I can upgrade the shelter-Chapter 593 - 491: The Stuck Titan

The foreman was indeed more skilled at using the jackhammer than the previous driver. After figuring out how to operate the mining Titan, he quickly continued the previously interrupted work by using the jackhammer equipped on the mining Titan against the rock wall before him, promptly shattering a section of the wall into a pile of debris.

But when the foreman intended to clear away the mined ore as usual, he found that the equipment he was wearing restricted his movement, causing him to freeze there.

"You can pick up the ore and put it in the ore bucket behind," the researcher advised, thinking that he was unaware of where to place the ore.

However, Chen Xin patted him and said, "He can’t bend down to pick up the ore from the ground."

Reminded by Chen Xin, the researcher suddenly realized, quickly coming to the foreman’s side. After taking a look at the equipment on him, he hurriedly said, "He’s wearing an ordinary protective suit; the life-support equipment on his back and the simplified machine’s structure are in the way, so he can’t bend down. In the original design, he was able to squat down to pick up the ore."

Chen Xin nodded in understanding of this explanation, finding it not strange at all. After all, it was a Titan, even a simplified version; having life-support equipment onboard was a straightforward affair.

However, such a design seemed impractical to Chen Xin. Since the protective suit itself comes with life-support equipment, redesigning a new protective suit for operating the Titan seems somewhat redundant.

As for why the current design ended up this way... the Titan driver isn’t wearing protective suits but Titan’s driving suits. The life-support equipment on them is structured differently from ordinary protective suits.

This kind of problem is actually quite common in design, as researchers initially focus on achieving core objectives, solving existential issues, and only afterwards refine the design by adding other objectives.

Everything can still be modified before finalizing, which precisely is the purpose of testing.

Identify shortcomings or unreasonable aspects for alterations.

Observing the foreman getting helped by the researcher and Titan driver to detach from the fixed connection and disembark from the mining Titan, Chen Xin frowned and approached this simplified Titan, signaling them to step aside, then picking up a larger stone from the ground and placing it in the ore bucket, he asked the foreman: "How many times a day do you repeat such tasks?"

"We haven’t really counted, but we do it dozens of times a day at least, it varies with the hardness of the rock wall and our work efficiency," the foreman replied somewhat cautiously towards Chen Xin.

Chen Xin nodded, looked at the researcher, and asked him: "I previously saw the prototype had a large claw to assist in loading and unloading ore, why was it removed in the simplified version?"

"This..." The researcher was taken aback by Chen Xin’s question, then explained after collecting his thoughts: "That design wasn’t very stable, and the operation was somewhat complex; it felt inconvenient. Considering the cost, it was canceled in the simplified version, changed to the current setup."

Hearing the researcher say this, Chen Xin shook his head helplessly and said to him, "Although simplifying the structure and reducing costs are important, you’ve overdone it! No matter how complex the design, it saves more effort compared to directly bending over to pick up stones, doesn’t it?"

"Ah, this... We were indeed a bit careless." Although the design change wasn’t done by him, the researcher had no choice but to take the blame at this moment.

Actually, in the earlier laboratory testing phase, this mining Titan initially retained auxiliary mechanical arms to collect ore and directly load it into the ore bucket behind.

However, because it is an ore bucket and not a standard Titan ore cabin, there are structural differences between the two, leading to cases where ore collected by the simplified machine with two mechanical arms slides out of the ore bucket.

Although adding a partition could solve the problem, they decided to simplify the design at the time. Plus, during actual tests, the driver didn’t feel inconvenienced by bending over to pick up stones, so they removed the comparatively complex mechanical arm design altogether.

Yet, upon hearing Chen Xin’s comment, the researcher realized he had neglected this issue.

During experiment tests, they merely fragmented a simulated stone block cast from cement, which even when shattered by the jackhammer only broke into several pieces that were easily picked up with the exoskeleton’s exertion—an effortless task of simply bending over.

But for workers in the mine, this meant bending their backs dozens, if not hundreds, of times a day.

Instead of facilitating workers to improve productivity and reduce labor intensity, the equipment inadvertently increased the workers’ workload—a design certainly undesirable.

Therefore, after Chen Xin pointed this out, the researcher quickly realized this issue, hence the proactive acceptance of blame.

However, taking the blame was not intended to dismiss the matter, as the researcher promptly asked Chen Xin, "Academician, do you think we should reinstate the original mechanical arm design?"

"I can’t make that call; you need to ask the foreman here," Chen Xin gestured towards the foreman standing before them, saying to the researcher: "To determine if it’s useful, only those who actually use it can provide the most direct answer—perhaps he should evaluate whether mechanical arm assistance for collecting ore is needed."

"Alright, I understand." The researcher nodded, saying no more, merely turning his gaze towards the passage they had all come through, awaiting the prototype’s arrival.

Yet despite a long wait, the prototype remained unseen; instead, the driver descended alone via a nearby lift.

"Sorry, academician! The prototype is too large, it got stuck while coming down." The driver had a face full of helplessness and chagrin. Seizing the driving opportunity for the Titan only to get stuck due to its size left him deeply embarrassed.

Chen Xin, hearing this, suddenly donned a startled expression, asking in surprise, "How did it get stuck? Where did it get stuck?"

"Right in the tunnel above. I was originally entering smoothly without any hindrance, but the tunnel above suddenly narrowed, and the machine got stuck," the driver explained, displaying a face full of grievance.

Originally, it was just a test, and since prior passages were smoothly navigated, he was a bit lax, not anticipating that the tunnel before him would suddenly narrow due to dim lighting, thus getting the machine wedged against the tunnel walls.