B alance W heel of In d u stry
'N E N E E D B U T G L A N C E a t the recent earnings of chemical com
panies to appreciate the fact th a t as a g ro u p o f in d u stries they possess a m arked degree of stability. A ll th rough the depression they have held to a fairly level course, resisting the violent sw ings to panic depths o r to specula
tive heights. W h erein lies the reason?
Is it because o f a carefu l m anagem ent th a t can “ re stric t the feast in o rd er to elim inate the fam ine” ? O r is it in
h e ren t in the n a tu re of a basic in d u stry w ith a diversified m ark et fo r its p ro d u cts? T o som e ex ten t it is both, but u n d erly in g both is the stabilizing influ
ence of a creative technology.
Chem ical engineering serves as a g reat balance wheel fo r the process in
d u stries. I t absorbs the surges, com
pensates fo r the slum ps, carries on at a steady pace. B ehind it is the m otivat
ing forces o f research, pent-up energy in the fo rm of ideas to be converted into new pro d u cts and processes.
A head is only the resistance of tra d i
tion, opposing change yet forced to m ake w ay fo r scientific progress.
A chievem ent in chemical in d u stries is n o t so m uch th e single spectacular feat as it is the steady advance in a definite direction. I t is a broad p rogram and plan ra th e r th an a favorable but tem p o ra ry tu r n of fortune.
So in this issue of Chem. & M e t. it is our privilege to describe a g re a t p ro gram of advance th a t has led to the building of a whole new branch of chemical in d u stry in A m erica. I t has been judged the outstanding chemical engineering achievem ent of the depres
sion era. I t affords am ple evidence of both the creative and stabilizing in
fluences of technology.
I
N T H E D A Y S im m ediately ahead, all in d u stry is going to need m ore of this sort of contribution from the chemical engineer. T h e program of the industrial recovery is b ro ad er than any present cam paign fo r increasing em ploym ent and building buying power. I t calls fo r a re-appraisal of motives and objectives and a revam ping of the m ethods and m achinery by which these are attained. T h is process extends th rough every function of in d u stry — m anagem ent, m aintenance, construction, production, equipm ent, power, control, accounting and sales.
E ach of these receives authoritative treatm ent in the series of articles on industrial recovery which also feature this Chemical E xposition N um ber.
T he whole is presented as timely evidence th at chemical engineering can and will carry on its steady progress to w ard even g reater achievem ent.
The CHEMICAL SHOW
M O S T M E N have difficulty in v isualizing th a t w hich they have n ev er e x perienced. H en ce th e re is the n a tu ra l d esire to see, to com pare an d ap p raise— in sh o rt, actually to e x p e ri
ence. E d u catio n th ro u g h the eye is alw ays th e m ost effective. W h a t we see is m ore likely to stick w ith us than w h at w e read o r hear.
T h is is, of course, p rim arily th e appeal o f the in d u stria l exhibit o r exp o sitio n and doubtless accounts fo r its p o p u larity in so m any fields of h u m an activ
ity. B u t it seem s to us th a t the Chem ical E x p o sitio n carries experience a step f u r th er. I t adds th e fa c to r of im ag in atio n in p o rtra y in g th e tre n d s in th e rap id ly ch an g ing course o f chem ical en g in eerin g p ro g ress.
I t is a real look into th e fu tu re .
T N T H E E A R L Y days o f th e Chem ical X Show every effo rt w as m ade to a ttra c t and capitalize th e in te re st o f th e laym an.
T h e chem ical in d u stry w as ju s t developing in this c o u n try and sorely needed th e finan
cial an d m o ra l su p p o rt o f th e g en eral p u b lic. B u t as those objectives w ere g rad u ally attain ed , em phasis s h ifte d to a less n u m e r
ous b u t m ore atten tiv e audience o f technical m en. T o them the E x p o sitio n becam e a p a rt of th e ir v ery livelihood. I t d ealt w ith im provem ents in p ro d u ctio n m ethods and m achinery in w hich they h ad a v ital in terest.
I t gave th em the o p p o rtu n ity to becom e ac
qu ain ted n o t only w ith th e new tools of in d u stry b u t w ith the m en responsible fo r their developm ent an d im provem ent.
