Life of Being a Crown Prince in France

Joseph patiently explained to the old man:

“You see, the power of the water-powered forging machine comes from the water flow, and the speed and strength of the water flow are always changing, causing the output power of the forging machine to fluctuate, which seriously affects precision.

“Due to the unpredictability of the water flow, overly precise gear and crankshaft structures cannot be used as they can be damaged by a big surge.

“However, the steam engine can always provide a steady output, allowing each blow’s distance and force to be accurately controlled.

“Moreover, by finely controlling the steam volume with very precise valves, the hammering force can be delicately adjusted. Releasing the steam stops the forging immediately.”

Joseph glanced at the old man, who was already lost in reverie, and continued, “Ten tons is the limit for water-powered forging machines, but for steam forging machines, it’s just the beginning.

“Once there is a breakthrough in the development of high-power steam engines, it will be easy for us to build forging machines of 30 tons, 50 tons, or even hundreds of tons.”

When Louis XVI heard the words “hundreds of tons,” he immediately lost interest in the swordsmanship match and hurriedly headed toward the Royal Workshop with his son: “At least draw the schematic for me to see first; this thing is truly amazing!”

He descended the platform and suddenly turned to Joseph, troubled: “But you also mentioned that revolving handgun, which sounds interesting… Dear Jesus, where should we start first?”

Joseph smiled and said, “Oh, the greatest advantage of the steam forging machine is that it is completely unaffected by the seasons. Whether in drought or cold winter, as long as there is coal, it can work endlessly.

“The work of 10 to 20 water-powered forging machines can be completed with one steam forging machine.”

“Exactly!” Louis XVI nodded repeatedly, gesturing with excitement, “It is not restricted by rivers and can be used anywhere. For instance, forging can be performed right next to the iron refinery. Yes, exactly that! There’s no need to transport iron ingots back and forth anymore. Efficiency will be multiplied.

“Yes, I’ve decided! Let’s start by manufacturing the steam forging machine!”

Joseph smiled. His intention in bringing up the steam forging machine was to pique the old man’s interest.

One must know that the steam forging machine is second only to the train as a “productivity booster” of the steam engine era.

With this device, large metal parts can be mass-produced and finely processed.

For example, it can be used to produce bearings, metal frames, ship anchors, boilers, cannons, etc., at speeds dozens of times faster than now, and with much higher quality!

And there is one extremely important item that requires the steam forging machine for production.

That is the railroad track.

If water-powered or manual forging is used to produce railroad tracks, not only is the cost high, but the output cannot meet the requirements. This is one reason for the slow initial spread of trains.

Moreover, once the steam forging machine matures, with simple modifications, it can become a pile driver or even a stamping machine.

The former will significantly speed up infrastructure construction, and the latter is a necessary device for the second industrial revolution.

Therefore, the steam forging machine is a strategic-level high-tech device.

In comparison, although the revolving handgun can slightly enhance the combat power of cavalry, its gas seal between the cylinder and barrel is limited by the machining precision of this era, resulting in mediocre lethality.

Usually, the effective kill range is no more than 30 paces.

And in this era, cavalry are still more enamored with the horse saber. In fact, even by the time of the First World War, the horse saber remained the most important weapon for cavalry, without exception.

One hour later.

In the Royal Workshop, Louis XVI, accompanied by the music and cheers from outside, seriously examined the various drawings spread out in front of him.

These were the schematic diagrams of the steam forging machine that Joseph had just drawn. Hmm, he only remembered the general principles.

After quite some time, the king reluctantly exhaled and looked at Joseph, saying, “Dear, to be honest, this thing… is a bit complicated.

“I estimate it will take seven or eight years to manufacture, if everything goes smoothly.”

Joseph was not surprised by this.

The steam forging machine is like the “lithography machine” of this era.

Each component must be repeatedly designed, prototyped, debugged, modified, and retested… This might need hundreds or even thousands of attempts to achieve the desired result.

And this machine has hundreds of components.

Of course, Joseph never expected the old man to come up with the steam forging machine on his own.

Historically, James Neismith could independently invent it because, by the mid-19th century, steam machinery technology was very mature, and he had a large number of “off-the-shelf components” available. But now, these conditions do not exist.

Joseph nodded and said, “Yes, this is indeed a highly challenging task. Therefore, we need to assemble a group of outstanding technicians to assist you in finishing the design.”

Actually, Louis XVI might not be the best at designing steam machinery in France, but having His Majesty the King personally manage the project ensures that all participants are motivated, with absolutely no need to worry about leaks.

Louis XVI pondered, “Emmerich and Martinier can help.”

Joseph shook his head, “That’s still far from enough.”

“Ah, I don’t seem to have anyone else suitable. What about on your end?”

Joseph spread his hands:

“I don’t know who else might be qualified, but we can take this opportunity to establish a comprehensive engineering design department.

“You can be the chief supervisor with multiple sub-departments responsible for talent recruiting, budget management, project evaluation, security, and confidentiality, as well as numerous project teams.

“Each project team will be responsible for one design project, like a ‘Steam Forging Machine Project Team’ or ‘Revolving Handgun Project Team,’ led by a leader with independent production and testing workshops.

“Oh, let’s call it the ‘France Engineering Design Institute,’ what do you think?”

Upon hearing this, Louis XVI waved his hands, “Hmm, that’s a great name, but you should let someone else be the director of the design institute.

“I’ll just be the leader of the ‘Steam Forging Machine Project Team.’

His Majesty the King was unwilling to waste his time on matters like talent recruitment and budget management; he only wanted to focus on his mechanical design.

“As you wish.” Joseph could only nod helplessly, “I’ll find another director for the design institute.”

Louis XVI eagerly pointed to the southeast side of the Royal Armory, “Let’s locate the design institute there, and build a new batch of workshops in the vicinity…”

In Joseph’s mind, images emerged of the machines in the institute’s workshop roaring over the court orchestra’s performance, while thick black smoke turned the Palace of Versailles into a giant “coal block.”

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