JTISH
WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED T H E IR O N A N D S T E E L T R A D E S J O U R N A L
V O L . 7 4 . N o . 1 4 7 6 . N O V E M B E R 3 0 , 194 4 ^ i n t l e C o p y 6d. B y Po s t 8 Registered at the G P 0 as a Newspaper, Offices : 49, W ellin gton Street, S tra n d , London, W .C .2 A n n u al Su b s crip tio n . H on
and O v e rs e a s ,21 /- (Prepaid
DULDING
\CHINE C° LT ..D
MANSFIELD MOULDING SANO
• P U L V E R I S E D R E A D Y F O R U S E I F R E Q U I R E !
A L B IO N (Mansfield) S A N D C O .
T H & W . w a r d T t d V AlUion Works, SHEFFIELI
Telephones: Sheffield 26311 (15 lin e») Mansfield 37
o w f t J X a u g k
INVEST IN
BOXES ERSHAM, KENT.
S T E R L IN G F O U N D R Y S P E C IA L IT IE S L T D .. B E D F O R D
TIMED E
TYPE B.S.3 TILTER
440 lbs. G U N M E T A L M E L T E D 40 M I N S . P O U R IN G TEM P.
1,300° C.
OTHER TYPES AVAILABLE 10 0 l b . P O R T A B L E 2 4 0 l b . P I T T Y P E 6 0 0 l b . T I L T E R
MIDLAND MONOLITHIC FURNACE LINING CO. LID.
BLACK SEAM HOUSE - NARBOROUGH* LEICESTER
T E L E P H O N E S T E L E G R A M S
2 2 2 8 - 9 NARBOROUGH (L E IC S . ) 2 LIN ES M O N O L IT H IC * N A R B O R O U G H - LEICESTER
m
■S' i E L L IN G M U F F L E S. [ H V D R O - B L R S T
Removes cores... cleans castings... reclaims send Built by
P M c n i c r i t o C M C T U w i r v
2
F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L N O V E M B E R 30,® S f Y . i P p
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T h e C R U C I A L T E S T
As the fleet is built to stand up to the crucial test of continuous service and the heat of the conflict, so are Carborundum Crucibles made to stand up to the crucial test of continuous service in the fierce
heat of the furnace.
C A R B O R U N D U M C R U C IB L E S
F O R F E R R O U S A N D N O N - F E R R O U S M E T A L S
The CARBORUNDUM C O M P A N Y LTD.
T R A F F O R D P A R K M A N C H E S T E R 17
N O V EM B ER 30, 1944 FO U N D RY TRAD E JO U R N A L 3
M o st U n fo r t u n a t e !
The increasing use of scrap in the steel-foundry just can’t be helped these days.
Some nationally-economically-minded steel makers (more power td their elbows !) are using practically 100% scrap for a large number of castings. This, of course, is just wizard—provided the castings only begin as scrap. Unfortunately, too many of ’em also end as scrap. That’s where Sodium Carbonate could have made all the difference. Apart from the necessity of controlling the excessive sulphur pick-up resultant from using a high percentage of scrap, the application of Sodium Carbonate produces a far better quality steel with improved ductility and machining qualities. It’s most unfortunate if you are adding
to your scrap with steel castings rejected after much time and money has been lost and costly tools possibly damaged in their production— particularly when this state of affairs is so easily guarded against by the use of the Sodium Carbonate process.
I M P E R I A L C H E M I C A L I N D U S T R I E S L I M I T E D , L O N D j O N
CN 1111 T h e f n r t t h n t a n n Wc n f m w m a t e r i a l s i n s h o r t s u p p l y o w i n g t o w a r c o n d i t i o n s a r e a d v e r t i s e d
a s a n i n d i c a t i o n t h a t t h e y a r e n e c e s s a r i l y n v n i l n h J ^ - £ t
4 F O U N D R Y T R A D E J O U R N A L N O V EM B ER 30,
H i g h S p e e d GRINDERS
for High S peed Fettling
These Machines are capable of rates of Metal Removal far beyond those possible w ith Machines fitted w ith Slow
Speed Grinding W h eels, and provide reductions in Production Costs of a very high order.
Available in three sizes w ith shafts on Ball and Roller Bearings, Range of Speeds, Solid Steel Guards and Modern Dust Extraction Equipment.
Abrasive Cutting-off Machines are available suitable for Foundry W o r k . Also Heavy D uty Portable or Swing Grinders.
F. E. R O W L A N D & CO . LTD.
R E D D lT ti}S T ^ C K p |RTN O V EM B ER 30, 1944 F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L 5
Morris f o r mechanisation
™
ierb ertM o rrisL td L o u g h b o ro u g h England
6 F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L N O V E M B E R 30, 1944
LIGHTING ADV IS OR Y SERVICE
T h e B ritish T h o m so n -H o u sto n C o. L td ., C rp w n H o u se, A ldw ych, L o n d o n , W .C.2 Mdo'n
@ )
To-day there are thousands o f factories with lighting conditions approxi
mating to daylight : factories where perfect visibility has reduced sickness and accident to negligible proportions.
B T H Lighting Engineers have made this vital contribution to health and efficiency, but they, in their turn, have been briefed by B T H Research.
It is, perhaps, a tar cry from the B T H opectro Radiometer to the massive lighting installation o f a great factory.
Nevertheless, the Spectro Radio
meter, in common with many other scientific instruments in the B T H Laboratories, has been a most important means to the designed end.
R E S E A R C H
R E H I N D L I G H T I N G
MEANS T® A N END
N O V EM B ER 30, 1944 F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L 7
“ C O L E M A N ” H A N D ST R IPPIN G or DROP P L A T E T Y P E M A C H IN ES
T H E S E M ACH IN ES A RE S U IT A B L E FOR EIT H E R HAND RAMMING OR FOR USE W IT H “ S A N D S L IN G E R S ”
★ MULTIPLE ADJUSTM ENT OF YOKE TO ENSURE PERFECT D RAW
★ BUSHES, SHAFTS, ETC., HARDENED AND GROUND
★ PRECISION BUILT
★ ROBUSTLY CONSTRUCTED
I L L U S T R A T I O N S H O W S O U R IH S T Y P E M A C H IN E , S U IT A B L E F O R A L L S IZ E S O F P A T T E R N P L A T E S U P T O 25in. IN W I D T H A N D G I V I N G 9in . P A T T E R N D R A W
C O L E M A N F O U N D R Y E Q U I P M E N T C O M P A N Y LIMITED
S T O T F O L D B E D F O R D S H I R E
L E T U S S E N D Y O U C A T A L O G U E O F O U R C O M P L E T E R A N G E O F M O D E R N F O U N D R Y M A C H IN E R Y
R E F I N E D I R O N
N O V E M B E R 30, 1944
CHROMIUM — MOLYB 3% CHROMIUM
F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L
A ssociated C om panies :
S i r W . S . A R M S T R O N G W H I T W O R T H & C O . I R O N F O U N O E R S LTD.
A RM STR O N G W H IT W O R T H & C O . (PNEUM ATIC T O O IS I LTD. J A R R O W METAIJ A R R O W METAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED
W E
SHOT BLAST
FOR A L L T R A D E S
2 4 H O U R S S E R V I C E
C H ILLED IRON
& S T E E L SHOT
P& «c, ALSO
\ BLASTYTE
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ch,
h l r ya l l t y p e s
1URICHAR
P H O N E : M I D . 2 2 8 1 ( 3 L IN E ,IDSONeSONS s )
iiiiiiiim iUllliliiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilil^^B IJQ COMMERCIAL ST.