I t is this close relatio n sh ip betw een the chem ical eng in eer and th e eq uipm ent m a n u fa c tu re r th a t th e Chem ical Show can do m ost to prom ote. F o r m any reaso n s th ese tw o com plem entary fa c to rs should w o rk in h ap p y accord, w ith fu ll recognition o f th e special-
ized ability an d responsibilities of each. T h e chem ical engineer in th e p la n t m ay know m ore about his m a n u fa c tu rin g process as a whole th a n anyone else, yet it is probable th a t he know s less about each individual step o r operation th a n th e equipm ent m a n u fa c tu re r w ho has applied him self specifically to these p artic u la r problem s. A n d th e re is also a reciprocal value to the m a n u fa c tu re r not necessarily m easu red in te rm s o f o rd e rs o r inquiries, b u t in a b e tte r u n d e rsta n d in g o f the w ays in w hich his equipm ent o r m a terial can be of g re a te r service to in d u stry .
W
H E N the F o u rte e n th N atio n al E x p o sition of th e C hem ical In d u strie s opens its doors a t th e G ran d C en tral P alace in N ew Y o rk on Dec. 4 it will have behind it alm ost tw en ty y ears of distin g u ish ed s e rvice. D u rin g th a t tim e it has played a p ro m in en t p a rt in th e solution o f m an y of the problem s th a t have th reaten ed the p ro g ress of the A m erican chem ical in d u stry and pro fessio n . N ow , it com es again a t a p a r ticu larly ap p ro p ria te tim e. C hem ical in d u s
try , along w ith all o ther, is slow ly em erging fro m th e g re a te st stru g g le in its h istory.
T h e need fo r th e physical tools fo r fu rth e r p ro g ress w as n ev er m ore u rg e n t. Chemical engineers w ho m u st c a rry a heavy b u rd e n in advancing th e process o f in d u stria l recovery will find m uch of help an d en couragem ent in the exhibits of m o d ern equipm ent fo r in
creasing efficiency and red u cin g cost. T h e tw o an d a h alf y ears since th e la st Chem ical E x p o sitio n have been p a rticu larly fru itfu l fro m th e sta n d p o in t of new processes and new designs fo r im proved equipm ent. T h e n e x t tw o y ears will be even m ore fru itfu l fo r chem ical in d u strie s if
these advances in technology c a n b e p ro m p tly an d effec
tively tra n sla te d into profitable operatio n s in m o d e r n plants.
562 Chem ical & M etallurgical E ngineering — V ol.40 ,N o.ll
J O H N V A N N O ST R A N D DORR, Chairman
P re sid e n t, The D o rr C o m p an y , Inc.
C H A R LE S E. A D A M S
P re sid e n t, A ir R eduction C o m pany
C H A R L E S BELKNAP
P re sid e n t, M e rrim a c C hem ical C o m p an y
HARRY A . CURTIS
C h ie f C h em ical E n g in eer, T ennessee V alley A u th o rity .
ARTHUR D. LITTLE
C on su ltin g C hem ical E n g in eer
ALBERT E. M A R SH A LL
C o n su ltin g C hem ical E n g in eer
WALTER A . SCHMIDT
P re sid e n t, W e ste rn P re c ip ita tio n C o m pany . M . C . W H I T A K E R V ice-P res., A m erican C y o n a m id C o m p an y
ALFRED H. W H IT E
P ro fe s s o r o f C h em ical E n g in eerin g , U niversity o f M ich ig an
T
JL HIS FIRST A W A R D for chem ical engineering ach ievem ent to be given to a co m p a n y ra th e r th a n to a n in d iv id u a l w as p la n n e d as a recognition of grou p effort a n d a tta in m e n t. A s a n n o u n c e d in C h em : Sc M e l. in M a y , 1933, it w as to be a w a r d e d to th e co m p an y in the process industries th a t th roug h th e effective use of chcm ical engineering in a n y phase of its a c tiv ity h as c o n trib u te d th e m ost to the in d u stry a n d profession since J a n u a r y , 1930. A c c o rd in g ly the ^depression ach iev em ents^of m ore th a n tw e n ty com panies w ere carefu lly stu d ie d b y a distinguished C o m m itte e of A w a r d a n d o n ly a fte r the com p etitio n h a d n a rro w e d to th ree o u tsta n d in g groups w as th e highest ratin g given to th e C a rb id e & C a rb o n C hem icals C o r
p o ra tio n . A s its m a jo r ach iev em en t in the building of a g re a t synthetic a lip h a tic chem icals in d u stry is described by w o rd a n d picture in the follow ing pages, th e re a d e r is co n stan tly rem in d ed of th e p u rely chem ical engineering n a tu re of this enterprise.
