Engineer Cheolwoo Lee (6)
After the development of the 6-axis milling machine, there was a lot of work to do.
First, in order to register a patent, I had to organize documents related to technology and hand them over to a patent attorney, and I had to find a company that would produce this milling machine.
Patent registration was not a problem.
I was 100% sure that the patent registration would be done by the patent attorney I had been working with, and it only took a little time.
The problem was finding a company that would quickly produce a 6-axis milling machine.
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I found SSCNC on the recommendation of Changsoo’s father.
what did you say
‘Still, that place is the most honest and trustworthy,’ he said. It breaks down sometimes, but did I mention that it handles it quickly every time?
So, I thought of going to that company and entrusting the production of a 6-axis milling machine.
“Hello. I heard from Captain Kim. You said you identified the cause of our milling machine’s breakdown at once?”
Perhaps it was because he left a good impression on former SSCNC captain Kim, he received a reply from the head office saying that he would meet us right away, and Minseok and I came to visit together.
“Ha ha, embarrassing. I was just lucky.”
“It’s lucky, you can’t recognize it at first glance. But why did you ask to meet us?”
Song Cheol-moon, director of SSCNC, went straight to the point.
“That……I don’t know if Captain Kim heard it, but at that time I was remodeling a multi-axis milling machine.”
“Oh? You converted a milling machine? It won’t be easy.”
He looked at me curiously.
“Yes. There were a lot of problems here and there.”
“hahahaha, so what? How did it go?”
“Somehow, I ended up making a 6-axis milling machine.”
“……? yes?”
he said with a startled expression.
“Using the free vector gear I developed, I was able to make a total of 6-axis milling machines.”
“Is that real?”
He checked once more.
“Yes. Uh…. How should I show this? Minseok-ah, did you take a video of us?”
“for a moment.”
Minseok showed the video he had previously filmed.
“……. and?”
He stared at the video for a while, engrossed.
“How is it?”
“Wow, that’s great. There’s never been a technology that can process metal with such freedom. So I had to change the settings several times.”
“That’s right. I developed this milling machine to eliminate such trouble.”
“Wow, that’s really crazy. With this milling machine, the X, Y, and Z axes are added one more time, making it possible to process an internal curve that was impossible until now? In addition, it has an almost perfect circle and precision. Is there any other video?”
This time, Changsoo’s father’s company showed a video of the LT-220 being processed by Hyeonseong.
“Is this the LT-220?”
It seemed to be a fairly famous son.
“Yes. That’s right. This is a video of LT-220 processing with a 6-axis milling machine. Let’s watch it.”
Director Song couldn’t keep his mouth shut the whole time he watched the video.
“This LT-220 design is famous for being complex… but processing it in one go, what the hell is this?”
“As I just said, it’s a 6-axis milling machine.”
“…… Huh, I can’t believe it even if I see it. It’s a really great skill.”
“thank you.”
“Why are you showing us this? After all?”
“Yes. We do not have the infrastructure to produce milling machines. Therefore, we would like to receive royalties as a condition of transferring the technology.”
Director Song thought for a moment and then said.
“Um, so you’re saying you’re still holding the patent right?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Are you thinking of selling the patent right itself?”
“Not yet.”
“Yes. I asked just in case. Then, what are the conditions?”
“The condition is… First of all, we are going to enter into an exclusive contract with SSCNC. We are thinking about 20% of the sales proceeds as royalties.”
It was not an exclusive contract, but it was possible to receive royalties from several CNC companies.
After discussing with Minseok, we decided to choose and focus.
If it wasn’t an exclusive contract, I could get more royalties, but I had to meet and convince many CNC companies and teach them enough skills.
Now, we were thinking of supplying free vector gears to Hyeonseong and eventually making hybrid engine technology to increase thermal efficiency.
I chose an exclusive contract to focus on that.
“A monopoly?”
“Yes. We have a lot of work to do right now. I don’t think it’s a bad condition.”
“……. Yes. It is a very good condition. If it is an exclusive contract, our company may take a new leap forward.”
“hahahaha, how are you?”
“20%. Good. I’ll have to discuss it with the CEO, but I think the conditions are good enough.”
“Oh, and there are a few more conditions. You know it’s a mokho bearing, right?”
Mokho Bearing is the name of Changsu’s father’s company.
“Yes. I know. There are only dozens of milling machines we sold there.”
“If it is a technology transfer, please deliver the machine from there first.”
“It’s not a difficult condition. No, it’s rather good to be able to sell it quickly.”
“Then, since the big things are over, let’s discuss the details next time. At that time, Minseok will probably go.”
“Yes. I see. Thank you for giving me a good opportunity!”
“hahahaha, no. We were also looking for a suitable company.”
With this, commercialization of 6-axis milling machines and mass production of free vector gears have been completed to some extent.
* * *
At the head office of Toyo Motors, a meeting related to the new hybrid engine was in full swing.
“This concludes the report on the results of the GTC engine.”
When Yoka Yamato, engine developer of Toyo Motors, finished his presentation, thunderous applause was heard from the conference hall.
“Really amazing, 18 liters of fuel economy? With this, our Toyo cars will be able to take a step forward.”
“It’s a really great technology. No one has yet surpassed the fuel efficiency of 18, and we managed to do it.”
Praise from the executives was in full swing.
“So, when are you planning to launch a new model with that engine?”
Said Satoshi Michibu, CEO of Toyo Motors and the godfather of the automobile industry.
“The current plan is to release the semi-mid-size GTC-3 model in June next year.”
