Episode 16: Introduction of CNC
Early in the morning, employees arrived at work to determine the location for the CNC lathe installation and tidied up the surrounding area.
When the 5-ton forklift, which had been notified in advance, arrived, Lee Chang-jin used it to lift the CNC lathe into its designated place. Once the employees finished the installation and wiped their sweat, Lee Chang-jin clapped his hands to get their attention.
“Well done, everyone. The hard part is over. Manager Gu, did you connect the three-phase 380V power supply?”
“Yes, I connected the wires and checked the voltage and for any irregularities.”
“What about the electrical panel and the overload prevention breaker?”
“Those are also installed. As you instructed, the grounding wire is connected to the copper wire near the factory’s external water pipe.”
“Great job. Before operating the equipment, replace the cutting fluid and lubricant, and then turn on the switch.”
After explaining the basic precautions regarding the processing items and the interface between the equipment, Lee Chang-jin turned on the lathe. However, contrary to expectations, the machine was very quiet.
“Boss, the screen isn’t turning on.”
Despite turning the power on and looking at the control panel monitor, the screen did not function.
Even after turning the power off and on again, only a static noise was heard, with no response.
“The power is connected properly, but it’s not running at all.”
The issue was not just with the monitor. When they pressed the operation switch to test it, only the motor made a whirring sound, and the cutting blade did not turn properly.
Seeing this, Lee Chang-jin clicked his tongue.
“As expected, it’s just as I thought…”
As he suspected, there was definitely something wrong with the machine. In fact, he had some idea. How could they sell a perfectly working machine at such a low price just because its usage period had expired? After inspecting the machine for a while, Gu Chang-dong asked, seemingly frustrated.
“It looks fine on the outside, but what exactly is the problem?”
“It seems like there’s an issue with the mainboard or some internal components.”
“What the heck, did that fat guy, President Go, sell us scrap metal worth 150,000 won?”
Gu Chang-dong got furious as if it were his own issue. Since the second-hand price was almost equivalent to his monthly salary, it felt all the more infuriating. Seeing Gu Chang-dong looking ready to rush to Paju immediately, Lee Chang-jin hurriedly stopped him.
“Calm down. President Go is not new to this business. He probably thought it was a good opportunity to get rid of it when a novice showed up. If it were a perfectly good machine, he wouldn’t have sold it at that price, and we wouldn’t have gotten our turn to buy it.”
Despite Lee Chang-jin’s calm explanation, Gu Chang-dong was still fuming.
“Even so, there are business ethics! Acting like he’s doing us a favor. So annoying.”
“Haha, this isn’t even worth arguing about. Didn’t he say he was only charging scrap metal price? If that’s the case, he has some conscience. We expected this, so let’s get started. First, we need to disassemble it, so get the electric screwdriver and spanner.”
“What? Without a manual, can we reassemble it?”
“Haha, what other choice do we have? We need to take it apart and see what the problem is. Only after looking inside will we get answers. We’ll need a place to put the parts, so bring a clean plywood and rubber mat.”
“Yes, understood.”
Although Gu Chang-dong was worried inside, he couldn’t argue. Considering the deal they got, he was actually curious to see how Lee Chang-jin would handle it.
After removing the upper bed, Lee Chang-jin marked the connection points of each part and started disassembling the CNC lathe. He disassembled the parts in order, numbering each one and laying them out in sequence on the rubber mat.
The employees numbered the parts and wrote down the names in the order Lee Chang-jin instructed.
After dismantling the upper bed, saddle, front and rear carriage, tool post, turret, headstock, tailstock, and apron, they noticed old grime and rusted parts here and there. It seemed the machine had been neglected for over a year, accelerating its corrosion. Seeing the rust and grease-filled interior, Gu Chang-dong shook his head.
“Wow, this is worse than I thought…”
“I had a rough idea. Foreman Seo, get some diesel and solvent from the warehouse. Let’s clean the parts first.”
“Yes, I’ll go get them right away.”
Seo Yo-han went to the warehouse and brought a large plastic container, pouring its contents into a rubber basin. After soaking the rusted parts for about two hours, the black rust began to dissolve like moss. The employees, wearing masks, sat on the floor and slowly scrubbed the rust with cloths and toothbrushes before wiping off the dust and grime with broadcloth.
In the meantime, Lee Chang-jin started separating the monitor. Upon inspecting the control unit, he found old dust covering the relay module of the control panel.
“No wonder it’s not working properly with all this dust.”
