Light Metals. Vol. 7, No. 82

FUTURE OF LIGHT-ALLOY-I

üüliliüiiliiiaiiigigilis!

I H H M B B B B B P g E g S — S S S 5 5 S S 5 S

= =

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I B B B B B B B B B S B B B B S

il

INDUSTRY

^{i b b b!}

I B B E i a B B B S B H B i l I S B i

I B B B B B B B B I B B B H B i n B

H n i

p r e s s u r e

T I G H T

We specialise in the manufacture I of medium and h ig h stre n g th 1 aluminium alloy castings to with­

stand high pres- 1 sures, suitable I for Pumps ana ,1 con n ection s in

I H ydraulic and

F u e l

S y s t e m s ,

Advts. LIGHT METALS November, 1944

D E P E N D A B I L I T Y

REFINED A L U M IN IU M ALLOY INGOT IS O U R OWE J O B A N D WE D O IT AT THE H IGHEST LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE

KNOWN T O SC IEN C E

í

---

¡■ ¡p a ir

1 1 lit

L IG H T A L L O Y PRODU CTS CO..LTD.. MINWORTH. BIRM IN GH A M .

November, 1 944 LICHT METALS Advts. i

W H Y P I C K ON

B ritis h D ie Casting C o., L td ., Pem broke W orks, Pembroke R d ., London, JT .ro . 'P h o ne: T u d o r 2 5 34 !$

X T O f picking on you, Sir. Just using you as a good example, Sir. You teach your lads of Peru and Persia and the Pcnnines and the Appalachians and you use Pressure Die Castings to teach them. But you tell them nothing of Pressure Die Castings because you know nothing. Why should you ? Well it is both interesting and useful. The meridian ring on the globe beside you is a pressure die casting. Cast in a couple of seconds complete with graduations, figures and lettering. Part of the base is a die casting. If you wished, the globe itself could be a pressure die casting, relief cast with Peru always in the same place and the Appalachians always the right height. Die casting is part of your life, Sir, and. of your work. It will be an even bigger part of your boys’ lives. All round them, as they sit at their desks sticking pins in each others

posteriors, are examples of Pressure Die Castings, If you care to write to us, Sir, we will give you a short and simple lesson in how pressure die casting is done, and how it makes thousands of articles better, simpler and less costly. Bring the boys, if you like, and we’ll teach all of you at once.

C .R .C .2

VICTOR

X-RAY FILM PROCESSING CHEMICALS

LICHT METALS November, 1944

¿ id a d e a d tf a d t h a t - You simply pour these liquid concentrates Into your tanks and add w a t e r ...no time lost In dissolving powders or adjusting solution temperatures. They will reveal In every film all the diagnostic qualities which your exposure makes possible, in contrast, density and detail.

c u td a d e c o n o m ic a l a d U u d - W lth these longer-lasting Supermlx solutions you can process up to 7 5 % more films than with conventional processing chemicals. Unusual speed of developing (3 minutes at 68° F.) and fixing (less than 1 minute) will expedite your darkroom work ; or, by developing 5 to 6 minutes you can reduce x-ray exposure 2 0 % to 2 5 % to economise in tube life. LONG-LIFE ...S P E E D ...C O N V E N IE N C E ...are the hall­

marks of Victor SU P ER M IX .

VICTOR X -R A Y CORPORATION Ltd.

1 5 - 1 ? , C a v e n d i s h P l a c e , L o n d o n , W . l L A N g h a m 4 0 7 4 B ra n c h e s

B i r m i n g h a m - - 5 5 . P e r s h o r e S t r e e t - - - - M id la n d 2 1 1 0 M a n c h e s t e r - - M il n e B u ild in g s , 66, M o s l e y S t r e e t - C e n tr a l 0 2 7 5 G l a s g o w - 3 4 , W e s t G e o r g e S t r e e t - - D o ug la s 1884 B r i s t o l . . . 73 . Q u e e n S q u a r e - - - - - B risto l 2 0 8 9 0

ii Advts.

S U P E R M IX PRICES

Developer :

to make 1 gall. 6/6

„ „ 2 „ I I / -

„ 5 „ 27/-

Flx e r:

to make 1 gall. 5/6

2 „ 9/-

„ „ 5 „ 23/-

November, 1944 LICHT METALS Advts, in

E lek t r o n

llu> ftionw r

M A G N E S I U M A L L O Y S

s t a m p e d Q o r g i n q s

i n ^ l e b l r o n m a q n e s i u m a l l o y s

• w . łiTO ł u n i i tu. Arjyfe Street Work*. Nechell*. Birmingham. 7 • Sheet. Ettrusions. Etc.: BIR METALS LIMITED Woodrue Ouinion Birmin.h.m

• SoW «.r, of Mtgimiam *n4 " E M t W Met*/ f „the Br(U,h £ » ^ » : F. A. HUGHES A CO UmTtEO Abbe, Hoo«. B/k^ sSeé riondonT^W J

¡v Advts. LIGHT METALS November, 1944

The Importance of Choosing the MKÛNIT

Supplier of Non-Ferrous C astings...

N planning produ cts in­

c o rp o ratin g c a stin g s in non-ferrous m etals the m ost m om entous q u e s­

tion w ith which y o u ’re face d is your choice of su p p lier Fortu nately, you'll find m ore than one w ho can m eet every requirem ent But rem em ­ ber your c astin g su p p lier b ears the en tire resp o n sib ility for the p ro d u c­

tion of a v ital part of your product., for solvin g en gin eerin g problem s., m akin g p attern s and d ie s...castin g the job. .finish ing each piece and feed ing it into your production lines a s your sch edu le dem ands

H ere at U n iversal, w ith one of the fin est equipp ed plan ts in the M idlands, w e o ffer a com plete se r­

vice ..design in g, en gin eerin g, pattern and die-m aking, castin g , finishing.

All are handled w ithin our ow n o r­

g a n isa tio n and co -o rd in ated under a sin gle en gin eerin g and o p eratin g group.

And behind all is the experien ce of m any y ears and a w ide rep utation for q u a lity prod u ctio n ...for handling even the m ost in tricate jo b s w ell, and fo r d eliv eries on time.

