gravely, "Salted Fish, things here aren’t the same as in Jiangnan—it’s not merely about timely controlling a few major dangers, or blocking a few breaches to be resting easy."
Han Yu asked quietly, "Is it that severe?"
Master Xi exhaled deeply several times and said with a furrowed brow, "There are dangers everywhere here, every section, every meter—everything we can see is a risk. You were the Deputy Division Commander of the Changhang Binjiang District Fire Brigade, and you’re still the Secretary-General of the Binjiang Water Fire Fighting Association. I suggest you be mentally prepared to be the ’Flood Control Rescue Fire Team!’"
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PS: Didn’t sleep well last night, got a bit of a headache, only two Chapters today, will return to three Chapters tomorrow!