“If it’s next June, there’s still a year left.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I’m moving Misato.”
“Yes. CEO, tell me.”
“I know that the Tokyo Automotive Technology Expo is scheduled for the end of March next year, is that correct?”
Automotive Technology Expo.
If the Beijing Technology Fair was a general exhibition where various companies showcased various technologies, the Automobile Expo, as the name suggests, was a place to showcase automobile technology.
3 companies in Japan alone. 2 companies in Korea. Several automakers from around the world were scheduled to attend, including three companies from Germany and one from the United States.
Not only companies, but also major organizations of each country were scheduled to attend, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization was also scheduled to attend.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Pull the release until then.”
Representative Satoshi wanted to remind people around the world once again that Toyo Motors is the world’s No. 1 automobile industry in name and reality at the expo.
“Time is a little tight.”
“Somehow set the release to that date.”
“……. all right.”
“And one more thing.”
“Yes. Please speak. CEO.”
“How is Hyunsung Motor’s hybrid engine, LKC, now?”
“Judging from the Beijing International Technology Fair, it has yet to exceed 16 fuel economy, and the technology related to power transmission has not been completed.”
“Isn’t power transmission technology perfect?”
Representative Satoshi said with a puzzled expression.
“Yes. At the Beijing International Technology Fair, it was promoted on the verge of commercialization, but an internal investigation confirmed that stability in power transmission has not yet been secured. It is estimated that it will take at least two years to solve the problem and launch it.”
Hearing that, Representative Satoshi put on a satisfied expression.
“hahahahaha, no matter how hard they try to catch up with us, it’s not okay.”
“That’s right. No matter how good Hyeonseong is, the undisputed No. 1 is our Toyo car.”
“Use this opportunity to make me feel that there is an insurmountable wall!”
“Yes! I understand. I will prepare.”
* * *
After some discussions with SSCNC and Changsoo’s father’s company, Minseok and I visited Hyunsung Motors for the next step.
“Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Hello. Long time no see. Team leader Seo.”
When we arrived, team leader Seo greeted us.
“Have you had a hard time coming? First of all, let’s have a leisurely cup of tea and talk. Come in.”
“hahahaha, it’s not that far from Ulsan and Busan.”
The headquarters of Hyunsung Motors was in Ulsan, and it was holding a grand office building as if it were a really large company.
It was on a different level from SSCNC, Blue Light, and Changsoo’s father’s company that I’ve seen so far.
After slowly taking a sip of tea, team leader Seo started talking to me.
“I received a good reply to my inquiry e-mail. It was really great.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Ah, there are usually enormous challenges for the technology under research to go to commercialization. But, matching the unit price to mass production is really great.”
“hahahaha… It was really hard to match the unit price.”
At first, I was worried about how to fit it, but as a result, it was made well with a 6-axis milling machine.
“I’m asking just in case, isn’t that not leaving a margin?”
“Margin? Of course there is a surplus. Only when there is an surplus, we can supply and do business. hahahahaha.”
“I’m young, I’m worried, so I’ve told you. So, how much margin do you have left?”
“Um… I don’t know if I can say this.”
“hahahaha, don’t worry. Regardless of how much we ate, we only have to match the unit price.”
“6,000 won.”
President Yoon calculated the margin in more detail, including the investment, interest, and labor and land costs. In the end, the amount of net profit per unit remained at 6,000 won.
“Eh?”
When I said this, team leader Seo let out a really surprised look.
“Do you have a lot of left over?”
“…… No, how on earth can you leave so much? Didn’t you think about labor costs and rent?”
“hahahaha, it’s not like that. As I said, the delivery will be made by Mokho Bearing. Actually, we carry only a small amount.”
The amount of royalties received per product was agreed to be 3,000 won.
In other words, even if Mokho Bearing delivered 100 bearings a day to Hyeonseong, 300,000 won would come in for free. In addition, the money coming in from SSCNC was another thing.
“Ha ha ha… But if you have that much left over, you’ll soon become rich.”
“How much was the first batch?”
“9,000 per month, 108,000 because it’s a one-year contract.”
9,000 per month.
If you do a simple calculation, you will receive 24 million won per month.
The money is huge, but this is the first order.
In the future, whenever Hyun-sung’s vehicle is facelifted, the number of orders will increase.
“Oh, what is the maximum quantity?”
“Let’s see… We sell 10 million units a year. With 5 gears going in, 50 million units a year.”
Multiply 50 million by 3,000 to get 150 billion.
In the future, only royalties coming from Free Vector Gear will amount to 150 billion won a year.
‘… … . It’s crazy, isn’t it a joke?’
It felt like I was finally touching the right money.
“hahahaha, that’s amazing. Hyunsung Motors sells 10 million units in a year.”
“Thanks to this, sales volume will go up even more. Thanks to Free Vector Gear, it becomes simpler in many ways.”
“Then is it possible to be number one in the industry?”
“…”
Team leader Seo was suddenly speechless.
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Did I touch the sore spot?
“No. Still, it’s impossible to hand over a car. It’s a very solid and well-known company.”
“I guess so?”
“It will be impossible without new innovations to jump over there. Huh…”
he said with a deep sigh.
“It’s a new innovation.”
“By the way, what business did you come for? If it’s a delivery matter, I think it’s all sorted out by sending and receiving emails? Still, want to see your face?”
“Um…. There’s something like that. I wondered what it would be like to collaborate with Hyunsung Motors.”
“A collaboration?”
“Yes. You just said you need a new innovation? 30 per liter. Thermal efficiency 50%. How about making the most powerful hybrid engine together?”