L” B l RMINGHAM.I
E S T A B L I S H E D 1 8 8 7 .
« i î É i S 1944 F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L
44 RAMOLITH”
(R E G IST E R E D )
C U P O L A G R A D E
FO R
RAMMING
Super Refractories
for
S u p e r H e a t s
4 4 SILACENE”
(R E G IS T E R E D )
S E M I- S T E E L G R A D E
FO R
P A T C HI NG
T H O M A S E. G R A Y & CO. LTD.
G R A N B Y C H A M B E R S , K E T T E R I N G
E S T A B L IS H E D 1877
F O U N D R Y T R A D E J O U R N A L N U V t r i D c i x -»w,
TITAN CORE MACHINES
are daily solving new core-making problems
and r e m o v i n g bottle-necks in war p ro d u ctio n
Saving in Skilled Labour
A girl can operate the Titan machine. Intricate cores may be blown in one operation (one movement of the hand lever).
Faster Output.
Up totenfold increase over hand methods.
Better Cores
of uniform quality, greater strength and maximum perm eability.T h e m a c h i n e i l l u s t r a t e d is f i t t e d w i t h a sa n d c o n t a i n e r o f 75 lb s.
c a p a c it y ( w h i c h can b e r e c h a r g e d in a c o u p l e o f m i n u t e s ) m o t o r - d r i v e n s a n d a g i t a t o r and a u t o m a t i c c o m p r e s s e d a i r h o r i z o n t a l c l a m p . T h is m a c h i n e t a k e s b o x e s u p t o 2 0 ins. long by 12 in. w i d e by 24 in. high w i t h o u t r e m o v i n g t h e cla m ps.
E A R L Y D E L IV E R Y
Provided motors for standard current are required, we can offer early delivery of machines of the above type for w o rk of certified priority.
Ask
for Folder 204
TH E( o n s I r u c i i o n a I
E N G I N E E R I N G C O U P
T e le p h o n e :
T I T A N W O R K S JftESSS^
MIDP4753-4
B I R M I N G H A M , 12
B.rmlngham:»W amacts- a o r T W ir ^ © U i l D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L 11
' N T E R N A T I O N A L
r e c o r d7 N field sports there are few more popular events than the hurdles where all the up-to-date international records are held by U .S .A . Sportsmen. The 120 yards record o f 13 .7 seconds was set up by Forrest Towns at Oslo in 1936.
Th e 220 yards record o f 22.5 seconds was secured by Fred Wolcott in 1940 and the 440 yards hurdles record o f 52.6 seconds by John Gibson at Nebraska in 1927.
The record o f International Alloys Ltd.
in supplementing the nation's supplies o f essential fight metals cannot be fully published till after the war. Mean
while, for post -'war developments, please note die name— ‘ I N T A L ' are and will be makers o f aluminium alloys for every conceivable purpose.
mi mi
F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L INU V Li i u u i
r i s
L * 1*
OUST t O U t C T ^ O
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mfr r » ~ " s“ "
a„ i d » ! t f " m oding plotf- only- ___________
^ P- - « ' io" fo t _________________________
In il>« ope" v ,ltn ---
CONTROLLED HEATS AIR LTD
CORNWALL ROAD - SM ETHW ICK - BIRM IN G H A M
STEEL CONVERTERS CHARGING M ACHINES MOULDING MACHINES
CUPOLAS ■ FANS ROOTS ' BLOW ERS SAN D MILLS ' ETC.
F O U N D R Y E Q U I P M E N T
G R E A T W E S T E R N W O R K S , SM ALL H E A T H
•BIRMINGHAM
t o n d e 1 0 E fł< 0 § Ę Ę M ;,3Ü 5 2 . Q U E E N A N g § S q a t c
W E S T M I N S T E R ^ L o n d o n
smĘm;,
M Â M ü F A e T m m ( v m m l ic e n s e] o f t he s 1 B A L A N C E D B L A S T S Y S T E M O f C U P O L A C O N T R O L
iN UVbNBER 30, 1944 F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L 13
MOULDING MACHINES
A N D A L L
FO U N D RY
EQUIPMENT
Whatever your Foundry Problems our experience
is at your service
W ALLW ORK GEARS LTD .
O cean ic House, la C ockspur Street, L O N D O N , S .W .I
T e le p h o n e : W h ite h a ll 805 I /2/3 T e le g r a m s : W a llw o r k , O te a n illa , Lesq u are, London
M anchester Office: M A N C H E S T E R , 4
Telephone: B la c k fria rs 1801 Telegram s: “ Foundry,"M anchester
btottishea /902 i l J . I W
T R A D E S JO U R N A L
49, W e llin g to n S tre e t, London, W .C .2 .
W A R T I M E A D D R E S S to w hich all communications should bo sent i—
3, A m e rs h a m R o a d , H I G H W Y C O M B E , B u cks,
’G ram s i “ Zacatecas, High W y c o m b e .”
’ Phone i H IG H W Y C O M B E 1792 (3 lines).
P U B L I S H E D W E E K L Y i 21s. per annum (H o m e and O ve rs e a t)
O F F IC IA L O R G A N O F i
C O U N C I L O F I R O N F O U N D R Y A S S O C I A T I O N S Chairm an i F ltz H erb e rt W r ig h t, T h e B u tte rle y Com pany. Ripley, near D erby. Se cretary i V. D e lp o rt, 2, Caxton Stre e t, W e s tm in s te r’
S . W . I.
P a rtic ip a tin g A sso cia tio n s i B ritish Bath M anufacturers’ A ssociation B ritish iron fo u n d ers’ Association ; British M alleable Tube Fittings A ssociation ; C ast Iron A xle b o x Association ; Cast Iron C h a ir Associa
tio n ; Cast Iron H eating, B o ile r and Rad iator M anufacturers’ A ssociation;
Cast Iron Segm ent A ssociation ; Greensand Pipe Fou n d ers’ Association of Sco tlan d ; Iron fou n ders’ N atio n al Confederation ; N atio n al Associa
tion of M alleable Ironfoun ders ; N atio n al Ingot Mould Association ; N atio n al Ironfoun ding E m p lo ye rs ’ F e d e ra tio n A s s o c ia tio n of A u t o m o b ile and A llie d H ig h D u ty Ir o n fo u n d e r s ; B ritis h Cast Iron Research Association (arfilia te d ); British G r it A ssociation (affiliated );
Flushing C is te rn M ak e rs ’ A ssociation (affiliated) ; In s titu te o f B ritish F o u n d rym en (affiliated ). ______
I N S T l T U T F O F B R I T I S H F O U N D R Y M E N P R E S ID E N T , 1944-45 : Jo h n W . G ard o m , R ip le y D e r b y s h ir e . G e n e ral S e cretary I T . Makemson. A ctin g S e c re ta ry , J. Bolton Saint Jo h n S tre e t Cham bers, Deansgate, M anchester 3.