From th e o u tset it has been p la n n e d , o p e ra te d , a n d m a n a g e d by m en w h o in fact if n o t in n am e a rc chcm ical engineers. It is a w o rth y exam ple of the best t h a t th e profession has co n trib u te d to th e a d v a n c e of A m e ric a n industry.
Sidney D. K irkpatrick, Secretary Committee o f A w ard.
J h €
(O M M IT T C G O F
A
w ardV ^ y Y N T H E T I C aliphatics arc now a significant p art of American chemical industry. Laboratory curiosities have bccome tonnage and tank car chemicals. E ntirely new products not previously known even to the organic special
ist are being synthesized commercially. N a tu ra l hydro
carbons are retailored to fit each industry’s w ants. Com pounds of predeterm ined properties are custom -built to user specifications. A ll these achievements are properly credited to the past decade of development by C arbide &
Carbon Chemicals C orporation. A nd much of the achieve
m ent has culm inated during the depression period in new compounds, new uses, and new service to industry.
T o have a complete picture of the effort which culm inat
ed in 1920 w ith the organization of the Carbide & Carbon Chemicals C orporation one m ust go back into pre-w ar days to the researches of D r. G eorge O . C urm e, J r . at the M e l
lon Institute, conducted for and in cooperation w ith some of the companies which later became units of the U nion C arbide and C arbon C orporation.
T h is new subsidiary has in the subsequent twelve years of progress, become widely recognized and favorably re
garded throughout American chemical industry. I t now affords a list of synthetic aliphatic chemicals unrivaled in num ber o r usefulness and m anufactured on a scale un
equalled elsewhere in the w orld.
A lm ost from the sta rt this company has asked itself sim ul
taneously tw o questions: (1 ) W h a t can we make from these m aterials? (2 ) W h a t can we sell, if we should make it?
T w o separate research organizations have been engaged continuously in the answ ering of these questions. T h e one, extending from the fundam ental organic chemical research laboratory through the group engaged in equipment design,
Chem ical & M etallurgical Engineering
4 € M I C A L n o r e a i n G
BUILDS A
S y n t h e t ic
has investigated the possibilities of m anufacturing new de
rivatives from the hydrocarbon raw m aterials utilized. T h e other group, approaching the problem very differently, has consistently tried to determ ine the needs of user industries measured either in term s of specific chemicals o r of new combinations of properties of chemicals. A nd often the an
sw er to the questions of this la tter group has been merely a definition of w anted properties w ith o u t initial knowledge as to w hat the composition or structure of the compound m ight be.
A highly skilled, thoroughly scientific managem ent has consistently blended together the results of the two groups into a practical plant making m arketable products w ith properties desired by the customer. Every officer of the Corporation is himself a technical man, alm ost all chemical engineers in experience if not originally so trained. A n outstanding result of this technical leadership has been the placing of fundam ental research in intim ate association w ith the operating plant, w ith o u t loss o f the research objective.
T h u s chemistry was taken to Clendenin, W . Va. in 1920, the point of its application. T h e re research was done along side of engineering development and production. Chemical engineering economics of the plant thus were ever present, a stim ulating as w ell as a guiding influence on the investi
gators. T h e result was highly successful chemical engineer
ing of the broadest type, a full justification of the novel managem ent policy.
D e s ig n and erection of plants, together w ith the elimi
nation of initial difficulties and the assuaging of grow ing pains, have been much easier throughout because of the intimacy of association maintained between research and operating staffs. O ftentim es the chemical engineer respon
sible for early research results has continued w ith the pro
cesses until they w ere assured operating successes in the hands of the plant staff. A like independence from con
ventional thinking has been achieved in the straight engi
neering work. H ere, too, thoroughly grounded chemical engineers have been in charge. T h ey have had available resources of great value in associated companies. I t is not strange, therefore, to find construction of all-welded type, as regularly preached by Linde, and a generous use of the most modern types of alloy steels, many of them products
N ovem ber, 1933 Vol.40,No.ll
A l i p h a t i c C h e m ic a l s I n d u s t r y
of fundam ental research in the affiliated Electro M etal
lurgical Co. However, at no time has mere promotion of coordinate developments interfered w ith sane chemical en
gineering judgm ent w ithin the Chemicals Corporation.