In electronic devices, dust is a major cause of malfunction. Despite the frustrating sight, Lee Chang-jin focused on his work without complaint. Complaining wouldn’t solve anything anyway.
After blowing off the dust from the control panel motherboard with air, Lee Chang-jin started cleaning the motherboard with a fine toothbrush.
“Also clean the position control encoder installed behind the motor. Check and clean the CPU, I/O interface modules, switch modules, microcontrollers (MCUs), and servo drivers.”
After spending an entire day cleaning, they finished the basic cleaning. However, just because the cleaning was done didn’t mean all the parts were reusable. Especially for electronic components requiring precise control, the servo motors and operation bearings were all worn out, and some parts were so corroded that they needed to be completely replaced.
Lee Chang-jin headed to Jongno to visit an electronic parts repair shop he was familiar with.
Before Yongsan became known for its electronics market, Seun Sangga was the mecca of the electronics industry.
In the 60s, Seun Sangga originally sold various scraps taken from U.S. military bases, but it became a holy site for various electronic products, including home appliances, with the rise of the massive mixed-use complex. Tae Eul-yong, who worked on the second floor of Seun Sangga, was famous for specializing in electronics repairs. Seeing Lee Chang-jin, Tae Eul-yong greeted him warmly.
“Oh, Chang-jin! How long has it been?”
“Yes, hyung. How have you been?”
Lee Chang-jin asked warmly, and Tae Eul-yong replied.
“I’ve been well. I heard you’ve gone independent? Congrats, kid. You’re now a respectable boss.”
“Haha. It’s just the beginning. I’m not worth congratulating yet.”
“What are you talking about? I heard everything from Cheol-ho. You secured regular orders from Cheong-woo? You’re quite capable.”
“Haha, how could I compare to you, hyung? I heard you secured a contract with the PX at the U.S. military base? Congratulations. You owe me a meal.”
“Haha, you sly guy. Don’t you know I live on an allowance? My wife takes all my money. So, what brings you here? Need something?”
“Oh, I need some electronic parts. Can you get this controller?”
Lee Chang-jin showed photos and sketches of the lathe’s internal parts. After looking at the pictures for a moment, Tae Eul-yong nodded knowingly.
“Oh, this is a 1968 model CNC vertical turret lathe. This controller is a Japanese Fanuc 6T model.”
“Oh, you know this?”
“Of course. You’re in luck, Chang-jin. I happen to have it in stock.”
“That’s great news.”
“But this lathe came from a U.S. military base. Do you have the manual?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then contact the local Fanuc dealership. They should have the manual.”
“Oh, thank you so much.”
After obtaining the manual, Lee Chang-jin studied the assembly drawings overnight and replaced the parts in order. After inspecting and replacing the motherboard, CPU, and relay module with new ones, he started the machine, and the monitor turned on with a vroom.
“It works!”
Lee Chang-jin and the employees spent about a week working day and night, gradually learning how to use the CNC lathe. They input the data of the helical gears they had been making manually into the monitor and produced a prototype.
Comparing the manually processed product with the CNC-cut product revealed astonishing results. A single CNC lathe increased production fivefold, and the quality and tolerance improved from a 1/100mm tolerance to below 1/1,000mm.
Thanks to the overwhelming productivity and quality improvement, orders from Daese Group surged explosively. As productivity soared compared to before, the employees also found some breathing room.
Around lunchtime, an employee with a delivery bag shouted.
“Is the boss here? Delivery!”
“Oh, is it lunchtime already?”
Employees who had finished their morning shift gathered in groups at the company cafeteria. Almost every week, Chinese food was delivered to Lee Chang-jin’s company, which had become a regular customer of a nearby Chinese restaurant. As the smell of black bean sauce made them hungry, the employees eagerly picked up their chopsticks upon seeing the jajangmyeon and sweet and sour pork.
“Slurp… This is good. They make the best fried dumplings here.”
“Manager Gu, you can’t eat two fried dumplings by yourself. There’s just enough for everyone.”
“Why are you being so petty over a dumpling? This is so frustrating.”
Seeing Gu Chang-dong’s bickering, Lee Chang-jin, who had quietly added his portion, gently chided him.
“Come on, everyone, don’t fight. Eat well so you can work hard. Enjoy your meal.”
“See? Did you hear what the boss said? Don’t fuss over food!”
“Yes, yes. Understood, Manager Gu.”
The employees laughed heartily at Seo Yo-han’s response.