B R A N C H E S
Birm ingham . C o v e n try and W e s t Midlands ! A . A . Tim m ins, F .I.C . 33. C a r t e r s Lan e, Q u in to n . B ris t o l and W e s t o f E n g la n d : A . Hares, 20, G re e n b a n k Ro ad , H a n h am , B risto l. E. Midlands i S. A . H o rto n “ T h re e ,” M ostyn A ven u e, L lttle o v e r, D e rb y. Lancs : H . B u c k ley. E lle s m e re , N o r fo lk A v e n u e , B u rn le y . London : V . C . Fau lkn er, 3, Am ersham Road, High W y co m b e . M iddlesbrough (pro te m .) : J. K . Sm ithson, N orth -Eastern Iron Refining Com pany, Lim ited, Stillington, Stockton-on-Tees. Newcastle-upon-Tyne : C . Lashly, S ir W . G . A r m strong, W h itw o r t h & C o . (Ironfound ers), Ltd., Close W o r k s , Gateshead Scottish ! J. Bell, 60, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow. Sheffield : T . R. W a l k e r, M .A ., En g lish S te e l C o rp o ra tio n , L td ., Sheffield. W a le s and Monm outh j
A. S. W a l l , 14, P a la ce A v e n u e , Llan daff, C ard iff. W e s t Riding o f Y o r k s h ir e : D ouglas Je p s o n , M .Sc., 9, A m bleside A v en u e, B rad fo rd . South A frica : B . P. S k o k , M utual Building, Johannesburg.
S E C T IO N S
B u rn le y I H . Bu ckley, Ellesm ere, N o rfo lk Aven ue, B u rn le y, Lancs.
C ap e T o w n : K . Z w a n z L e r , P .O . B ox 346, C ape T o w n , S. A frica.
East Anglian I A . N . S u m n e r , 5 I6 , N o r w ic h Ro ad , Ipswich Palkirk : T. R. G o o d w in . “ V ie w fle ld ,” Falkirk Road, Bonnybrldge. Lincoln i E.
R. W a lt e r , P h .D ., The Technical C ollege, Lincoln.
A S S O C I A T I O N O F B R O N Z E A N D B R A S S F O U N D E R S P r e s id e n t : H . B lsse li, J . S to n e & C o ., L td ., Lo n d o n . S e c re ta rie s : H e a th co te & C o lem an , 25, B e n n e tts H ill, B irm in gh am , 2
T H E I N S T I T U T E O F V I T R E O U S E N A M E L L E R S Pre sid en t : Jo h n W . G ard o m , Rip ley, D e rb y s h ire . Ch airm an : W . To d d , Park in so n S to v e C o ., L td ., S te ch fo rd , Birm in g h am . Hon.
Sec. i W . Thom as, A .I.C ., B a n k House, High S tre e t* Rick m an sw o rth , H e rts.
F O U N D R Y T R A D E S ’ E Q U I P M E N T A N D S U P P L I E S A S S O C I A T I O N
P r e s id e n t : D . C h e r r y Pate rs o n , M .l M e ch .E., B ed fo rd House, Bed
fo rd S tr e e t, S tra n d , London, W .C . 2 . H o n o ra ry S e c r e t a r y : K . W . Brid g es. A ssistan t S e cre ta ry : Miss L. C o x , 52, Su rb ito n H ill Park, Su rb ito n , S u rrey.
W E L S H E N G I N E E R S ’ A N D F O U N D E R S ’ A S S O C I A T I O N Presiden t i W . E. C lem en t, C .B .E ., M orfa Foundry, N e w D ock, Llan elly Se cretary : J . D. D . Davis, I, St. Jam es G ard en s, Swansea.
B R I T I S H C A S T I R O N R E S E A R C H A S S O C I A T I O N A lv rch u rch , Birmingham. 'Phone and ’G ram s : Redditch 716.
Scottish Lab o ra to rie s:—Foundry Technical In stitu t« ,M e e k ’s R o »d . Fallclrk. (Phone i 3 7 U
14 F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L N O V E M B E R 30,
The need for all possible conservation o f man power ; the demand for the maximum output o f vital cast metallic products; the insistence upon the lowest cost o f produc
tion ; and the necessity o f maintaining, and even improving, the quality o f those products.
All these conditions combine to point to the only satisfactory solution to all these problems—
MECHANISATION
but it must be mechanisation particularly considered, designed and adapted to the individual site conditions ; to the particular product ; and with full regard to all the factors, economic, geographical and human, which may have any bearing on the problem.
In other words consult :—
“ The Specialists in F ou n dry M ech an isation ”
whose products
“ S et th e Standard b y which F ou n dry Plant is ju d g e d .”
LIM ITED
’P hones : 6 1 2 4 7 & . 8
HALIFAX, ENGLAND
’G ra m s : A u g u s t , H a lifa x Sole Licensees a n d m a n u fa c tu re rs for B ritish E m pire(exclu d in g C a n a d a) o f the S im p so n S a n d M ix e rF o u n d ry Trade J o u r n a l, N ovember 3 0 ,1 94 4
E s t a b lis h e d l $ 0 2
w r m w h i c h a i i k o v o m t e d T H C I R O N A N D S T E E L T R A D E S J O U R N A L
V o l. 74 Thursday, N ovem b er 30, 1944 N o . 1476
Vitreous Enam elling
T h e r e w a s a fe e lin g o f o p tim is m a t t h e te n th a n n u a l c o n f e r e n c e o f th e I n s titu te o f V itr e o u s E n a m e lle rs . T h o u g h th e r e a r e a b o u t 120 firm s in th e c o u n tr y e n g a g e d in th is tr a d e , a g r e a t e x p a n sio n is c o n f id e n tly e x p e c te d in th e p o s t- w a r e ra . T h e n e w p r e s id e n t, M r. J . W . G a r d o m , is w e ll k n o w n f o r h is a b ility to in je c t e n th u s ia s m in to te c h n ic a l in s titu te s , a n d a f u n d a m e n ta l f o r a p r o gressive i n d u s tr y is th e e x is te n c e o f a n activ e a s s o c ia tio n w h e r e its e x e c u tiv e s c a n d isc u ss th e ir p ro b le m s a n d r e c o r d t h e ir r e s e a rc h w o rk . A se c o n d e s s e n tia l is a r e s e a r c h o r g a n is a tio n , a n d th e re is so m e h o p e t h a t th is to o w ill b e e s ta b lis h e d . T h e re tirin g p r e s id e n t, M r. W . H . W h ittle , re ce iv e d m any e u lo g ie s o n v a c a tin g th e c h a ir. H e c e rta in ly m erits th e th a n k s o f a ll e n g a g e d in th e in d u s try fo r h is w o r k in c r e a tin g a sen se o f c o - o p e r a tiv e in terests a n d re s p o n s ib ility a m o n g s t e n a m e lle rs .