O fte n tim e s the developments of the new products have been the result of the desire to utilize existing byproducts of going operations. In other instances the desire for a more complete line of commodities to offer to customers has occasioned the development by new m anufacturing methods of compounds already widely available. B ut rarely has this type of duplication been as significant as was the really creative activity in virgin or relatively new fields.
Sales too were placed in the hands of highly trained chemists, men who are far more than salesmen. T h ey are as welcome in their customers’ offices as any consultant, for in fact they assume such advisory relationship w ith respect to the chemical and plant problems in which their new m aterials may be used. Developing new applications of advantage to the users is regarded as much their job, aided of course by the customers’ service research staff, as is the usual selling effort.
T h e full story of the decade from 1920 to 1929 is too long to recount here. I t suffices at the moment to sum
m arize the m ajor results of th at decade of effort. These results can be compactly pictured in a list of the twelve m ajor compounds which were being regularly marketed by 1929. T hese w ere:
E th y len e G ly co l C arbitol
C e llo so lv e B u tyl C arbitol
C e llo so lv e A ceta te E th y len e C hlorhydrin B u ty l C ello so lv e E th y len e D ich lo rid e M eth y l C e llo so lv e D ic h lo r E thyl Ether D ie th y le n e G ly co l T r ie th a n o la m in e
In contrast w ith the period four years ago, the Corpora
tion now offers a list of not one dozen, but approximately five dozen distinct chemical compounds. M ere cataloging of them is not interesting. B ut a consideration of how they have come into being, the service which they render to other industries, and the function which they serve, has wide im
portance for chemical engineers.
Am erican chemistry has long had available methanol, ethyl alcohol, ethyl ether, and acetone, but none of these products was made in America by synthetic methods until
C h em ica l e n g in e e r in g carries o n !
N ig h t and day o p e r a tio n e s
se n tia l in m o d e rn ch em ica ls p ro d u ctio n .
the outstanding difficulties. T h ey believed th a t the job could be done. A n abrupt change in business conditions occurred affecting the fu tu re of this project. I t was neces
sary to jum p almost w ithout notice from small-scale experi
m entation and drafting room plans immediately into p lan t construction. Confident of the well-balanced ability of its design and operating groups, the m anagem ent appropriated the needed funds, authorized the immediate beginning of construction, and told their sales force to get busy and create a customer clientele. Few process industry m anage
ments have ever dared more in a single sudden decision and few such decisions have proved as well justified.
T h e re are operating today in the w orld perhaps only tw o plants making ethyl alcohol by direct synthetic m eth
ods. O ne of these is a tiny plant operating in northern France. T h e other is the C arbide & C arbon Chemicals p lan t at South Charleston, capable of m aking as it stands perhaps 10 per cent of the country’s requirem ents of ethyl alcohol. I t produces this product by a process never before used on a commercial scale in the U nited States. T h e product is of outstanding purity, and reputed to be of rela
lately. In some cases the result was not only new supply but also supplies at new lower prices. A nd in all cases price stability, resulting from the enlarged synthetic sup
plies, has facilitated building of new m arkets and expand
ing old ones in which price variations have been a handicap.
W ith respect to three of the four compounds, th a t is all except m ethanol, the C arbide organization pioneered. And the methods which th at group has used for m ethanol are quite distinct because of the novelty of the raw m aterials employed. A m ajor motive in developing each of these four compounds by the company was to provide a complete line of organic solvents of the aliphatic series, thus ensuring the opportunity to render a full service to customer indus
tries. B ut other motives were often even more compelling.
A c e to n e , for m any years a product of destructive distil
lation of calcium acetate, is utilized on a large scale as an absorbent for acetylene by another C arbide subsidiary.
From time to time the high price or short supply of acetate from wood distillation occasioned large and sudden changes in the m arket price of acetone. Ferm entation supplies were offered w ith like irregularity. T h e result was a burden on the purchaser too great to go unnoticed. T h e question was obvious— “ C annot acetone be synthesized from some of the available hydrocarbon raw m aterials so th a t we may be at least assured of a stable price perhaps even a m ateri
ally lower price than the average of the p ast?” T h e Chem i
cals Corporation set out to answer this tw o-part question;
and the answer to each part was “Yes” .
Synthesis of methanol from carbon monoxide and hydro
gen was not first done even in Am erica by the C arbide or
ganization. B ut th at group was the first to utilize as its raw m aterial a byproduct furnace gas, essentially pure car
bon monoxide from the furnaces of an affiliated company.