In fact, Lee Chang-jin never skimped on the employees’ meals.
His belief was that they should eat well to work well.
After finishing his meal, Gu Chang-dong patted his bulging stomach and mumbled.
“Ah, I’m full. I’ve never eaten so much Chinese food in my life.”
“I’m starting to get tired of sweet and sour pork. Next time, let’s order stir-fried seafood.”
“Boss, you’re the best! You’re so generous.”
As the meal was almost over, Ye Jin-ju, who had quick wits, subtly brought some drinks.
“Here, boss. Coffee for you. And Manager Gu, here’s some sikhye.”
“Thank you, Jin-ju. You’re so thoughtful.”
Lee Chang-jin took a sip of the coffee he received to cleanse his palate. Whether it was out of consideration or shared enthusiasm for coffee, President Go Sang-don of Shiksin Industrial consistently sent coffee beans.
Thanks to the German coffee machine he also sent, they could enjoy good coffee without any burden. However, perhaps not understanding this, Gu Chang-dong shook his head in disbelief.
“Why do you drink that bitter stuff? It only tastes bitter to me.”
“Haha, Manager Gu, you don’t understand yet. This is the taste of life. Also, we’re running low on coffee beans… could you get some more while you’re out on business? You can go home directly afterward.”
At Lee Chang-jin’s words, Gu Chang-dong’s expression immediately brightened.
“Of course, boss. I’ll get new ones first thing tomorrow.”
Gu Chang-dong ran outside with a thrilled expression.
Curious, Seo Yo-han asked.
“Manager Gu seems a bit suspicious. Why does he like going out on business so much? Does he have a hidden lover at one of the client offices?”
“No way. Do you think Manager Gu is that kind of person? Don’t get the wrong idea.”
“Well… with that face, it’s probably not possible.”
Lee Chang-jin chuckled as he looked at Seo Yo-han tilting his head. Unexpectedly, after returning from Shiksin Industrial, Gu Chang-dong’s mood noticeably improved. Given the time he had spent, Lee Chang-jin couldn’t miss such subtle changes but chose to turn a blind eye.
‘Good luck, Manager Gu.’
Looking at the factory filled with CNC machines, Lee Chang-jin felt pleased again. Besides the American-made machines, new CNC machines from Hanseong Machinery were also in operation.
Thanks to the state-led heavy and chemical industrialization policy of the same period, the development of domestic CNC machines had succeeded. However, the initial CNC machines struggled immensely in sales. Although they were more than twice as cheap as Japanese or German models, they hadn’t been proven in actual use.
Technicians tend to be quite stubborn. Since their proficiency with the machines is directly tied to safety, it’s understandable. Especially for large corporations, they’re reluctant to use unproven equipment.
Lee Chang-jin saw an opportunity in this gap. As soon as he secured the used American CNC machines, he inquired about other CNC machines. During this process, he learned about the development of domestic CNC machines through Mannheim and went directly to Hanseong Machinery in Changwon to request a prototype.
“If possible, could you supply us with the first prototype? I know you’re struggling with CNC sales due to the lack of demand. Any company has to use it first, so others will trust it. Please give us a chance. We’ll be the priming water for you.”
Lee Chang-jin actively expressed his intention to use the Korean CNC. The idea was that being the first company to use the domestic CNC, despite being a newly established small business, would be ideal for publicity.
Desperately seeking customers, Hanseong Machinery fell for Lee Chang-jin’s persuasive words, and as a result, he benefited from the prototype at a low price. Of course, such fortune didn’t last long. Once the verification was complete, the price of the Korean CNC skyrocketed.
Thanks to acquiring good machines at low prices, the business was running smoothly. Quarterly sales had already surpassed 300 million won, and net profits had risen by over 30% compared to the previous month. Looking at the stacks of orders and statements in the office, Lee Chang-jin began to think about the next step.
“Assistant Manager Yeo, please handle things on your own for a bit. I’m going to visit the Changwon machinery factory. I’ve left response manuals on the memo pad, so follow those if any issues arise.”
Nodding, Ye Jin-ju asked Lee Chang-jin.
“Yes, boss. But why the sudden visit to the machinery factory? Is there something going on?”
“Haha, what else would a boss do? It’s for business. I’m going to secure some orders.”
“What kind of orders? We’re already swamped with work…”
“Haha, this is this, and that is that. You’ll see.”
His next target was the heavy equipment business.
- To be continued in Episode 17 -