If your p o st-w ar p ro d u cts call for c a stin g s you can sta rt now O ur T ech n ical S ta ff w ill g la d ly w ork with your d esign and en gin eerin g d e p a rt­

m ents to get those id eas of yours on to pap er...to ensure a com bination of utility and ey e-appeal w ith practim 1.

econ om ical " c a sta b ility " W ith that done, you are ready the moment restrictio n s are lifted. And for im ­ m ediate e ssen tial w ork the w hole of our serv ice is at your d isp o sal N O W

U N I V E R S A L

EN G IN EERIN G COM PANY

G R A V IT Y D IE C A S T IN G S P R E S S U R E D IE C A S T IN G S AN D S A N D C A S T IN G S IN N O N F E R R O U S M E T A LS

CASTLE B O U L E V A R D - N O T T I N G H A M

aad at C A LL A R D H O U SE. R E G E N T ST R E E T , LO N D O N .W I

GLO-CRACK

T H E NEW F L U O R E S C E N T M E T H O D I OF CRACK D E T E C T IO N

p r o d u c e d b y F l u o r e s c e n t D e v e l o p m e n t s , L t d . , s u b s id ia r y of C olloidal R e se a rc h L a b o ra to rie s , L td.,

66/70, Petty France, W e s t m i n s t e r , S.W.l.

S UITABLE for the detection of surface cracks and porosity in Ferrous and Non-ferrous Metals, Ceramics, Radio Valves, Sintered Carbides, Glass, etc., and as used by leading Foundries and Aircraft Manufacturers,Test Houses, Electronic Tube Makers, Sparking Plug Manufacturers, etc.

D em on stration s in London a n d B irm in gh am by arrangem ent w ith th e S a le s A g e n ts

:—

C. T E N N A N T , S O N S & C O ., L T D .

15, A m erica S q u are, London, E.C.3 -

R o y a l

3130

41, W ater S treet, B irm in g h am , 3 -

C e n tra l

2435

T h e jie h f e c t j in is k

C E L L O N

CELLON

C E R R I C C E R R U X

cvs-517

November, 1944 LIGHT METALS Advts. v

W H E N W E W E R E Y O U N G

The daw n o f a memorable reign. The Coronation pro­

cession o f K ing George V . a rriv in g at Westminster

Abbey, J u n e 2 2 , 1 9 1 1 .

W ho could foretell on that glorious Ju n e day, the momentous events that would fill the years o f the re ig n ! T h e rhythm o f progress was advanced to an unbelievable tempo. T h e air was mastered, the ether harnessed; all the sciences made greater strides in years than had been accom plished in centuries.

It was the fortune o f Cellon to be founded in that y e a r; a pioneer in a new industry. T h e period provided the opportunity; the zeal o f Cellon used the opportunity to the full. Still young, we look back on the days when we were younger, hum bly conscious o f our errors, justly proud o f our achievements.

CELLO N L T D ., K IN G STO N -O N -TH A M ES. T E L .: K IN G ST O N 1234 (5 lines).

Thorp-Hambrock

Co.,

Ltd., Montreal. Cellon Corporation Pty., Ltd., Sydney.

vi Advts. LICHT METALS November, 1944

PERFECT

B U M

FBKID§MSi

for ALUMINIUM and MAGNESIUM ALLOYS

• nnoDi c • PHOTO-impREGnnnon

for PANELS. DIALS

& NAMEPLATES

ALL N A TU R A L ^* COLOURED FINISHES TESTED ^& APPROVED.

Th e Ru s h t o n O r g a n i s a t i o n 173. CLARENCE GATE G'D’NS. LONDON. N.W.I.

Phone: PAD. I4 8 6.

LONDON. NEWBURY. BIRMINGHAM & WOLVERHAMPTON

ANODIC TREATMENT

of Aluminium and its Alloys

C H R O M A T I N G

of Magnesium Alloys

T E C H N I C A L P L A T IN G S LTD.

C R A I G S W O R K S , L U T H E R R O A D ,

T E D D I N G T O N

T E L E P H O N E - M O I E S E Y 2 4 0

T R A D E

“ GILTEC”

^{M A R K}

A P P R O V E D A . I . D . A I R M I N I S T R Y R E F . N O . 1 3 8 5 2 1 / 3 I

“ T .P .”

F O R

ANODISING

N A T U R A L & C O L O U R E D F I N I S H E S dm 953

B I GGE R

B E T T EII t o o ls .

J A B R O C the im p ro v e d La m in a te d P la stic M a te ria l is b e ing use d in e ve r-in cre asin g v o lu m e fo r tools, jigs, tem plates, stre tc h in g b lo c k s, etc.

1 N S U L - J A B R O C anil fa b ric a n d p a p e r based J A B L I N a rc p r o v in g o f vital im p o rta n ce w h e re stre ngth a n d electrical in su la tio n are require d.

J A B L O P R O P E L L E R B L A D E S a s fitted to the m a jo rity o f Spitfire . H u rric a n e . B e a u- fig bte r a n d o th e r le a d in g A irc ra ft a re p r o o f o f the h ig h q ua lity o f this w e ll - k n o w n fa m ily o f L a m in a t e d Pla stic s.

D e cades o f expe rie nce a n d o u r h ig h ly sp e ­ cialised team o f tec hn ic ian s w ill a ssist y o u w ith y o u r c urre n t a n d p o s t-w a r prob le m s.

M O U L D E D C O M P O N E N T S ( J A B L O ) L T D . T h e P i o n e e t i o ff j C a m i n a i e d P l a i l i c i

11 OLD OUCEN ST.. LONDON. S.W.I

November, 1944 LICHT METALS Advts. vii

4W . “plus ’

■ 5 * ^{I I}

ÿ - s < « Â s*'5 f „ r ¿ * corf>«»ce;

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ta r ic e • ■ ■T + 9 ■ • ■ • D

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t ’S - s f c » 5® ^ ;

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vi ii Advts. LIGHT METALS November, 1944

PHILIPS INDUSTRIAL (PHILIPS LAMPS LTD.).

CENTURY HOUSE. SHAFTESBURY AV., vV.C.2

''5 7 E )

T

h e

spot welding of 2 x 8 s.w.g. in light alloys is an outstanding achievement in resistance welding, which has been made possible by the development of the new Fhilips condenser discharge ‘ stored energy*

welder — the E.I50I.

'f g O v e r a l l r ig id c o n s t r u c t io n a n d s p e c ia l e le c - j t r o d e s u p p o r t b y m e a n s o f lo c a t i n g g u id e s.

^ E l e c t r o d e s a r e r e t r a c t a b le b y m e a n s o f I

* H i - l i f t ’ m e c h a n i s m s t o f a c il it a t e w e ld i n g o f d e e p s e c t io n s .

^ B r o n z e c a s t in g f o r lo w e r p a r t o f u p p e r a r m r e d u c e s e d d y c u r r e n t lo sse s.

'f c M a x i m u m t h r o a t d e p t h o f 32* a c c o m m o d a t e s I w id e s e c t io n s a n d s p e c ia l s h a p e s.

STEEL ST A M P S

On Air Ministry Approved List .Vo. jj;4

105)3,'39

Largs Output. Prompt Deliveries.