T h e re w a s s o m e c ritic is m o f th e ir o n f o u n d r y in d u stry , a s s o m e o f th e c a s tin g s it n o w s u p p lie s are n o t to o w e ll s u ite d f o r e n a m e llin g . T h e a n sw e r is th a t it is u n a b le u n d e r p r e s e n t c o n d itio n s to o b ta in th e ty p e o f r a w m a te ria ls w h ic h a r e b e st su ited f o r t h e p r o d u c tio n o f c a s tin g s f o r th is p u rp o se . M o r e o v e r , lik e th e o ld - f a s h io n e d fo u n d r y - m a n w h o a s s e rte d t h a t h e w o u ld a n d c o u ld m a k e a g o o d c a s tin g f r o m a n y ty p e o f p a tte r n , so to o th ere a re a fe w e n a m e lle rs w h o p r id e th e m s e lv e s o n th e ir a b ility to e n a m e l a n y ir o n c a s tin g th e y m a y re ce iv e . B o th d o in c a lc u la b le h a r m to th e ir re sp ec tiv e in d u s trie s . I f a f o u n d r y m a n h a s to m a k e c a s tin g s f o r e n a m e llin g f r o m a n a ll s c ra p m ix tu re , le t h im m e lt w ith a v e ry s o f t b la s t. A P a p e r f r o m M r. G . E . C h a r lis h a n d M r . E . J.
H e ele y , I .C .I ., s h o w e d h o w th e c h e m ic a l in d u s tr y h a d b e e n s u ffe rin g f r o m th e b r e a k d o w n o f th e e n am el in g la s s -lin e d a p p a r a tu s , u tilis e d in c o n n e c tio n w ith a c id s. B u t th e a u th o r s s h o w e d h o w , b y th e u s e o f a h ig h - f r e q u e n c y “ e le c tric n e e d le ,” w e a k sp o ts c o u ld b e d is c o v e re d b e f o re th e a p p a r a tu s w a s p u t in to s e rv ice . I t se e m s to u s e s s e n tia l t h a t th e b a th m a n u f a c tu r e r s a n d o th e r s m a k in g a s im ila r c la s s o f g o o d s m u s t a r m th e m se lv e s w ith th is
“ n e e d le .”
A f e a tu r e o f th is c o n fe re n c e w a s th e e x c e p tio n a lly la rg e a tte n d a n c e , e sp e c ia lly o f th e s u p p lie rs o f th e ra w m a te ria ls . T h e s e in te re s ts a r e rig h tly a n x io u s to le a r n o f b o th th e c o m m e rc ia l p ro s p e c ts a n d te c h n ic a l a d v a n c e s in o r d e r t h a t th e y m a y b e in a p r o p e r p o s itio n to g iv e a d e q u a te se rv ice as s o o n as th e re h o u s in g sc h e m e s— p r io r ity n u m b e r tw o — g et u n d e r w ay . H o u s e s a re u seless w ith o u t k itc h e n a n d b a th r o o m fittin g s, a n d th e a m o u n t o f m a te ria l f o r th e s e tw o e sse n tia l p u rp o s e s is n o w to ta lly in a d e q u a te . T h e c O -o p e ra tio n b e tw e e n th e s u p p lie rs a n d th e e n a m e lle rs is c o m m e n d a b ly c lo se a n d h e lp fu l. T h e re s e a rc h w o r k f o r th e in d u s tr y is la rg e ly d o n e b y th e f o r m e r . T h e p re s s in g n e e d f o r f u n d a m e n ta l w o rk , h o w e v e r, d e m a n d s t h a t th e r e m u s t b e fu ll c o lla b o ra tio n b y e v e ry b o d y . Its c o n s u m m a tio n w ill re s u lt in e x p a n d in g th e in d u s try a n d th e r e b y th e s u p p lie rs w ill b e n efit. T h e success o f th e c o n fe re n c e w a s d u e in n o sm a ll m e a s u re to th e h a r d w o r k p u t in to its o r g a n is a tio n b y th e h o n o r a r y s e c re ta ry , M r. W . T h o m a s .
NOTES ON FLOW MEASUREMENT
T he first issue o f the sales b u lletin o f the M etro n ic In stru m en t C o m p an y , L im ited, 196, G ro v e L ane, Sm ethw ick, Staffs, opens a series o f articles describing in sim ple language the fu n d am en ta ls o f positive and in feren tial flow m easu rem en t of liquids an d gases.
T hese articles are p rim arily intended fo r th e benefit o f the m an w hose duties include flow m easurem ent.
T h e in fo rm a tio n given enables the read er to be able to m ak e reliab le flow co m p u ta tio n s w hich satisfy the B ritish S tan d ard Specification on Inferential Flow M easurem ent; an d also it clarifies som e of th e diffi
culties su rro u n d in g liquid m easu rem en t w ith positive an d in feren tial m eters.
Contents
V itr e o u s E n a m e llin g , 251.—N o te s on F lo w M e a s u re m e n t, 251.—C o rre s p o n d e n c e , 252.—N o te s fro m th e B ra n c h e s , 252.—U .S . F o u n d r ie s to B u y N e w P l a n t , 252. A P le a to r th e E x te n s io n o f R e s e a rc h , 253.—F i r s t R e p o r t o n t h e B a s ic C u p o la b y th e M e ltin g F u r n a c e s S u b -C o m m itte e , 257.—A M o u ld a n d C ore D r y in g T h e o ry , 262.—G a ti n g a V a lv e C o v er. 263.—I r o n f o u n d r y F u e l N ew s—X X X , 263.—N ew T r a d e M a rk s , 2 6 4 —N ew s in B r ie f , 266.—P e r s o n a l, 266.—G o v e r n m e n t P u r c h a s e s o f T u n g s te n O re, 266.—C o m p a n y R e s u lts , 268.—O b itu a r y , 268.—R a w M a te r ia l M a r k e ts , 270.—E n g i n e e r in g C o m p a n ie s ’ S h a re s , 270.
252 F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L N O V E M B E R 30, 1944
CO RRESPO N D EN CE
i W e a c c e p t no r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e s t a t e m e n t s m a d e or t h e op in i o n s e x p r e s s e d b y o u r c o r r es p o nd en ts .]
TH E F O U N D R Y IN D U S T R Y
T o the E d ito r o f Th e Fo u n d r y Tr a d e Jo u r n a l. Sir,— B e in g a r e a d e r o f y o u r j o u r n a l f o r s o m e 3 0 y e a r s , I a m a lw a y s in t e r e st e d in th e s u b je c t th a t c r o p s up a g a in a n d a g a in , r e fe r r in g t o th e r ig h t t y p e o f b o y w h o s h o u ld m a k e th e f o u n d r y h is c a r e e r .
I th in k M r. B utters, in his re ce n t presid en tial address, p u t it'v e r y nicely, so f a r as q u alificatio n s of th e b o y w ere concerned. B u t I w o u ld like to reverse it w ith this re m a rk , T h a t it s h o u ld be the rig h t type o f fo u n d ry . N ow , I stress this p o in t, being a m o u ld e r w ith a w ide a n d v aried experience in h a n d lin g boys in foun d ries. M an y of th ese boys h av e left th e in dustry and tak en up m ore co ngenial w ork. W hy? Be
cause som e o f the fo u n d ries are m o re like pig-sties th an w orkshops. M an y hav e no se p a ra te ro o m s to change a n d w ash in b efo re leaving w o rk , an d , again, boys are seldom en co u rag ed to ap p ly them selves to the technique o f the c ra ft in such a w ay th a t th ey can solve pro b lem s th a t c o n tin u a lly arise.
