One must have a sense of discovery.

　　What is discovery? Discovery is the act of seeing or finding something that no one else has yet discovered, through research, exploration, and other means.
　　The elderly often say, “Everywhere you look, there is something to learn.” In fact, this kind of learning is all about being prepared to spot opportunities. As PCB manufacturing advances at breakneck speed, the processing steps and requirements can vary significantly from one product to another—and our production conditions themselves are subject to change over time due to numerous factors. If we fail to pay close attention, remain careless, or lack dedication in our assigned tasks or daily work, our efforts will inevitably fall short. Many issues evolve over time; if we don’t identify them promptly and continue operating as before, even seemingly minor, basic mistakes can lead to losses amounting to hundreds of thousands or even millions. For example, our gold‑plated boards sometimes develop microscopic tin‑plating defects. We’re well aware of this problem and have solutions in place, yet we’ve been unable to implement them consistently. The reason? A mindset that “it’s no big deal,” with little consideration for the customer. As a result, customers end up conducting 100% in‑house inspections, incurring inspection costs far exceeding the value of our products. When customers ask why we deduct one million yuan annually for quality‑related issues, it becomes clear: if we redirected those funds to offer customers reasonable price concessions, the resulting benefits would be substantial.
This phenomenon of losing the bigger picture over minor issues is easily resolved—as long as it’s identified early and addressed promptly.
So, how can one cultivate the ability to spot opportunities? The fundamentals boil down to two key points:
　　First, do things right. This is the minimum requirement. Only by getting it right can we deliver quality results. For example, when baking board materials, removing them halfway and forcing cooling yields a different outcome than allowing natural cooling; similarly, hot‑air products exhibit distinct performance characteristics depending on whether they undergo one, two, or even three cycles of treatment. When converting files for engineering clients, different versions can result in varying data structures—sometimes with layers or character sets that differ significantly. Therefore, we must approach our work with professionalism from the outset; otherwise, problems may lead to scrap, increased processing complexity, or rework, ultimately compromising the product’s performance and posing risks to the customer.
　　Second, we must do the right thing. Everyone knows the story of a lazy man who hung a baked bun around his neck yet still starved to death. Logically speaking, he could have simply opened his mouth to bite the bun or reached out to grab it—there was no reason he should have died of hunger. Why did he perish? Because he chose “laziness” over “survival,” failing to make the right decision and instead opting for an outcome that cost him his life. We might call that man foolish, but we should also examine ourselves: how often do we find ourselves making similar choices? The number of apparent defects reported each week can easily run into dozens, reflecting whether we’ve selected the correct procedures at every stage—whether it’s handling, placement, or product turnover—and whether final‑inspection visual checks are being performed properly. As the company’s gatekeeper, I must safeguard our entry point; otherwise, we risk encouraging self‑destructive behavior—counting numbers faster than conducting proper inspections. In the early stages of engineering, the choice is clear: do we set the bar high, carefully defining requirements to avoid catastrophic scrap, double‑compensation claims (since our products operate on ratios like 1:100 or 1:1000), or even customer loss? Or do we adopt a “it’ll be fine—CAT will catch it later” attitude, essentially inviting disaster? CAT represents the fruits of the production process; as the saying goes, you reap what you sow. Do we choose meticulous, painstaking work that streamlines manufacturing and ensures flawless output, or do we settle for “close enough”—“you asked for three extra layers of copper anyway, so why not add them all? Doing it thoroughly takes extra effort and reduces the number of viable units, and there’s even a chance of mistakes”? Clearly, this is choosing the wrong approach. When faced with tasks from ourselves or other departments, do we too often default to excuses like, “It’s not my responsibility,” “I already submitted it,” “I don’t understand,” “I wasn’t aware,” “Who else didn’t do their job?”—all of which amount to making the same fatal choice as that lazy man.
　　We may all be capable of avoiding the fate of the lazy—provided, of course, that each of us adopts a professional mindset. Simply put, professionalism means standardizing, formalizing, and institutionalizing one’s work approach: doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time and place. It also requires aligning one’s knowledge, attitudes, skills, and underlying principles with established professional norms and standards.
　　Confucius said, “In all your duties, be reverent.” Zhu Xi explained, “To be devoted to one’s work means to concentrate wholeheartedly and devote oneself to the task at hand.” This is what it means to be dedicated to one’s profession. Dedication is the starting point of professionalization. It calls upon us to focus on our responsibilities and to perform our duties conscientiously and thoroughly; it means doing everything that serves the work, elevating it beyond a mere means of livelihood and transforming it into a path for realizing one’s self‑worth; it means giving our utmost in everything we do, so that success comes naturally and effortlessly; and it means attending to every critical detail, identifying problems, and solving them creatively.
　　Whether a person can succeed depends on whether they possess a passionate attitude toward their work. “A lack of passion is like a car without gasoline.” What a fitting analogy! In the professional world, successful individuals consistently guide and shape their lives with the most positive mindset, the most optimistic spirit, and the most fervent dedication.
　　Professionalism is the foundation of one’s career. It encompasses the values and attitudes that an individual demonstrates in their professional activities, serving as an inner source of motivation. The most fundamental indicator of whether a person possesses a professional mindset is, first and foremost, the conscientious and thorough completion of their core responsibilities.
　　With our professional expertise, a sense of proactive identification naturally emerges. Today, many members of our company spot potential issues at every stage, helping to prevent losses. For example, Lin Wang often comes to me and points out: “Sister Li, with such a large metal edge—its gold area is even bigger than the entire board’s gold surface—can it really be plated?” Meanwhile, testing staff will tell me, “Sister Li, this product needs several rounds of testing just to pass, and by then the boards are already damaged.” Our products are increasingly halogen‑free and high‑Tg; is reducing the number of layers really the right approach? And so on—these are all examples of proactive discovery.
　　Thus, it is clear that identifying dedicated individuals within this very stage can yield substantial benefits.
　　When such weighty insights are uncovered, how can we actually make those discoveries? I believe it begins with the courage to question—by questioning, not merely rejecting. Questioning is not about starting over; rather, its purpose and ultimate goal are to refine our approach, prevent trivial and unnecessary mistakes, and thereby maximize our own interests. If we liken discovery to the father of value, then skepticism is its mother. To achieve genuine discovery,
　　You have to dare to question and ask “why” several times.
 

Technical Department: Li Xiumin