JO H N M EERLO O Sc S O N S , 74, LONDON RD., KINGSTON-ON-THAMES.

'P h o n e :

^

5

"— \ iiwjwloN 6322 2)78.

B.K.L. ALLOYS LTD.

FA C TO RY C EN T R E,

K I N G S NOR TON, B I R M I N G H A M l’hone: G ram

b

:

K IN G S N O R T O N 1IG2/3 A L 1N G O T S , B IR M IN G H A M

/ ora ° n ¿ TESTAL.

r e f i n e r d eß a sse d ant reíin cd m a te ria l

D.T.D. 424 w h ere re q u ire d is a lso su p p lied S O D I U M M O D I F I E D o r w ith th e a d d itio n

of T I T A N I U M

This equipment represents the latest addition to our range of Industrial Apparatus. The tube stand now incorporates an electric motor drive for raising and lowering the tube, and the voltage range extends from about 35 to 150 kVp. The X-ray tube has a very fine-focus target in relation to the high power output of the tube.

All our special features, e.g., automatic voltage control, are retained in this new model, which has been specially designed for the radiography and fluoroscopy of magnesium and aluminium alloys, the radiography of welded ferrous structures, and the inspection of assemblies.

The unit illustrated is installed in our own A.I.D. Approved Test House, and our Inspection Service is available to Foundries throughout the Country.

(sasar sai-wi/i) im

O H i M vjrsi H U A U a & B U - f t o n u M v ’f i . a s x

T e l.: E A L IN G I i7!-5 G ra m s r Siemens dyn, Brentford Offices in London, Birmingham, Cardiff. Glasgow,- Manchester,- N ew castle and Sheffield

150 kV INDUSTRIAL X-RAY UNIT

FOR

GENERAL LABORATORY AND TEST-HOUSE USE

November, 1944 LIGHT METALS Advts. ix

X

Advts. LICHT METALS November, I 944

¿\ni)ISI.\n & I'LATIiMliS LIMITED

H O L L A N D S T R E E T R A D C L I F F E L A N C S .

We a re sp e cially equipped w ith la rg e u p -to -d a te p la n t, fo r an o d is in g A lu m in iu m an d its alloys i n N A T U R A L O R CO LOURED F IN IS H E S ; C h ro m a tin g of M a g ­ n esiu m ; Zinc ; C a d m iu m ; E l - T i n a n d S i l v e r P la tin g a n d o th e r p r o ­ cesses. A.I.D. a p p ro v ed .

d m 1162 If a s u it a b le d e s ig n o f b u r n e r

t r o u b le can u s u a lly b e o v e r c o m e b y u s in g a H i g h A lu m i n a F i r e b r i c k s u c h as N E T T L E ( 4 2 / 4 4 % A l u m i n a ) — a p o i n t p r o v e d b y th e p ra c tic a l e x p e r ie n c e o f s e v e ra l c u s ro m e r s . A n a d d it io n a l p r o t e c t io n to th e b r i c k w o r k b y w a s h c o a t in g w i t h M a k s i c c a r II. o r S t e in S ill im a n it e C e m e n t w ill o fte n b e fo u n d e c o n o m ic . F u r t h e r i n f o r m a t io n w i ll be g la d ly s u p p lie d o n r e q u e s t.

C REOSOTE- PITCH FIRING

A number of firms adopting this fuel have encountered new Refractory Problems caused by corrosion and Vitrification Spailing.

o r

• Owing to the restricted use of Aluminium, Dies for producing Aluminium Castings can be modified for Brass Production.

• Let us, as the Pioneers of Brass G ravity Die Casting, help you in your Technical Problems.

• O u r Highly Skilled Technical Staff, Modern Foundries and many years’

Experience are at Your Service.

N O N - F E R R O U S

DIE C A S T I N G C O . LTD .

N o r t h C ircu la r Road, Cricklewood, L O N D O N , N . W . T e le p h o n e : G L A d s t o n e 6 3 7 7

November, 1944 LIGHT METALS Advts. xi

N O N - F E R R O U S CASTING T E C H N IQ U E

Control . . . C onsistency.

Confidence .

The care which is taken and the skill which is exercised in every detail of modern non-ferrous foundry work is hest appreciated by those who lest the finished product.

ALUMINIUM BRONZE

IN PRODUCTION WITH

x¡¡ A dvts.

LICHT METALS November, 1944

THIS

infra&ed Qas-fired TUNNEL

OPENS OUT BOTTLE NECKS

A

d m i n istrative m a c h i n e tools

”

1 here is no master plan for production problems—because no two factories are identical. Even when two layouts coincide, the human element finds its snags in dif­

ferent places. So, to Kardex, every problem needs a ‘made-to-measure’ solution.

It is perfectly true that Kardex’ immense experience of problems in all kinds of industry has shown that there is a funda­

mental sameness in most of the answers.

But unless you have Kardex’ experience you can’t reach this conclusion . . . . and you can’t add the individual differences that make each Kardex plan successful in the job for which it is designed.

This experience—vastly richer for five years of helping produce ' the tools ’—is at your service now to help you ‘ finish the job.’

T*r PRO DUCTIO N CONTROL, by A. R. Jack son . The ab o v e booklet presents an outline of p roduc­

tion control problem s an d p ractic al solutions.

Sent on ap plication fo r If-p o st free to D ep t.2.7.

K ardex system s are a v a ila b le only to essen tial industries.

A POST CARD WILL BRING YOU A COPY OF THIS PAPER

"R a d ia n t H ea tin g fo r In d u stria l P rocesses"

B R I T I S H C O M M E R C I A L G A S A S S O C I A T I O N I . G R O S V E N O R P L A C E . L O N D O N , S . W . l

K A R D E X V I S I B L E C O N T R O L ’ S Y S T E M S 1 - 1 9 . NEW O X F O R D S T R E E T , L O N D O N . W .C .I

CH Aw a l i l t

High speed paint drying by gas-fired infra-red apparatus is of course no longer in the experimental stage. For years the Gas Industry has been developing radiant heat processes, and the modern infra-red unit illustrated is but one of numerous types supplied for special purposes. Tunnels up to 80 ft. long, built up of simitar units, are clearing many a bottle-neck . . . baking pro­

tective finishes in minutes instead of hours.

Note the advantages of the gas-fired tunnel : 1. Simple, robust, inexpensive and com­

pact, giving long life with minimum maintenance.

2. Easily constructed in different sizes and shapes, without the need for compli­

cated auxiliary apparatus.