I have k n o w n in m y experiences a fitter to be a p p o in te d the fo u n d ry fo rem a n . H e, by the w ay, g en erally h a d to rely on th e leading h a n d to carry him th ro u g h . M any p a tte rn m a k ers u ltim ate ly becom e fo u n d ry m anagers. T h is sh o u ld n o t be. N a tu ra lly , som e read ers will reply th a t the m o u ld e r is in cap ab le o f ru n n in g it successfully.
I n brief, w e c an get th e rig h t type of b o y if we tra in h im a n d give him su itab le w o rk to do , w hilst a t the sam e tim e giving th e fo u n d ry im p ro v ed lig h t
ing, h e atin g a n d v e n tilatio n . M o u ld in g is a highly skilled trad e an d sh o u ld b e recognised a s such. T he fo u n d ry needs b ra in s a n d skill, so it is u p to the fo u n d ry ow ners to m ak e th e shops fitting places in which to w ork, an d then p e rh ap s this c o n tin u a l co m p lain t o f the absence of su itab le boys fo r the fo u n d ry will d isa p p ear.— Y o u rs, etc.,
W . T . Bo r s b e r r y.
“ O k e -Ira,”
O verstone H eights, N o rth a m p to n .
N o v e m b er 19, 1944.
[We, too, can look b ack over long years, b ut we hav e n o ted a slow b u t c o n tin u o u s im p ro v em en t in the gen eral level of “ h o u sek eep in g .” W e agree th a t the pace m u st b e a cc ele rated in o rd er to com pete with o th e r industries.—Ed ito r.]
NOTES FROM THE BRANCHES
W ales a n d M o n m o u th B ranch.— O n N o v e m b er 4, m em bers o f this B ran ch w ere in vited to v isit tne h e m atite iro n ore m ines a t L la n h a rry , G la m o rg a n , ow ned by the G la m o rg a n H e m atite Iro n O re C o m p an y , L im ited. T h e m em b e rs w ere m et a t the m in e by M r.
W. C. B arn ett, d irec to r, a n d M r. B lac k b u rn , m an ag er, w ho h ead ed th e p a rty o f guides, w h o e a c h to o k care o f n in e visitors. A fte r a to u r o f the su rface in sta lla tions, including the po w er h o u se a n d w inding house, eac h g ro u p d escended th e m ine, w hich is ap p ro x im ate ly 300 ft. deep. H e re th e first ob ject o f in te res t was a n o th e r e n g in e . a n d p u m p p lan t. W ater w as present everyw here, an d in o rd e r to k eep w o rking this is pu m p ed to the su rface a t the ra te o f 300.000 galls, per hr.
T h e c o m p an y w ere e n te rta in ed a t tea in the w o rk s' can teen , a n d a film on the m a n u fa c tu re o f pig -iro n was pro jected , thus co m p etin g a stu d y o f the first tw o p ro cesses in th e p ro d u c tio n o f iro n . A t th e co nclusion.
D r. B ry n m o r Jo n es p ro p o se d , a n d M r. H . J. V.
W illiam s seconded, a vo te o f th a n k s to M r.
B lack b u rn , M r. B a rn ett a n d the firm fo r th eir g e n ero u s h o sp itality , w hich was c arried w ith acclam atio n . M r. B lack b u rn re p lied briefly, expressing his p leasure a t being able to afford m em b ers o f a k in d re d in d u stry the o p p o rtu n ity o f ex ten d in g th eir k n o w led g e o f a p rim a ry b ra n ch o f m etallu rg y .
S o u th A fr ic a n Branch, C ape T o w n S ectio n .— T h e A ugust m o n th ly m eeting w as a d d ressed by M r. L.
R ow ley. U n d e r the title o f “ T h e C lean in g an d F e ttlin g o f C astings,” th e lec tu re r c o v ere d th e sub jects o f ro u g h fettling, grinding, re m o v a l o f gates, sh o t b lastin g an d w et sand blasting, d u s t e x tra c tio n a n d c o llectio n . A sh o rt discussion fo llo w ed th e p re sen ta tio n o f the P ap er, in w hich M r. B atch elo r, M r. S to rk ey a n d M r. S yborn p articip ated .
D ie Steel
M r. S. U . Siena, o f the Sperry G y ro sco p e C o m p an y , in a P a p e r w hich h e presented to the A m erican F o u n d ry m e n ’s A s s o c ia tio n recom m ends th e follow ing c o m p o sitio n as b ein g w ell suited fo r dies fo r co ld ch am b er hig h -p ressu re die-casting m achines: C , 0.35;
W , 5.0; C r, 1.0; M o, 1.0; h eat-tre a te d to a B rinell h ard n ess o f a b o u t 450. In som e cases an 18-4-1 h ig h speed steel has been successfully used.
U.S. FOUNDRIES TO BUY N E W PLANT
T h e 16th a n n u a l m eetin g o f the [A m erican ] G ray Iro n F o u n d e rs ’ Society— the em p lo y e rs’ asso c iatio n — w as held at C in cin n a ti on O c to b e r 11. T h e luncheon session was addressed by M r. F ra n k G . Steinebach.
E d ito r of “ T h e F o u n d ry ,” w h o sa id th a t 64.1 per cent, o f th e a p p ro x im ate ly 2,800 fo u n d ries in the U n ited States have laid p lan s to p u rc h a se new eq u ip m en t in v arying a m o u n ts a fte r p rio rities are lifted.
H e added th a t 12.6 per cent, h av e in m in d m elting fu rn aces, 39.4 per cent, m o u ld in g m ach in es. 30.7 pe^
cent, m ate ria l h an d lin g e q u ip m e n t, 25.5 per cent, blast clean in g e q u ip m e n t, 19.9 p e r cent, co re m achines.
16.5 per cent, m o u ld an d core ovens, 7.2 p e r cent"
h e at-tre a tin g fu rn ac es, 21.2 p er c en t, sh ak e-o u t eauiD- m ent, 17 per cent, d u st a rreste rs, 25.4 per cen t sand- p re p a ra tio n e q u ip m en t, an d 24 p er cent. X -rav m ent. M r. S tein eb ach said th a t 90.2 per cent o f a '' the m etal-w o rk in g co m p an ies in th e U nited States castings an d . o f this p ercen tag e. 80.7 per cetI? use
grey iron. use
A PLEA FOR THE EXTENSION OF RESEARCH
MR. T. TYRIE’S PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS TO SCOTTISH FOUNDRYMEN
N O V E M B E R 30, 1944 'F O U N D R Y T R A D E J O U R N A L 253
W ith the fav o u ra b le tu rn o f events in the E u ro p e a n situation o u r tho u g h ts, n o t u n n a tu ra lly , are dw elling largely on the re-estab lish m en t o f con d itio n s m ore A acceptable to a d em o cratic, freed o m loving, an d in dustrious n atio n . It req u ires b u t little effort o f th o u g h t w to appreciate th a t the d rain u p o n o u r n a tio n a l re-
* sources w hich has re su lte d th ro u g h the w aging o f two long w ars w ithin the c o m p arativ ely sh o rt p erio d o f 25 kle to 30 years, has seriously u p se t the econom ic balance which has been largely in o u r fa v o u r since Britain first assumed th e place o f leading in d u strial n atio n in the
■w world. O nly the m o st o ptim istic can im agine o u r ever
>P recapturing th a t position o f in d u stria l pre-em inence, and the m ore logical view o f the po st-w ar position 1 ' points to the need fo r o u r w aging a full scale indus- Ht trial battle if we are t o h o ld a place in the m ark ets o f leroi the world. T h e tru th o f this m ay be m ore readily '.atioi appreciated fro m co n sid eratio n of the econom ic b alan ce earn as it stood p rio r to the p resen t w ar.
