Planet Builder - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Testing the car

A few days later, He Xingzhou completed the design of the first iteration of the maglev motor. However, this version was not very practical. After talking with the engineers of the expert group, he realized that he had to base the design on the current level of industrial manufacturing.

In the field of high-end industrial manufacturing and precision machining, the United States, Germany, and Japan were much further compared to China.

Therefore, He Xingzhou made several revisions to the design of the maglev motor, until he create a design of a low-cost maglev motor that satisfied the manufacturing process.

The design drawings were sent to an automotive parts factory in the northeast, where they were manufactured by professional engineers.

A week later, in the Sentry Tower, Guo Cheng, an engineer from the first automobile group, sent a message to He Xingzhou: “Chief He, the maglev motor has been manufactured and is awaiting testing!”

Chief He was what everyone called He Xingzhou now. Because of He Xingzhou’s age, they didn’t really know what to call him by. Calling him Comrade He Xingzhou seemed a little distant.

Considering that he was the chief designer of the Great Wall of Steel project, everyone called him Chief He according to engineering practice.

“Okay, I’ll come right away!” He Xingzhou replied.

“Brother Ding, arrange a plane immediately. I want to go to the car factory in the northeast!” He Xingzhou shouted into the communication device.

“Stand by!” Ding Yue immediately went to the apron to prepare the plane.

The resources required for the Black Tortoise project were too broad. Moreover, scientific research and manufacturing could not be carried out in the Sentry Tower alone.

Many of them had to borrow other research institutes or factories. Therefore, the black tortoise executives arranged a private plane for He Xingzhou.

This was a modified armed helicopter with an air license from the military. Not only could it fly directly across the country, but it could also go to any military base!

As a special forces soldier, Ding Yue could fly the helicopter easily.

More than an hour later, He Xingzhou arrived at the factory where he was located. Here, automotive engineers were waiting anxiously.

In the test workshop, He Xingzhou met Guo Cheng, the engineer responsible for the design of the maglev motor and the design of the maglev car body, as well as Feng Yue, a senior vice president of Huaxia First Automobile Group.

It was worth mentioning that Feng Yue was not an member of the Project Black Tortoise, so he did not know He Xingzhou’s real purpose. He only knew that He Xingzhou was a scientist sent by the National Academy of Sciences to develop a new type of electric vehicle motor.

“Chief He, welcome to our factory!” When Feng Yue saw He Xingzhou, his mind was full of questions. He had met all the academicians from the Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Engineering. Most of them were over 50 years old!

He Xingzhou was so young. What kind of identity did he have that made him so valued that the company HQ actually issued a document asking the whole group to cooperate with his research work! Also, how did he develop a metal air battery at his age?

“Chief Feng.” He Xingzhou shook hands with him. Beside him, Guo Cheng said, “Chief He, the finished product of the maglev motor is in the test workshop. You can start the test at whenever you want.”

“Okay, let’s start now,” He Xingzhou said.

He Xingzhou followed him to the workshop, where a group of engineers and technicians were waiting.

“This electromagnetic levitation motor is different from our traditional magnetic levitation motor. Not only does it have a magnetic levitation bearing, but it can also produce a strong repulsive force that can keep the entire structure suspended.

“Rather than calling it a magnetic levitation motor, it’s more like a magnetic levitation motor set. It contains a battery, an electric motor, an electromagnetic converter, and many other structures. It’s the soul of the entire electromagnetic levitation car!”

He Xingzhou turned to the camera and started speaking. He planned to take a video of the test and upload it.

After the first video was released, there were many enthusiastic responses. He and his research group had gained a lot of popularity and profit. According to Xu Zhilan, the licensing fees from the battery technology had already exceeded two billion with many more contracts still in discussion.

The current attitude of the black tortoise executives was that the Project Black Tortoise had to be kept confidential, but He Xingzhou could continue to promote new technology.

They didn’t care about what the outside world thought about right now; they would wait until all of the preparations were made before announcing Project Black Tortoise to the people of the country and the world.

The whole maglev motor set appeared in front of He Xingzhou. It looked like a car chassis with batteries, motors, electromagnetic converters, and other equipment installed on it.

Guo Cheng said, “According to our design, the chassis structure is made of magnetic materials. When the motor starts, it can conduct magnetic force and form a reverse repulsion force with the magnetic materials on the ground to achieve the goal of levitation.”

“The higher the power of the motor, the higher the levitation, and the faster the operation speed!”

He Xingzhou carefully checked it. The design of the maglev generator was optimized compared to his own design. After confirming that there were no problems, he said, “Let’s begin!”

“Maglev generator set, prepare the test drive!” Guo Cheng shouted.

The maglev generator set was placed on the special circular magnetic track for testing, and everyone was nervous.

Everyone present were top automotive engineers, mechanical engineers, and dynamics experts in the country. However, at this moment, they were as nervous as students awaiting the results of their college entrance examination.

In the automotive industry, the best engine technology had always been monopolized by foreign countries. The performance of domestic automotive engines had always been inferior to that of their foreign counterparts.

Therefore, in the automotive market, foreign brands prevailed and monopolized most of the profits of the industry. The wealth of the Chinese people continued to flow through these products into the pockets of western countries.

In order to catch up with them, countless engineers had struggled for decades, but had yet to reach their goal.

There wasn’t a day where they dreamed to get out of this situation. There were even days of despair where they believe that they would never overtake the other countries in the development of fuel engine and thus they focused their resources on electric engines.

In addition to being more environmentally friendly, this was also one of the reasons why the country vigorously promoted electric cars.

Now, this maglev motor set represented a new era in the automotive world. Once it was successfully tested, it would definitely change the playing field of entire automotive industry!

The new force of the maglev motor would bring the automobile field onto another level! It would allow domestic cars and related industries go onto the international stage.

In a few minutes, the technicians were had the preparations ready.

Feng Yue was very nervous, and his palms became sweaty.

“Three, two, one, start!” He Xingzhou shouted. As he pressed down on the specially designed wireless signal device, the maglev motor set began to operate.

The electricity from the lithium-air power battery drove the motor to rotate. The motor converted the electrical energy into electromagnetic force, which generated a magnetic field through the magnetic material.

The force of the magnetic field repelled the circular magnetic runway. The “car chassis” slowly rised up, about ten centimeters from the ground.

Normally, it would not float so high, because it would consume more energy. But because the maglev motor was on a bare chassis, it floated higher.

“It’s gloating!” An engineer shouted in anticipation.