3. Very wide range of flux density, which can be varied by turning the tap.

4. Even distribution of radiation.

5. N o material difference in drying time due to colour.

6. Low capital and fuel costs.

And remember : any curing, drying or baking process which can be carried out in a short time at a high temperature, instead o? a long time at a low temperature, is specially suited to the use of infra-red radiant heat and in some cases this can be applied to existing conveyor ovens.

November, 194 1 LICHT METALS Advts. xi ii

gitiMiiis _iC't'L

C H A I N * of

C O M M A N D

The BROCKHOUSE Organization is composed of a number of Companies

— some old and some new — mainly engaged in light engineering and dealing largely with the Motor Trade. While they are all administered from Victoria Works, West Bromwich, each Company is responsible for its own commercial arrangements under an elastic sales system which allows for interchange of enquiries where there is danger of overloading.

Educational, Technical and Market Research facilities are also interchangeable and co-operative — in fact, the BROCKHOUSE Organization may be described as a C hain of Companies capable of giving powerful mutual support within its wide range of productions.

J. B R O C K H O U S E & CO. LTD.

V I C T O R I A W O R K S • W E S T B R O M W I C U

mcKHOusE CASTINGS IS

ÍB1M M3SÏ1S LI! j

JSHIBüäÜSS

(ITU 12

S 3L B R Ï L S 3N D I S ia ,C I l , f l * I . B t í H i £ S I E E l C ! L I!

V IT R E O U S n h c h r p. D tA U E L llH S C1. I I I j a J .U U N I C SQM 119 IK Q U iS C M I W M tC B R O C K H O U S E

C ! U ! C f i E E V V i y B R O S . U S

S a O C K M O U SE m e io r u m :

ENGINEERING (stiiiMims

EBNEST UH I'.!

m am . host s c ! il»

u m s o i o

swnm i1.!

* Incidentally, Brockhouse C astings L td . C A S T steel chains a t their W cdnesfield (S ta ffs ) W o r k s: i f you would like to know how— w rite a n d ask them.

T h e

B R O C K H O U S E

O r g a n i z a t i o n

D r o p F o rg in g s T r a il e r s a n d C o m p o n e n ts C o ld R o lle d S te e l S e c tio n s W in d s c r e e n s

L a m in a te d S p r in g s R o a d S p r in g S e r v ic e

“ S e lfs to k e " G r a v ity F e d B o ile rs S te e l C a s tin g s

G e n e r a l a n d P re c is io n E n g in e e r in g

R a ilw a y Iro n w o rk H o t R o lle d S te e l A n g le G r e y Iro n C a s tin g s M a c h in e T o o ls S m a ll T o o ls S h e e t M e ta l P r o d u c ts H o llo w -w a re V itre o u s E n a m e llin g

E n g i n e e r s ’ A p p lia n c e s A u to m a tic S to k e r s F o r c e d D r a u g h t F u r n a c e s V u lc a n iz e rs

G a r a g e E q u ip m e n t G a lv a n iz e d a n d B la c k P la in

a n d C o r r u g a te d S h e e ts M u n ic ip a l V e h ic le s

H O L D E N S

C i V U O V E D c x M ifo iilr u b i& u to t l t e te x tc n ic jc c e o j

| In s u la t io n ! 1

TH E

K I M O L O

the tiw ccituUltoa high laiulauag

K I M O L O I n s u la tin g B ric k s , n o w in p le n tifu l s u p p ly , p r o ­ v id e th e u p - to - d a te a n s w e r to h e a t- in s u l a ti o n p ro b le m s . M a n u f a c tu r e d i n K e n t fro m lo c a l m a te ria ls t h e y h a v e p ro v e d , b o th in o fficial t e s ts a n d in w id e a p p lic a tio n , to e q u a l o r b e tte r th e p e rf o r m a n c e o f i n s u la tin g b r ic k s d e p e n d e n t o n im p o r te d m a te ria ls . E n g in e e r s , m e ta llu r g is ts , c h e m is ts , a n d a ll in c h a r g e o f f u e l - b u r n i n g p l a n t a r e c o rd ia lly in v ite d to a p p ly

a t o n c e f o r full t e c h n ic a l d a ta .

0 O t i u t y i f d t o f B h V t i s M ,

tiesetv'iLU k fik A y d u c tic r n

S o /i K IM O L O M A N U F A C T U R E R S L T D . Distributors: C E L L A C T I T E & B R IT IS H U R A L 1 T E L T D . T e r m in a l H o u s e , 52, G r o s v e n o r G a r d e n s , L o n d o n , S .W .l.

Telephone: S L O a n e 5127 (4 lin e s).

Telegram s: C e lla c tite - S o w e s t- L o n d o n .

STANDARD GRADE INSULATING BRICIC

A L U M I N I U M & A L L O Y R E - H E A T I N G F U R N A C E S

T heFurnaceillustrafed s h e a te d by a series of G as Fired R adiants.

The w aste g a se s from th e radiants can b e di­

v erted eith e r into the heating ch am b er in co n tact with the p ro ­ duct, or can b e ev acu - a t e d d i r e c t t o t h e chim ney. The tem p er­

a tu re is controlled by Multi-Zone A utom atic Pyrom etricEquipm ent, which to g e th e r with th e G ib b o n s' System of H eating and Fan Re-circulation en su res c l o s e t e m p e r a t u r e control.

G ib b o ns B ros. Ltd., D i b d a l e W o r k s , D u d le y . P h o n e 3141

FOR A L U M I N I U M AND A L L O Y B I L L E T S OR S L A B S

GIBBONS

RE - HE AT I NG F U R N A C E S

xiv Advts. LIGHT METALS November, 1944

M -W .7 9

TA3/CL.B.305

November, 1 944 LIGHT METALS Advts. XV

We can give you FACTS

about ALUMINIUM

NORTHERN ALUMINIUM COMPANY LTD., banbury , oxon

Makers of NORAL Products

No doubt, like ourselves, you are keeping your head down to an immediate war-job and have little tim e for anything else. Never­

theless it is essential to keep in touch with developments likely to affect post-war busine ss; few industries will remain unaffected by the rapid progress of Aluminium alloys during the hush-hush years.

It is im portant th a t you should know about it. If you would care to write to us we will let you know if and how A luminium can play an im portant part in your particular post-war affairs.

KEEP ME POSTER- ^■

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xvi Advts. LICHT METALS November, 1944

B etter CONTROL

S H A N N O N V I S I B L E R E C O R D S are th e I n t e lli­

g e n c e D e p a r t m e n t o f th e s u c c e s s f u l o r g a n iz a tio n . T h e y m a k e a c c e s s ib le e v e r y r e le v a n t fa c t a n d fig u r e — in s ta n tly v is ib le — s a v in g s t a f f a n d tim e . L e t u s s e n d y o u d e ta ils .