in® A ccording to the L o n d o n C h a m b e r o f C om m erce, of ■ the annual v alu e o f this c o u n try ’s im p o rts w as o f the order o f £900,000,000, o f w hich £400,000.000 was re presented by foodstuffs, £250,000,000 by raw m aterials, and £250,000,000 by m an u fa c tu re d or sem i-m anufac- L.L tured goods. V isible ex p o rts, m ainly o f m an u fa ctu red eilliii goods, m et £500,000.000 o f this im p o rt bill, and the rouif balance of £400,000,000 was paid fo r fro m in terest on i ml foreign investm ents, shipping insurance and o th er w ■ services ren d ered to foreign countries. It is
■laps, wen know n th a t these foreign assets have been . Sybon largely u se d u p o r lost d u rin g the p resent
war, and th e L o n d o n C h am b er estim ates th a t for this co u n try to enjoy im p o rts to the sam e v alu e as form erly o u r e x p o rt trad in g will req u ire to be ex- PLAN panded by a t least a n o th e r £2 0 0,0 0 0,0 0 0, to a m inim um total of £700.000,000 o f m a n u fa ctu re d goods. In a an] L world w hich is becom ing increasingly in d u strial this is lOtia» no easy m atter. F u rth e r, the d em an d fo r foodstuffs :1m® and raw m aterials is steadily increasing th ro u g h o u t the
world, and m u st result in a su b stan tia l a lte ra tio n in the it fl.l' price ra tio betw een these a n d the m an u fa ctu re d goods lies i t : which fo rm th e bases o f o u r ex p o rt, w ith advantage
to the fo rm er. T h e net re su lt o f this tendency is th at a p t we are faced w ith an increased bill fo r o u r im ports.
ad i t unless we can expand o u r ow n fo o d an d raw m aterials s 30.1 f production, an d even w ith th at, to m eet th e cost o f a ceDtS sm aller tonnage o f im p o rts, o u r ex p o rts m u st be in- macfeis creased su b stan tially . In the h om e m ark e t o u r own per it products m u st likew ise be stepped up. and we m ust ,UI gf make greater use o f o u r lim ited range of raw m aterials.
,ni. sai In a w orld alread y m arching to a high level o f indus- jy (¡¡i trialisation, w e can n o t afford to be behind. O bsolete
|t of: products m ust be ru th lessly scrapped, w ares m ust be ites it m ade m o re attractiv e, m o re varied an d b e tte r value fo r ,nt m m oney, an d this can n o t be done w ith o u t an effort,
w ith o u t m o bilising all th e available resources o f the
co untry. A m ong these resources o u r capacity fo r re search ran k s high, b ut a p a rt from the im petus o f w ar, it is to o u r sham e th a t in this field of research we have been fa r behind o th er highly industrialised n ations such as the U .S.A ., the U.S.S.R. an d G erm an y . E m phasis m u st be laid on the fact th at the u n fa v o u ra b le contrasts are n o t due to any low er stan d ard o f B ritish science.
T he last w ar a n d this one have conclusively p roved th at the inventive genius and scientific know ledge o f o u r people are second to none, and given the sam e o p p o r
tu n ity in peace as in w ar B ritish discovery an d invention in the fu tu re will play as p red o m in an t a p a rt in the reb uilding o f this w ar-sh attered w orld as it played 150 years ago in laying the fo u n d atio n of th e m aterial civilisation o f the m o d ern w orld. It is w ith this c o n viction th a t I am b old enough to direct y o u r atten tio n to the position o f research in relation to ind u stry and to en d eav o u r to aw aken in y o u a keener in terest in its ap p lic atio n to the needs o f o u r ow n p articu la r field.
Organisation o f Research
R esearch in G re a t B ritain is carried on in five groups o f e stab lish m en ts:— L ab o rato ries of the U niversities an d technical colleges; research stations of the D e p a rt
m en t o f Scientific an d In d u strial R esearch (A gricul
tu ra l a n d M edical R esearch C ouncils); collective re search associations su p p o rted p artly by in d u stry and p a rtly by grants fro m the D .S.I.R .; research la b o ra tories o f private firms, a n d research establishm ents of the fighting Services.
B roadly speaking, research is p u rsu ed w ith three m ain objects : — (1) T h e increase o f n a tu ra l know ledge fo r the sake of know ledge, w hich m ay be re garded as p ure research; (2) th e e lucidation of m ajo r pro b lem s affecting a w hole industry, d e
scribed as fu n d a m e n ta l research; a n d (3) th e eluci
d atio n of problem s co n n ected w ith individual products or individual firms, refe rred to as specific research.
T he ind u strialist c an n o t afford to neglect any o f these aspects.
M an y o f o u r industries have sprung from or d e
rived im m ense im petus fro m the results of pure re search carried o u t fo r th e m o st p a rt in the lab o rato ries of U niversities a n d tech n ical colleges. A t an y m o m en t a new industry m ay be b o rn th e re w hich will m eet a new h u m a n need, and it is to the U niversity a n d col
lege research la b o ra to ry th a t we m u st lo o k fo r the m en req u ired as leaders o f in d u stria l research. T he fa c t th a t p u re research has no p a rticu la r industrial objective an d offers no im m ediate financial ap p eal to individual in dustries o r firms m akes it an enterprise w hich has called fo rth little industrial sup p o rt, and one w hich fo r th e m o st p a rt is financed by th e G o v e rn m ent. T h a t this sh o u ld be a n atio n al liability is no d o u b t p erfectly so u n d ; nevertheless, industrial sup p o rt in th e fo rm o f endow ed R esearch Fellow ships w ould
254 F O U N D R Y T R A D E J O U R N A L N O V E M B E R 30, 1944
Extension of Research
be a w elcom e addition. T he p re sen t a n n u a l T reasu ry g ra n t to th e U niversities fo r a ll p u rp o se s is only
£2,250,000, o u t o f w hich th e U niversities a llo c a te a p o rtio n fo r research.
F o r fin an cial reaso n s, the U niversities a n d tech n ical colleges are obliged to give g reater co n sid era tio n to th a t p a rt o f th eir fu n c tio n w hich consists in teach in g a n d th e n u m b er of stu d en ts seeking in stru ctio n is larg ely the fa c to r w h ich d eterm in es the size o f the lab o rato ries, a n d th e staff em ployed. T ak in g in to c o n sid eratio n the fa c t th a t th e U niversities are the bodies largely e n tru sted w ith th e im p o rta n t task o f p u rsu in g p u re research, it seem s fitting t h a t th ey sh o u ld be in a p o sitio n to m ain tain a larg er staff th a n a t p re sen t of g rad u ates a n d sk illed technicians, an d it is e n co u ra g ing to no te th a t th e P a rlia m en tary a n d Scientific C o m m ittee has recom m ended th e ex p en d itu re o f a fu rth e r
£1 0,0 0 0 , 0 0 0 over th e first five po st-w ar y e ars fo r th e p u rp o se of equ ip p in g an d enlarging U niv ersity research
lab o rato ries.
