The machine shop was working.
The new lathe turned steadily, powered by the industrial shaft, cutting metal with precision that had never been possible before. Machinists produced components faster than anyone had imagined. The apprentices were learning. The system was functioning.
Then—
Crack.
A freshly machined shaft snapped during testing. The sound was sharp, sudden, final. Everyone froze.
Arthur walked over. Picked up the broken pieces. Examined them.
The dimensions were perfect. The machining was flawless. The surface was smooth, the diameter consistent, the tolerances exact.
But the metal itself was poor.
He turned to the machinist. "Where did this iron come from?"
The machinist shrugged. "Several suppliers. Different mines. Different smelting methods."
Arthur looked at the broken shaft. Then at the other components in the workshop. Each one made from different iron. Each one behaving differently.
"We're making precise machines from unpredictable material," he said.