Ad vt. o f The G e n e ra l E le c tric Co. Ltd.. M a g n et H o u se. K in g sw a y , London, W .C .2 .

ELECTRIC FURNACES

THE SHANNON LIMITED

ON ITS METTLE

T h ro u g h o u t th e n ation al effort runs the need fo r m e ta l— m o re m etal, b e tte r m etal, to u g h e r m e t a l - stre n gth e n e d and v italise d by heat tre atm e n t.

G .E.C . E le c tric Furnaces p ro v id e an a n sw e r to every p ro b le m o f hardening, te m p e rin g, annealing, n itrid in g, etc., by w hich the inh e re nt stre n g th and sta m in a o f m e tal are developed to m e et ever m o re e x actin g uses.

IM PERIAL HOUSE, (D e p t.E .6 ) , 15-19, KINGSWAY, LONDON, W.C.2 A n d at B ir m in g h a m , B ris t o l, L iv e r p o o l, M a n c h e s t e r , N e w c a s t le , G la s g o w ( A g e n t )

To com ply w ith re g u la tio n s p lea se send Id . sta m p fo r leaflet.

November, 1944 LIGHT METALS Advts. xvii

RADIAL LOAD

Capacity is increased by the rubber-in-shear (twice the projected area A) and by rubber- in-tension (projected area B).

These values, thanks to the Metalastik rubber- to-metal weld, are additional to the resist­

ance of rubber-in-compression common to all rubber-annulus bushes.

LU

B cpq U qq G li AfJinraQmQiaon

Tem porary H ead Office :

Sa l is b u r y h o u s e, Lo n d o n w a l l, Lo n d o n, e.c.2 I

T e l e p h o n e : C L E r k e n w e l l 3494 T e l e g r a m » : O y o l l t e , A v e , L o n d o n |

C f

y o u 'b h u jv Q P

. . . that some 24,000 kilowatt-hours of electrical energy are needed to separate one ton of aluminium from its oxide. This is one of the main determining factors in the cost of aluminium, and it accounts for the location of reduction plants close to cheap sources of power, namely, water power.

Pipe lines convey the water to turbines which are coupled to direct current generators. The current from these generators is led into the reduction furnace by carbon anodes, and leaves by a carbon cathode which forms the bottom of the furnace.

The passage of the electric current not only keeps molten the ' bath ’ of alumina dissolved in cryolite, but dissociates the oxide into oxygen and aluminium.

The oxygen combines with the carbon of the anodes to form carbon monoxide, which burns to form car­

bon dioxide. The aluminium sinks to the bottom,

and is tapped off at intervals.

V O L . V I I . N o . 8 2 . N O V E M B E R , 1 9 4 4 .

Proprietors : T E M P L E P R E S S L T D .

E ditor :

E. J . GRO OM , M .Inst.M E T .

M anaging D irector : ROLAND E. DANGERFIELD

D ea lin g A u th o rita tiv e ly w ith the P roduction, Uses

a n d P otentialities o f L ig h t M eta ls a n d

their Alloys

Offices:

BOW LING G REEN LANE, LONDON, E .C .l

O V E R N M E N T has beneficently decreed th a t, for the d u ratio n , we m ust deny ourselves th e lu x u ry of occasional visits to the fortune-teller, so th e good la d y who, in pre-w ar days, publicly sought clients to cross her palin w ith silver c a n operate now only in th e black m ark et.

W h eth er or not it is desirable th a t we be th u s denied th e exercise of the more illogical side of our personalities is h a rd to say, but, all the sam e, m an y of us would give a lot to get a. clear an d accurate picture of w h at the post-w ar years really hold in store for us an d our industry. As it is, prognostication m ust be based upon cold, h a rd d ata provided b y th e less-rom antic statistician.

F o r this reason for th e p a st two y ears we hav e all been juggling w ith figures, and the answers obtained have been, by and large, not too discouraging. A little surreptitious cry stal gazing (indulged in d u rin g w eaker moments) has produced th e inevitable d a rk stran g er crossing ou r p a th —o u tp u t figures will be so-and-so, prices so-and-so, if such an d such a fac to r does not crop u p to interfere. These unknow ns ren d e r speculative m any a forecast which m ight otherw ise ra n k as a m athem atical certainty.

In order th a t our post-w ar plans m ay be given the m axim um chance of success it is essential th a t we p rep are ourselves by elim inating the more nebulous term s in o ur equation, assigning to them , for w orking purposes, values arriv ed a t by an y m eans w ithin o ur power. These figures we m ust be prepared to alter from day to d ay in sy m p ath y w ith th e ebb a n d flow of p u blic m orale.

I t is w ith this general bias in outlook th a t we should stu d y C arrington’s review of the post-w ar fu tu re of the alum inium foundry industry. W e are, none of us, deceiving ourselves th a t business in th is direction will be a bed of roses, b u t, a t least, we have this consolation : th e m ajor problem s to be encountered hav e been envisaged, an d th e m eans for th e ir solution in p a rt defined.

F ortune-telling, w hether round the tea-table or in the sterner realm s of

industry, is not w ithout its dangers: signs m ay easily be m isread and portents

m isunderstood. So it is, we feel, w ith certain figures regarding th e ultra-lig h t

alloys published d u rin g th e p a st m onth or so in U .S .A . E m ergency dem ands

514 LICHT METALS November, 1944

stim ulated the sudden developm ent of an enorm ous and com plicated industry;

d a ta now released tend to show th a t, w ith the passing of the crisis, m uch of th e p la n t so created will becom e red u n d a n t. B ut, in the light of reality, the easy road of pessim ism is not justified, an d th reatened cut-backs are not to be faced in an attitu d e of grim despair. Some reduction in o u tp u t is unavoidable; for the rest, th a t m u st constitute a challenge to producers an d consum ers alike to expand as rap id ly as is deem ed pru d en t, an d as extensively as possible, into those peace­

tim e fields w here, so far, m agnesium is only a nam e. M uch could be done to fu rth e r this aim if the essentially com plem entary n atu re of alum inium and m agnesium could be m ore widely publicized. A t th e m om ent, the form er, by v irtue of seniority in developm ent and ou tp u t, tends to m ask its sister m etal.

C unning manoeuvres on our own p a rt an d good-will on th e o th e r side have, as will be seen, resulted in th e appearance in our pages of a sh o rt discussion b y a plastics technologist. F o r long, these inorganic m aterials loom ed d ark ly in th e m etallu rg ist's glass. A lum inium , brass, even sheet steel, were, we were told, not safe from th eir dishonourable intentions. (The ru b b er growers, if you rem em ber, suffered th e sam e m isgivings w hen, in early days, they studied projected synthetic o u tp u ts in U .S .A .) B ut, like ghosts bred b y darkness a n d uncertainty, these fears h av e been dispelled w ith th e retu rn of daylight.