Staffing Problem s
T h e p rovision o f an a d e q u a te supply of fu lly q u a li
fied m en a n d w om en fo r in d u stria l re sea rc h organisa- ,ions is also of th e hig h est im p o rtan ce, h e n ce the c a c h in g side c an n o t be neglected in any co n sid eratio n of th e positio n o f o u r U niversities a n d colleges. T he G o v e rn m en t realised th is aspect b e fo re th e w ar and envisaged a p ro g ram m e to increase the p ro v isio n of tech n ical ¡and a r t colleges a n d to ex p an d a n d b rin g up to date th o se alread y in existence, a t a n estim ated cost o f £12,000,000. In th e m o re re ce n t W h ite P a p e r on e d u ca tio n a l reco n stru ctio n it is p ro p o sed to sp en d an a d d itio n al sum o f £1 0 0 ,0 0 0 on the d ev elo p m en t of tech n ical e d u catio n in th e fo u rth y e ar of th e re o rg a n i
satio n o f th e edu o atio n al system in E n g lan d , a n d it is to be expected th a t an y fo rth co m in g e d u catio n al re co n stru ctio n in S cotland w ill be likew ise considered.
T h e decline in in terest in o u r p re sen t ap p ren ticesh ip system d e m a n d s th a t som eth in g sh o u ld be done to re sto re th e statu s of the artisa n an d tec h n ician , if fo r no o th e r re aso n th a n to en su re th a t no m an sh all pose as such w h o h a s no real q ualifications fo r fhe w ork h e u n d ertak es, an d th is c an b e c o n trib u ted to by a w idespread system of tec h n ical ed u catio n o f certified stan d ard , th e onus fo r w hich m u st fa ll on o u r U n iv e r
sities an d tec h n ica l colleges.
F u n d a m e n ta l an d specific research to g eth e r c o nstitute the field of in d u stria l resea rch a n d can scarcely be c o n sidered sep arately . A d m itted ly it is w ith fu n d a m e n ta l re sea rc h th a t the lab o ra to rie s o f th e D .S.I.R . an d o f the v a rio u s research asso ciatio n s a re p rim arily c o n cerned, w hilst th e lab o ra to rie s of private firms are re sp onsible fo r m o st o f the specific phase. N e v e rth e less, a co n sid erab le n u m b er o f investigations o f interest to p riv ate firm s a re c o n d u cted by th e fo rm er bodies, w hilst m u ch in fo rm a tio n of a general c h a ra c te r has b een d issem inated fro m p riv ate lab o ra to rie s an d m ade av ailab le to one o r m o re w h o le industries.
A Plea
T h e larg e r in d u stria l o rg an isatio n s hav e fo r m any years m a in ta in e d th e ir ow n re sea rc h an d d ev elo p m en t la b o ra to rie s staffed by scientific p erso n n el w hose efforts have been d irected to ov erco m in g m a n u fa c tu rin g diffi
culties, im p ro v in g existing p rocesses, in v en tin g new m eth o d s o f m a n u fa c tu re , p ro d u c in g new types o f goods a n d n o t in fre q u e n tly e n tirely new su b stan ces. I t is n o t easy to assess th e v a lu e o r th e n a tio n a l im p o rt
ance o f th e w o rk d o n e by in d iv id u a l firm s, since n either the m o n ey sp e n t n o r th e n u m b ers e m p lo y e d a re a suffi
cient in d icatio n . M a n y im p o rta n t resu lts hav e accrued fro m th e w o rk o f sm all g ro u p s o f m en w ith b u t scanty reso u rces a t th e ir co m m a n d , w h ilst larg e su m s a re not in freq u e n tly sp en t w ith b u t little success. T h e In d u s
tria l R esearch C o m m itte e o f th e F e d e ra tio n of British In d u stries has, ho w ev er, in stitu ted in q u irie s covering a w ide a re a an d a larg e n u m b e r o f firm s, w ith th e object of fo rm in g an im p ressio n o f th e sc o p e o f research by in d iv id u al firms, a n d the re su lts o f th ese inquiries, p u b lished in O cto b er, 1943, a r e in terestin g .
Q u o tin g fro m the F .B .I. R e p o rt “ T h e glo b al results of the in q u iry sh o w th a t, in 1930, 422 firm s were spending £1,736,000 o n re sea rc h a n d d ev elo p m en t; in 1935, 484 firm s w ere sp en d in g £2,696,000, w hile in 1938 566 firm s w ere sp e n d in g £5,442,000. Scientific grad u ates a n d o th e r tec h n ic a lly q u a lified p erso n n el em ployed w holly o r m ain ly on re search a n d d evelopm ent in 1930 by 384 firm s n u m b ere d 1,381; sim ila r personnel em ployed in 1935 b y 432 firm s n u m b ere d 2,566, while in 1938 th e research p e rso n n el o f 520 firm s num bered 4,382. T hese resu lts d o n o t by a n y m ean s cover all firms engaged in re sea rc h an d d e v elo p m en t, nor has every firm m aking a re tu rn b een a b le to sh o w the full ex ten t of its research an d d e v elo p m en t expenditure.
T h u s the figures co n sid era b ly u n d e rs ta te the tru e posi
tion. O w ing to the in co m p lete n a tu re o f m a n y of the retu rn s, no a tte m p t sh o u ld be m ad e closely to com pare one y e ar w ith a n o th e r.”
A lth o u g h som e o f the w o rk c a rrie d o u t by indi
vidual firm s is o f fu n d a m e n ta l c h a ra c te r, th e greater p ro p o rtio n is n ecessarily o f th e specific ty p e concerned w ith the firm ’s d a y -to -d a y p ro b lem s. Specific research sh o u ld yield so lu tio n s cap a b le of im m e d ia te industrial ap p lic atio n a n d o f th e g reatest fin an cial a d v an tag e to the firm ; c o n seq u en tly , it is th e ty p e o f research for w hich m o n ey is m o st re ad ily a v a ila b le . N a tu rally , the larg e r in d u stria l u n its h a v e fo u n d it e as ie r to beai the cost o f m a in tain in g th e ir ow n resea rch d ep artm en ts, b u t even am o n g s m a lle r firm s, ro u tin e testin g la b o ra tories h a v e b e co m e a necessity, esp ecially d u rin g the w ar years, an d th ese m ight w ell fo rm the n u cleu s o f a useful research d e p artm e n t, in firm s p re p a re d to a dopt a long-view policy. H a rd ly a n y o f the firm s' who alre ad y possess re sea rc h la b o ra to rie s confine th eir ex
p e n d itu re on research to th e ir ow n establishm ents G e n era lly sp eaking, such firm s a re also m em bers ->f th e research asso ciatio n s a n d m ak e th e m ost use f the results o b tain ed th ere in an d in th e lab o rato rif* ° f the D .S.I.R . an d U niversities. T h is p ro b a b ly a fro m the presence of scientific p e rso n n el in the fiISCS
N O V EM B ER 30, 1944 F O U N D R Y T R A D E JO U R N A L 255
m en w hose train in g a n d experience en ab les th em im m e
d iately to g rasp th e significance o f tech n ical re p o rts a n d ap p ly the results in th eir ow n o rganisation.
