Starting From the Chip in 1991

Chapter 57 Reinforcements

Zheng Zhenchuan's phone call came very quickly, showing just how urgent their situation was at Chengguang Institute.

After a brief negotiation, Zheng Zhenchuan personally led three engineers to Yuanchip the very next day.

At the same time, Su Xinghe, Li Gaoliang, and He Yongchuan — three heavyweight professors from Electronics Tech — also arrived at Yuanchip.

Su Yuanshan called together Qin Weimin, Li Mingliu, and Jiang Wanchao to attend the meeting.

"Right now, our situation is very difficult," Zheng Zhenchuan spoke straightforwardly.

"Domestically, our PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) systems are basically non-existent — we rely entirely on imported systems.

Although there are general-purpose programming tools available abroad, they don't fit our customized requirements, and we don't have the technical reserves to develop from scratch…"

Since they were already at Yuanchip begging for help, Zheng Zhenchuan decided there was no point in hiding anything.

Li Gaoliang had warned him: Yuanchip was a pure tech-driven company — you didn't need to save face with them.

Professor He Yongchuan, who was an expert in mechanical engineering and one of the earliest Chinese researchers in automation systems, listened carefully to Zheng Zhenchuan's account and then spoke:

"Engineer Zheng, listening to you, it sounds like you want Yuanchip to help develop a programmable controller?"

Zheng Zhenchuan chuckled awkwardly:

"Well... if that's possible, it would be ideal."

Professor He turned to look at Su Xinghe, a complicated look in his eyes.

Su Xinghe had spent some time reading up on PLC systems when Zheng Zhenchuan first visited.

The more he read, the more he realized just how difficult the task was —

especially since it involved the intricate automated control required by photolithography machines.

Even if it looked like nothing more than an assembly line, the degree of synchronization required was extreme.

In a photolithography machine, an error of even a micron could destroy a multi-million-dollar chip wafer.

Frowning deeply, Su Xinghe said heavily:

"It will be very difficult. But it seems like there's no other way."

Everyone present was a seasoned tech person.

They immediately understood: if there had been any other option, Chengguang Institute wouldn't have come to Yuanchip for help.

After a moment of silence, Su Xinghe turned and looked at his son:

"Yuanshan, what do you think?"

...

Su Yuanshan licked his lips and sat up straighter.

Coming out of deep thought, he finally smiled and spoke:

"Here's my assessment:

Yuanchip's strength isn't in PLC ladder diagram programming or functional block diagram development.

Honestly, although people call me a programming genius,

if you threw me in front of a CNC machine right now, I'd be totally lost."

Everyone laughed — especially the engineers from Chengguang, who visibly relaxed.

After all, coding PLC ladder diagrams and writing C++ programs were two completely different skills.

The former valued hands-on experience and practical engineering knowledge far more than clever coding.

"But!"

"Our advantage lies elsewhere."

Su Yuanshan continued:

"We can design the software that accepts ladder diagram input, according to your exact specifications.

We can design any chips, control circuits, and driver boards you need.

We can even help design and optimize your electronic components."

His voice grew firmer:

"The only question is —"

He looked straight at Zheng Zhenchuan.

Zheng Zhenchuan immediately straightened his back:

"Please ask."

"Will your mechanical components and parts meet the necessary standards?" Su Yuanshan asked seriously.

"My point is — if the control system works perfectly, can the assembled photolithography machine actually function?"

"In other words, we can guarantee that your machine won't drift, won't lose steps, will operate smoothly — but if the mechanical parts themselves are too poor, we can't fix that."

Su Yuanshan's words were clear and decisive — essentially a military pledge.

Zheng Zhenchuan remained silent for a few seconds, then said solemnly:

"The mechanical components and the precision machining have been done very carefully.

We have achieved minimal tolerances, and we fully understand the necessary technology."

"Right now,"

"Our photolithography machine is like a finished computer that's just missing the operating system."

"That's excellent," Su Yuanshan said immediately.

"Yuanchip can contribute thirty engineers. Together with our brothers from Electronics Tech, we can form a team of fifty people."

"We'll fully assist you in bringing the first Chinese photolithography machine to life!"

"And —"

He turned to glance at his father.

"And — if the machine reaches a viable yield rate, Yuanchip will partner with Chengguang Institute to set up a company to sell and promote it."

"If it doesn't sell — we'll buy it ourselves!"

Su Xinghe smiled warmly and backed up his son without hesitation:

"Exactly. If we're going to build it, let's build it to sell, not just to sit in a museum collecting dust."

...

After that, the meeting grew much lighter in mood.

The two sides spent an entire day finalizing the rough collaboration plan.

Yuanchip would dispatch three teams:

one led by Li Mingliu focusing on chip design,

one led by Qu Hui focusing on software and embedded systems,

and one led by Electronics Tech's embedded system experts.

Together, they would set up a development office directly inside Chengguang Institute.

Later, back in his office, Li Mingliu was packing up some documents when Su Yuanshan knocked and leaned casually against the doorframe, smiling:

"Captain Li, the Little Expeditionary Force is in your capable hands."

"Pfft!"

Li Mingliu laughed and shook his head:

"Stop calling me captain. I'm just a technician."

"Don't sell yourself short," Su Yuanshan chuckled.

"Senior Brother, you're destined for big things.

One day, your code will be inside every chip-based electronic device around the world — isn't that glorious?"

"Cut it out!"

Li Mingliu laughed:

"Seriously though — if this photolithography machine project succeeds, will we really buy it?"

"Of course," Su Yuanshan replied naturally.

"It's supposed to reach 1.5 microns, maybe even 0.8 microns with tuning."

"If we get even that close — why wouldn't we buy it? Worst case, we'll use it to make our own chips!"

"..."

Li Mingliu was defeated by Su Yuanshan's casual tone:

"You're really treating a few-million-dollar machine like a toy?"

Su Yuanshan just smiled.

He had made up his mind:

Just like how he had spent 300,000 yuan without hesitation to buy out the UESTC91 microcontroller rights,

he would buy this photolithography machine too —

if it could even halfway meet performance targets.

Only by breaking the cycle — develop, put it in a museum, forget it, move on —

could Chinese technology truly move forward.

(End of Chapter 57)

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