I t seems ap p ro p riate here to ab a n d o n th e crystal an d estim ate fu tu re prospects by exam ining the grouts in th e plastic teacup. M ysterious characters pass before ou r e y e s : tall and handsom e (those plastics, not y e t quite isolated, w ith ultimate, tensile strengths in th e neighbourhood of m ild steel), a n d d a rk an d sinister (m ysterious silicon-bearing resins th rea ten in g to oust m etals from th eir position of suprem acy in high-tem perature fields), b ut, again, the broad picture is com fort­

ing. Com petition a n d jockeying for pow er m ay occur w here interests overlap; some reshuffling an d re-orientation of m etal interests m ay prove necessary.

T he professional fortune-teller in evitably introduces a t some stage in his discourse th e " lo n g jo u r n e y ” an d " p e o p le on the other side of th e w a te r.” T hese trim ­ mings are as ap p ro p riate to th e present discussion as to th a t involving the unknow n in ou r own fu tu re. T he p e n a lty we m u st p a y fo r th a t closer k n ittin g together of world affairs deem ed necessary for the preservation of peace, will be a p artial sacrifice of our rig h t of national self-determ ination in m atters com m ercial and industrial. Thus, until th e G reat Powers have, individually a n d conjointly, form ulated th e ir plans beyond cavil, neither we ourselves, nor th e others, will be able to see into th e " beyond ” quite as clearly as we m ight wish.

Contents

SPEC IA L A RT IC LES

Future Outlook in the Alumin­

ium Foundry Industry Light Metals Versus Plastics ..

Light Alloys in Metal Rectifiers and Photocells

The Lightness Factor in Post­

war Road Transport

P a g e

515

518

525

530

Aluminium in the Chemical Industries

Spot W elding Magnesium Alloys Founding of Magnesium Alloys R E G U LA R FEA TU RES

Editorial Opinion

News — General, T e c h n i c a l , Commercial

P age

537 552 560

513 522 T H E F A C T th a t goods m ade o f raw m aterials in short su p p ly because o ! w a r conditions are advertised in

this jo u rn a l should not be ta ken as an indication th a t th ey are necessarily available fo r export.

5 .4 V E P A P E R . M ore than ever is paper Waste required fo r our w a r industries. W aste paper makes m unitions in a hundred form s— fro m sh e ll cases to aeroplane parts.

November, 1944 LICHT METALS 515

Future Outlook^ in the

Aluminium Foundry Industry

By E. C A R R I N G T O N , M.Sc.

The Author Indicates the Probable Effect o f Wartime Tech­

nical Developments on the Post-war Consumer Field fo r Aluminium Castings. Technical and Economic Aspects of the Secondary Metal Market are Briefly Examined, Possible New Fields of Use Suggested, and, Finally, the Duties of a Five, Co-operative Developmental Organisation is Stressed

W

H IL E the aluminium foundry industry is putting the finishing touches to its war effort, it is, perhaps, worth while to con­

sider its prospects of post-war prosperity.

Three questions immediately present them­

selves. (i) Are post-war prospects better than they were before the armaments drive started?

(2) In what directions m ay new fields be found?

and (3) How m ay the industry as a whole help itself to take full advantage of the opportunities available?

As regards future prospects, surely the aluminium foundry industry is in a much stronger position than ever before? This is due to improvements in the foundries, and in an improved understanding of the products by potential customers. Since the armaments drive started, aluminium foundries have been largely supervised b y the Air Ministry, who have insisted upon scientific control a t all stages of production, and careful inspection of the finished products. Hence, control of materials, casting conditions and sand conditions, and inspection and X -ray examination of " first o f f s " and finished castings, are probably part of the normal routine of the large m ajority of aluminium foundries in this country to-day.

As a result, aircraft parts are now being made as castings, which the designers would not for a moment have considered as castings before the war. The knowledge gained in the produc­

tion of these high-quality castings will be made use of in many new fields as soon as the metal is made available, and for a large variety of parts, where lightness and strength are required, aluminium alloys would appear to be the obvious materials to use.

Another very great improvement has been made in the use of so-called secondary material.

Not m any years ago, 20 per cent, or 30 per cent, was considered to be the highest proportion of scrap which could be used for castings. W ith the advent of D .T .D . 424 and D .T .D . 428, which are made entirely from scrap, it was shown that with correct melting conditions and the use of suitable fluxes, quite satisfactory material could

consistently be obtained. If these conditions are applied to other alloys, they also can be melted in charges which include a v e ry large percentage of scrap. This means th at all the immense quantity of scrap which will become available when the war is over will be usable, and w ill give castings which are satisfactory in every w ay, if full use is made of laboratory control.

The higher percentage of scrap used, when this scrap is available,-should m aterially reduce the cost of the castings, and thus enable . aluminium to compete more favourably with other alloys. Adm ittedly, the cost of other alloys will also be reduced because of the quantities of available scrap, but it would appear probable that the amount of scrap aluminium alloys available will be greater in comparison with the immediate demands than will that of other alloys, which have already established themselves in a wide variety of applications. This should lead to a bigger price drop in the case of aluminium alloys than in the case of heavy metals. Moreover, even if all scrap alloys drop in price by the same per­

centage amount the difference in price between the heavy alloy and the aluminium alloy will become less, and will, of course, be to the advantage of the light alloy.

Assume that before the war, one could buy an aluminium alloy at ¿100 per ton, and that scrap was available at £80 per ton. If a charge is made up on the pre-war basis, it would be somewhat as follows:—

ton at ¿100 .. .. .. ¿75 1 ton at £80 . . . . .. ¿20 Cost per ton .. .. . . ¿95 If we had a heavy alloy, costing ¿40 per ton, with scrap a t ¿30 per ton, the cost, with similar proportions, would be:—

f ton at ¿40 i ton a t ¿30 Cost per ton

Proportion light alloy h eavy alloy

• ■

£30

£7 ios.

.. ¿37 ios.

2.5

t o I

516 LICHT METALS November, 1 944

If, now, the price of scrap of both alloys is reduced by half, because of the large quantities available, and if we use a much higher per­

centage of scrap, because we know more about melting both alloys, we get, with light alloys:—

i ton at £ioo .. .. .. £25 3 ton a t £40... ... ¿30 Cost per ton .. . . .. ¿55 and with heavy alloys:—

1 ton a t £40...£10 3 toll at ¿ 1 5 ... ¿ 1 1 5s.