L arge firm s sh o u ld hav e little difficulty in estab lish ing th eir ow n research d e p artm e n ts and, w ith su itab le perso n n el, the results of m in o r investigations in telli
gently a p p lied sh o u ld so o n estab lish th e research staff in th e confidence o f th e ir colleagues. L ong-range p ro b lem s need p atien ce a n d to o m u ch sh o u ld n o t be expected, b u t even if o nly a frac tio n of the effort e x pended b e ars fru it, the effort w ill have been w orth while.
Smaller Firm s’ Participation
T he p o sitio n o f the sm aller firm s is u n d o u b ted ly difficult, b u t the fa c t th a t these c o n stitu te by fa r the largest n u m b er d em an d s a serious aw akening to the value of research. A ccording to th e L o n d o n C h a m b e r o f C o m m erce, a census o f p ro d u c tio n c arried o ut by the B o ard o f T ra d e in 1935 show ed th a t in th a t year 163,552 firm s o u t o f a to ta l of 173,502 included in the census em p lo y ed few er th a n 1 0 0 people each, th a t is, of the firm s listed, 94.2 per cent, em p lo y ed few er than 100 people each. T h e R e p o rt of the C h ief In sp ecto r of F a c to ries a n d W ork sh o p s, issued in 1937, indicated that som e 52 p er cent, o f a ll w orkers in factories in 1936 w ere em p lo y ed toy firm s w ith 250 o r less on their pay-roll, w hilst only 18 p e r cent, w ere em p lo y ed in factories w ith 1,000 o r m o re em ployees. In the light of this, the need fo r facilities to c o v er the research re quirem ents, specific an d fu n d a m e n ta l, o f sm aller firms m ust be very evident.
W ith th e ad v en t, in 1917, of the collective research m ovem ent, sp o n so red by the G o v e rn m e n t th ro u g h the D .S.I.R. a n d su p p o rte d by the larg e r firm s in the in
dustries c o n cern ed , it b ecam e possible fo r sm aller firms to ta k e a d v an tag e o f research facilities w hich indi
vidually th ey w ere u n a b le to p ro v id e fo r them selves.
T he trag ed y is th a t only a sm all p ro p o rtio n of th es : firms have so av ailed them selves. F o r th e benefit of those n o t w idely versed in the re la tio n s h ip betw een the D.S.I.R. a n d in dustry, it m ay be w o rth w hile to m en tion th a t th e research la b o ra to rie s o f the D .S.I.R . consist o f the N a tio n a l P hysical L a b o ra to ry , th e F uel R esearch S ta tio n , th e B uilding R esearch S tation, the F o rest P ro d u cts R esearch L a b o ra to ry , th e R o a d R e
search S tation, a g ro u p o f sta tio n s u n d e r th e F ood Investigation B o ard , th e W a ter P o llu tio n R esearch L ab o ra to ry , etc. T h e p ro g ram m e o f research fo r each station is d ra w n u p on the advice o f a R esearch B oard com prised o f outside scientists a n d in d u strialists, with representatives o f in terested G o v e rn m en t d ep artm en ts.
State-aided Laboratories
T h e N a tio n a l Physical L a b o ra to ry is now organised into a g ro u p o f d ep artm en ts w hich c arry o u t research, m ain ly fu n d a m e n ta l, d irected to in d u strial needs, b u t a certain a m o u n t of research is done fo r research asso ciatio n s a n d fo r in d iv id u al in d u strial firms. T h e o th er statio n s d e al w ith th e g en eral needs o f th e n a tio n in respect o f fo o d , h ousing, fuel, etc., u n d ertak e specific w o rk f o r-G o v e rn m e n t d e p artm e n ts an d industry and
are p re p are d to act in a n advisory capacity. W ork c o n d u cted fo r a p riv ate firm is p a id fo r b y t h a t firm a n d the resu lts a re com m unicated in th e fo rm o f a confidential rep o rt. T h e results o f th e general p ro gram m e o f each statio n is m ad e available in a n n u a l o r special rep o rts so ld th ro u g h H .M . S tationery Office an d m ay be acq u ired by all interested.
T h e research associations, established in 1917 with the h elp of a £1,000,000 fu n d voted by the G o v e rn m en t to the D .S.I.R ., a re self-governing bodies, su p p o rted v o lu n tarily b y th e subscriptions fro m m em ber firms engaged in the industry fo r w hich they c ater, or in a few cases b y a levy o n th e raw m ate rials of th e industry in q uestion, together w ith financial grants fro m the D .S.I.R ., the a m o u n t o f w hich generally bears som e re la tio n to the sub scrip tio n capital. T h e D .S.I.R . is responsible fo r ensuring th a t there is a “ d u e prose
c u tio n of research ” on the p a rt of th e associations r e ceiving grants fro m pu b lic funds, a n d the co -o p eratio n betw een th e a ssociations an d th e D .S.I.R . is very close.
M ost of the associations possess th e ir ow n lab o rato ries, b u t som e o f th eir w o rk is d o n e in G o v e rn m en t or U niversity lab o rato ries or in th e lab o rato ries of m em b er firms. T h e c o n tro l of these associations is in the h an d s of councils elected by th e m em bers them selves;
the results o f th e w o rk a re confidential to m em bers in th e first instance, b u t m u ch of it is subsequently p u blished fo r th e general good o f th e country.
T h ere are a t th e present tim e 24 research associa
tions in receipt of G o v ern m en t grant, w hilst others are on th e w ay fo r shipbuilding, w elding an d h a rd coke.
It has been possible to obtain m ore accurate in fo rm a tion fro m th e re search associations th an w as th e case w ith individual firms, an d it is o f extrem e in terest to follow th eir grow th. A ccording to the published re p o rt o f the F.B .I., “ the 16 grant-aided research associations in existence in 1927 received a subscription incom e in th a t y e ar am ou n tin g to £117,000. In 1930, th ere w ere 18 gran t-aid ed associations, w hich received £162,000, in 1935, 20 grant-aided associations received £235,000;
in 1938, 22 grant-aided associations received £326,000, w hilst in 1941 the subscription incom e received by 22 g ran t-aid ed associations am o u n te d to £368,000. In addition, grants fro m the D .S.I.R. a m o u n ted to £58,000 in 1927, £93,000 in 1930, £113,000 in 1935, £117,000 in 1938, an d to £192,000 in 1941.” In 1943, the to tal incom e of the associations was o f th e o rd er o f
£850,000, of w hich £275,000 was G o v ern m en t grant.
T h e n u m b e r o f subscribers to gran t-a id ed research associations was, in 1941, oyer -7,100, an d these figures h av e been slightly increased over the p a st few years.
C o rp o ra te groups, such as a trad e association, a re in
cluded in these figures so th a t th e to ta l n u m b er of firm s covered is ap p reciab ly g reater th a n th e n u m b er o f subscribers. A lth o u g h m o st o f the associations have steadily e x p an d e d in size an d usefulness, th ey a re n o t yet on a scale co m m en su rate w ith th e industries they serve. O ne o f th e associations n o w plans to spend
£2 0 0 , 0 0 0 per an n u m , b u t only fo u r o f them have an e x p en d itu re exceeding £50,000 p er an n u m , an d th a t sum o n ly represents 0.06 p e r cent, o f the tu rn o v er o f the industries concerned. In co m p ariso n w ith this,
