Computer-aided design, specifically AutoCAD, had been around since 1982. By 1991, it was already on its 11th version, yet it still couldn't operate in a Windows environment.
The earliest version that could operate in a Windows environment was 1CADR12.0.
It wasn't until 1997 that it truly adapted to Pentium machines and the Windows 95/NT operating environment.
Even if Fang Bai knew how to use CAD, he would have to wait until the end of next year at the earliest.
But for now, he could only use a pencil to draw on white paper.
He asked Wang Dakai to buy dozens of large sketch papers for him, then spread them out on a large table to draw. Mistakes could only be erased with an eraser, unlike the convenience of CAD.
Before drawing, Fang Bai disassembled the structure of a DN150/PN100 gate valve: valve body, valve disc, valve bonnet, valve stem...
He determined important design parameters: nominal diameter DN150, nominal pressure PN100, material WCB...
Based on the approximate structure, he created a design BOM (Bill of Materials) list, detailing the drawing number, quantity, material, etc., for each component—essentially a component manifest.
Before large-scale design divisions, there would always be a design BOM list. The chief design officer would then assign tasks to each designer, specifying who was responsible for designing which part.
Fang Bai didn't have subordinates, but creating a design BOM list was still useful for him to avoid confusion when there were many components.
A BOM list alone wasn't enough; the chief design officer also had to clearly explain the important parameters of each component.
For example, for the valve body: wall thickness, design pressure, design internal diameter, allowable tensile stress, corrosion allowance, minimum wall thickness, etc.
Fang Bai spent half a day just organizing these tasks and the calculation sheets for each component.
Fortunately, the structure of a gate valve was not considered complex. The main parts were the valve body and valve disc; the rest were standard parts, such as standard bolts, which didn't require design. He only needed to select the appropriate thickness, length, quantity, and grade of bolts.
"Ah, it seems simple, but it's still very troublesome when you actually start drawing."
Fang Bai began designing the valve body structure. He was familiar with drawings, but he had forgotten a few specific dimensions. Fortunately, the impact was minimal, and he could make revisions.
Before a drawing was completed, he couldn't use the Golden Finger for analysis.
In other words, for the Golden Finger to help him analyze, the external plugin needed to know what he was drawing.
Fang Bai drew at home, and Qin Shuyu came to accompany him during the day.
One drew, while the other studied for the certified public accountant exam.
When both were tired, they would close the bedroom door and relax inside.
Fang Bai was not Liu Xiahui, but it was truly inconvenient at home. They could only have a taste and stop, waiting until Shanghai to do more.
After a few days, Qin Shuyu also learned to be mischievous. She hugged Fang Bai's neck and whispered intimately in his ear, "Fang Bai, there's something dirty on my clothes."
Fang Bai was sometimes immersed in mechanical drawing, but he had no choice but to satisfy Qin Shuyu's requests.
A few days later, Fang Bai finally completed the initial draft of the DN150/PN100 gate valve drawing.
Then he used Fang Bai's Middle Finger Golden Finger to analyze the design, and the entire drawing was filled with red!
Fang Bai wasn't in a hurry to revise. Instead, he analyzed each error one by one, understood the problem, and wrote it down. This was the best opportunity for learning and summarizing.
He lacked design experience, and the Golden Finger was the best guide.
It could be said that completing this set of drawings was equivalent to several months of learning for others.
Thinking of this, he simply picked up a blank sheet of paper and started drawing again.
Three more days passed until there were no more red dots on the new drawing, and only then was he satisfied.
It could be said that the newly designed drawing not only solved design problems but also some manufacturing process issues, making manufacturing easier and reducing production costs.
Even for the same valve model sold at the same price, the product designed by Fang Bai had a larger profit margin.
It also had to be said that with the Golden Finger assisting in drawing, even without CAD, the drawing efficiency was very fast, requiring only one or two revisions.
Without the Golden Finger's assistance, after Fang Bai designed a product, normally, after the new product design was completed, it would still need to undergo analysis and discussion by the design department until a conclusion was reached before trial production began.
Problems would be discovered during trial production, then the drawings would be revised, and trial production would restart.
Even after trial production was problem-free, it didn't mean the designed product was qualified. Various tests would then begin for verification.
If major problems were found during the testing process, the drawings would be revised again, and trial production would restart.
Only after trial production and testing were problem-free could small-batch production begin to verify the process.
If the process also had no major issues, then large-scale production could commence.
Perhaps drawing this set of valves only took a few days, but subsequent analysis, trial production, and verification would take a significant amount of time, at least two or three months, or even up to one or two years.
Moreover, problems would still be discovered during customer use, leading to continuous optimization.
A new product, after being launched, still requires many years of repeated verification and optimization before it can be considered mature.
Therefore, Fang Bai's Golden Finger saved him a lot of time and helped him avoid many detours.
Because of this, Fang Bai felt that his Golden Finger was incredibly abnormal, greatly shortening the research and development cycle.
If it were still LV3, Fang Bai would still need to manufacture a physical object for analysis, which would cause considerable delays.
After Fang Bai finished the drawings, he went to a copy shop to make a copy and gave it to his father-in-law, asking him to make the molds for the valve body castings.
The valve body was a WCB material casting, so a casting mold was required, and the manufacturing cost was not low.
The valve body has a complex structure, and machining costs are too high, making it very difficult to process. Generally, casting methods are used, which have lower manufacturing costs.
However, the material density of castings is definitely not as good as forgings, and castings have more problems, such as common sand inclusions, pores, and riser issues.
This casting process has been like this for decades; even two or three decades later, there has been no qualitative change.
When Fang Bai designed the valve body, he had already noticed this problem, mainly addressing it through the structure to allow the molten metal to flow smoothly into all parts during the casting process.
At the same time, Fang Bai was preparing the materials for patent applications.
He would apply for appearance patents, utility model patents, and invention patents all at once after preparing the materials. Although Fang Bai had never dealt with patents before, he still understood some things.
Fang Bai had been busy, and time quickly reached August 19th, which was the day of his promotion banquet.
His parents arranged the promotion banquet at a hotel in Yongjia County. They not only invited relatives and friends but also teachers from Oubei No. 1 Middle School. Fang Bai took this opportunity to also invite County Leader and some business partners.
These past few days, the invited guests were all worried about what gifts to bring.
As for money, they weren't lacking.
This was a bit troublesome. If they were short on money, it would be easy to solve by giving a red envelope, but they happened to encounter a family that wasn't short on money.
Last night, while the family was chatting in the living room, Liu Fengqing said that this promotion banquet must be grand. She was very curious how much certain people would give them as gifts, and then how their faces would look when they returned double the amount.
"Mom, that's a bit mischievous!" Even Fang Tingting felt her mother was a bit mean.
Fang Bai was too lazy to say anything. His mother's temper couldn't be changed; when she got excited, no one could stop her.
Liu Fengqing chuckled, "It's all learned from your brother. He's full of bad ideas."
Fang Bai had no more objections. Not speaking would only make him take the blame, so he retorted, "Mom, I'm not taking this blame! You came up with this bad idea. I think some of my bad habits are inherited from my parents."
"Big brother, just take it. It's not like it's the first time, ho ho." Fang Tingting sat cross-legged on the sofa, laughing happily.
"Heh heh, alright, I'm also curious to see how these relatives' faces will look after seeing the double red envelopes." Fang Bai was too lazy to argue anymore.
Fang Shi watched TV, silently. He was afraid of getting dirty water splashed on himself.