Cost per ton ... ¿ 2 1 5s.

light alloy

Proportion ---rp— 2.6 to 1 heavy alloy

The proportionate costs are about the same in each case, but whereas the actual cost of the aluminium alloy was originally ¿57 10s. per ton more than the heavy alloy, it is now only

¿33 15s- per ton more.

Owing to ease of handling, and especially ease and speed of machining, it was possible at the old prices to make castings which wen- cheaper, when finished, than the same castings made in iron. With new conditions, as sug­

gested above, surely a much larger range of castings will be included in this category.

M any people believe, that it will be possible also to reduce the cost of virgin almpinium. If this proves to lie the case, the position will be even better.

Not very many years ago a large proportion of those who might become customers of the aluminium industry did not even know what the metal looked like, or what its properties were.

This m ay seeni to be an exaggeration, but it is not so. Obviously, under such conditions, orders were generally given for metals with which the customer was familiar. Now, of course, nearly everybody is to some extent fam iliar with the metal and its alloys, and no doubt m any buyers will have realized th at for some purposes they will obtain better results from light alloys than from the heavier metals.

The increased fam iliarity with aluminium should definitely lead to an increase in the number of orders. With the increased fam iliarity there will be an increased confidence given b y the excellent performance of our aircraft.

The demand for aluminium alloys should also be increased when customers realize th at cast­

ings can be made in sand, gravity dies, or pressure dies. Sometimes they can be helped to get a job going quickly b y making fairly rough sand castings from a quickly made pattern, until the die is ready. Sm all fittings, of the kind which will probably be required in huge quantities when the rebuilding programme starts, can be made on pressure machines a t a speed which cannot be approached b y any other method, and the castings are practically ready for use.

Sources o f Fresh D em and

From where may these increased demands be expected? In the first place, of course, large numbers of castings will still be required for aircraft. N o doubt obsolete, types will be scrapped, and new types put into production, both for Service and civilian uses. Other countries will also order aircraft from our

manufacturers, partly because of their proved high quality, and, in part, due to the fact that their own factories are probably in ruins.

The motor industry will also require a good deal of aluminium alloy in the form of castings.

Crankcases of aluminium alloy have been highly successful in aircraft engines. Some firms had started to use it for car crankcases before the war. It m ay therefore reasonably be assumed that there w ill be a great demand for aluminium alloy crankcases for cars, when the new models have been developed. A few lorries made very largely of aluminium alloys have now been running for some timé, and the experience gained with these m ay encourage our motor manufacturers to use these alloys in the actual structure of the chassis or bodywork.

In general engineering, aluminium alloys will be called for where lightness, combined with reasonable strength, is required. This will apply especially to reciprocating parts, where lightness will reduce wear, and enable lower- powered motors to be used. The advantage of lightness m ay also make itself felt in trains, and especially in ships. I f all possible fittings were made in aluminium alloys, there would be a considerable reduction in the total weight.

In a ship, lor example, if all the baths, wash­

basins, kitchen utensils and sim ilar fittings were to be cast in aluminium alloys the weight could be m aterially reduced, and either a bigger load carried or lower-powered engines fitted. Alloys m ay be obtained which resist sea-water corrosion quite well (lifeboats have actually been made of aluminium alloy), and, of course, anodic treatment will m aterially increase corrosion resistance, especially if the casting is in contact with another metal. B y dyeing the anodic coating, the aluminium alloy parts can lie made to match the furnishing of the ship in a w ay which would be impossible with other alloys. A lternatively, the castings could be electroplated.

Inquiries m ay also be received for aluminium alloy castings to be used as bearings. Several alloys have been patented for this purpose, and as their properties become known, there m ay be new fields opened up for their application.

Packaging is certain to make large demands on aluminium, and, of course, these will mostly be for foil. There is, however, a very large field for the manufacture of collapsible tubes and sim ilar thin containers, b y means of im pact extrusion. It would be very much cheaper to make extrusion blanks b y the pressure die- casting process than to use expensive machinery to roll the blanks to the correct thickness and then to cut them to size. Adm ittedly, the pressure blanks would be slightly porous, but it is probable that with the very heavy deformation, all cavities would be welded up, and the container would be quite air-tight.

.Moreover, it m ay be that, in special cases, blanks are required which are not oí uniform thickness. Such blanks could be made b y the pressure process to very fine limits, and one machine would turn out many thousands per day.

Another possible use for pressure castings, is ' for small metal inserts, to be fitted into plastic pressings. In some cases, metal inserts will be required, either to give extra strength, or to provide electrical conductivity, or for some

November, 1 944 LICHT METALS 517

oilier special purpose. The pressure die-casting

process could turn these out in large quantities, and could provide an uneven surface (which might tend to give the plastic a better grip) in a way which would be uneconomical, il not impossible, by machining.

Another demand which promises to be really enormous when metal is, released, is for house­

hold appliances, such as vacuum cleaners, washing machines, sewing machines, etc. in view of the efforts which are being made to lighten the housewife’s work, these mechanical aids are likely to be required in very large numbers, and very quickly. Hence, foundries which can make dimensionally accurate castings at a high speed should find plenty of oppor­

tunity in this kind of work. Some years ago, a manufacturer of a washing machine which had fourteen aluminium alloy parts, told the writer that as soon as the war was over he would be anxious to place orders for 12,000 sets of parts a t a time, and would follow 011 with sim ilar orders. T he potential demand is probably much larger now.

in addition to this wide variety of castings demanded for engineering and general utility purpose, castings m ay be required for artistic purposes. W ar memorials are sure to be popular, and while it is hoped that these will generally take the form of something which is really useful, in some cases a statue will be preferred. Efforts should be made to have these made in aluminium alloys, (it is not, perhaps, generally known that the statue of Eros in P iccadilly Circus, London, cast in 1893, is made of aluminium.) Surely it should be possible to make them 011 a fairly large scale in this country. A t the risk of severe destructive criticism from those who understand art, the writer (who does not) would suggest the possi­

bility of anodising statues, and dyeing different portions in different colours. In the case of ornamental castings which are intended to form part of the design of new buildings, anodising and dyeing could certainly be carried out in order to match the castings to the colour of the walls.

Another outlet for the energies of aluminium foundries is for fancy goods. T his is a field in which no development work whatever appears to have been done, and a start should be made as quickly as possible. Some years ago the writer was helping in the production of some candlesticks for presentation purposes.

Some of these were experim entally anodised.

Tw o of them had evidently been cast a t a much higher temperature than the rest. On being anodised, the large grains showed up and reflected the light in a most pleasing w ay. 11 they had been the w riter's own property, he could have sold them m any times. Suppose th at the various articles on Mrs. E verym an ’ s dressing table were made like this, and were dyed to match the colour of the walls! I f the walls were given a different colour, the trinket set could be stripped, re-anodised and dyed to match the new colour. Clock cases, photo­

graph frames, cigarette boxes and ornaments are other articles which occur to one as asking to be made in aluminium, and anodised and

dved, or plated. ,,

How can the aluminium f o u n d r y help itseu to take advantage of the possibilities suggested

above? The obvious w ay would be speedily to set up a Development Bureau, representing all the industry'. This bureau should be on intimate terms with all the firms which it represents, and should be able to link an y of them up with possible customers. In many cases, of course, customers will deal with a foundry directly. This is as it should be, but when a potential customer would like to know if aluminium alloys m ay be used in the produc­

tion of liquorice allsorts, or which alloys machine best, or exhibit the best fatigue pro­

perties, there should be a central office which can receive such inquiries, either from the customer, or from the firm which has been asked the question, and can pass the inquiry to other firms who m ay have the. information.

A s it is, the customers m ay ask firm A, and receive the answer that they do not know. If they asked firm 13, they could receive all the information for which they asked, but they do not know this, and hence do not receive the information. T hey therefore use an alloy which has given fairly good results before, or which has been recommended b y some other Development Association. Adm ittedly, a foundry m ay supply information which would give another foundry an order, but this would gradually' make customers aluminium minded, and all foundries would reap the benefit.

E ven tu ally, the Development Bureau could set up a laboratory of its own in order to be able to answer urgent inquiries by carrying out experiments. Gradually a great fund of infor­

mation would be built up, partly from these experiments, partly from the cum ulative information handed on b y the various foundries, and partly b y information from customers.

Contact should be kept with customers, in order to find out which alloys give good results in their factories. The customer w ill soon say which give bad results, but it is important to collect positive information about the successful application of aluminium alloys, and to include the fullest possible details concerning the con­

ditions under which they are used.

The Central Bureau should also carry out a publicity programme, in order to let the public see the very wide field in which aluminium alloys m ay be used. It should also be prepared to say when they would be unsuitable. A great deal is being said about plastics, and, of course, they have a wide range of uses. If plastics would definitely suit a purpose better than an aluminium alloy, the customer should be told so. Information of this kind would gradually build up real confidence in the Bureau, and in the industry which it represented. I t m ust be remembered that, while increasing fam iliarity with aluminium alloys will encourage many people to give them a trial, if they are advised that the alloys are suitable and find on the first trial th at they fail it w ill be v e ry difficult to persuade them to try again.

The Bureau should also publish information bulletins which will explain the various properties of aluminium alloys. A t present, many of the producers, of aluminium alloys publish excellent booklets, but it is to be regretted th at in most cases th ey can only be obtained b y applying " on headed note-paper.”

M ost of these booklets are of great interest to E

518 LICHT METALS November, 1 944

the employees in the foundry industry, and it

is a great pity th at they are not as easy to obtain as, say, the " Nickel Bulletin,” or, in fact, the very well compiled booklets issued b y the W rought L ig h t A lloys Development Association.

Perhaps the present L ight Alloy Founders Association could be expanded on the lines suggested above.

Another w ay in which the aluminium foundry industry caix help itself is to drop the term

" secondary.” In the early days, when a high proportion of virgin metal was considered essential, if good castings were to be obtained, it was necessary to differentiate between virgin metal and secondary metal, but, to-day, we have alloys such as D.T.D.424, which consist entirely of carefully remelted scrap, and they are thoroughly satisfactory in every w ay. I f a customer asks for quotations from different foundries, and he receives replies for the castings made in iron, brass, and " secondary ” aluminium alloy, he is bound to be prejudiced against the " inferior " aluminium alloy, although probably a sim ilar amount of scrap would be used in each alloy. In the manufac­

ture of steel sheets, scrap of all kinds is used, ranging from cpmplete car engines to gramo­

phone needles, but they are not sold as

“ secondary ” steel sheets. Moreover, their

physical properties are quite satisfactory.

Again, in a foundry where zinc alloys, brasses and bronzes are cast, in addition to aluminium alloys, one never hears the term ” secondary zinc ” or " secondary brass.” W hy, then, speak of " secondary aluminium ” ? L e t us, in justice to the firms who are remelting crashed aircraft, etc., and are making thoroughly good ingots to A ip Ministry specifications, drop the term, and sim ply speak Of an aluminium alloy to such and such a composition and with such and such properties. Both can be relied upon to be as specified.

Summ ing up, it would appear th at there is a very wide field for the application of aluminium alloy, castings, but m any applications are new, and the customers will require all the help th at the foundry' industry can give. I t is therefore im perative that a central organization shall quickly be built up, to give advice to all and sundry, and, perhaps, more important, to sug­

gest to people to whom such an idea had not occurred that aluminium alloys could be used by them to great advantage. There is a big job here if the industry goes out for it, and it m ay surely be assumed th at the organization which built itself up so quickly at the beginning of the war, and did so much to give B ritain air superiority, will play an equally vigorous part in post-war development.

Light Metals v e r s u s Plastics

By R o n a ld Fleck, M .Sc., F .R .I.C .

The Author Presents a Broad Analysis of the Relative Positions of Aluminium Alloys on the One Hand, and Synthetic Resins on the Other, in the

Gamut o f Modern Structural Materials

T

H E onrush of events is carrying us inevit­

ably to the finish of the European phase of the war, and, as we take a survey of the ruin and desolation caused b y this sorry conflict, our thoughts must of necessity wander to post-war prospects and problems. F iv e hectic years have demonstrated the measure of co-operation which can be achieved between varying industrial interests under the stress of a common emotion and sense of urgency. Can this co-operation continue to exist in the com­

petitive markets of peace-time trading? I t can, provided that the industries concerned appre­

ciate the scope of each other's materials and realize the boundaries—often nebulous and ill defined—of each other’s territories.

It is very apparent that, at the moment, there exists, in certain quarters, a state of ten­

sion between the light-metal and plastics industries. A sense of mutual distrust (perhaps th at is rather too strong a term for this mental

state) tends often to cloud the relationship between these two potentially important groups, which are, or should be, complementary to each other. Both are, to some extent, in their infancy and appear a t first sight to be highly competitive.

The plastics industry has, by reason of its novelty, been the recipient of very much more publicity than has the light-metal industry.

M any extraordinary' claims are made for plastics b y the over-enthusiastic and unenlightened, and this type of spontaneous advertising has caused popular comment and interest out of all pro­

portion to the present importance of the industry. The writer has deplored this exuber­

ance, and in other places has sought to

“ de-bunk " wordy effulgence and place the matter in its true perspective. W hether these efforts have had any effect is a matter of con­

jecture, but the fact remains that, in the popular mind, the " Plastics Age " is upon us