P a rt of this carbon monoxide by catalyzed reaction w ith steam furnished hydrogen for the m ixture to be synthe
sized. T h e byproduct carbon dioxide became a m ajor source of dry ice for the solid carbon dioxide industry. T h e synthetic m ethanol, w ith th a t made by contemporaries using somewhat sim ilar processes, now dominates the American m arket, supplying at times over 80 per cent of the total requirem ent for reagent, solvent, anti-freeze, and other industrial uses. W ith o u t it much of the present use of m ethanol would be impossible as wood distillation today fa r from suffices to supply active demands. And the syn
thetic product is, of course, of much higher purity, hence better suited to many of the applications.
A significant feature of the C arbide m anagem ent can be noted in the m ethanol development. T h e Chemicals C orporation and its affiliate, Electro M etallurgical Co., had long been investigating these questions. T h ey under
stood the basic science involved. T h ey recognized clearly
Island o f L igh t in the G reat K anaw ha at South C harleston, W e s t V irg in ia .
N ovem ber, 1933 ■— Chem ical & M etallurgical Engineering
is more logical than to have ether as one of the solvents offered to the customer along w ith the other widely used aliphatic solvents of wide-spread every day demand ? And this ethyl ether is today available at a new stabilized low price, independent of ethyl alcohol prices, and guaranteed consistently of extremely high purity. T h is availability even in tank-car lots of U S P specification quality gaye prospective users an assurance that large-scale extraction and processing systems needing ether could be undertaken w ithout risk of interrupted supply.
T h e solvent user, especially in the fields of colors, plas
tics, and lacquers, recognizes fine distinctions between closely related products. H e must have accurately con
trollable properties in his solvents, his thinners, his plasti- cizers, and in the other constituents of closely controlled complicated operation. Even such remote considerations as the atmospheric humidity at the time of use of the lacquers must be considered in the selection of some of the constituents. And scores of other like precautions impose heavy burdens on technical managements engaged in these types of m anufacture and marketing. T o these groups of users the availability of a m ultitude of new organic com
pounds, varying step by step from the simpler to the more complex, was a Godsend. I t became possible to prescribe wanted combinations of boiling range, dry point, odor, specific gravity, fluidity, and other physical characteristics.
L e t the would-be customer draw such a specification merely as to wanted properties and it became the job of the customers’ service laboratory to meet them. T h is meant th at the methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, and higher saturated alkyl esters were all in demand. N ot only acetates and butyrates were available; higher acid esters also could be used. T h ere were also more complex types to be consid
ered, the chlorhydrins and the define oxides.
T h e customer was not compelled to look in an elaborate catalog in the hope that he might find there the desired combination of properties. Instead he w rote them in a tively low cost even when compared w ith fermentation
alcohol made from cheap molasses.
T h e m anufacture of synthetic ethyl alcohol was a logical p art of the South Charleston development as a means for full utilization of the large quantities of ethylene which could be made at relatively low cost in the processes of hydrocarbon cracking practiced there. T h u s the making of the alcohol was almost equally inspired by the desire for a supply to be used by the company itself, a desire for a full line of solvents to offer the customer, and a desire for completely balanced utilization of hydrocarbons being made as the basic starting m aterial for the entire South Charleston chemical enterprise.
E thyl ether is made by this Corporation inevitably at one stage of its chemical processing. W h a t is more logical than th a t ether once available should be sold, rather than all re-processed into other chemicals? Furtherm ore, w hat
C H R O N O L O G Y O F P R O G R E S S In R u ild in g a S y n th e tic A lip h a tic C h e m ic a ls In d u stry
1925
. Su ccessfu l com m ercial production* o f C ello so lv e (eth y len e g ly co l m onoethyl e th e r ), ethane, eth ylen e, eth ylen e ch lorh yd rin (4 0 % ), eth ylen e d ich lo rid e, eth ylen e g ly co l, isobutane, m ethane, propane, P y ro fa x .1927
. C e llo so lv e acetate first announced.1928
. B utane, C arbitol (d ie th y le n e g ly co l m onoethyl e th e r ), b utyl C arbitol (d ie th y le n e g ly c o l m onobutyl e th e r ), b utyl C e llo so lv e (eth y len e g ly c o l m onobutyl e th e r ), d ieth y len e g ly co l, tri- eth an olam in e.1929
. A ceton e, b utylene, carbon d io x id e, d ich loreth yl ether, d ioxan , eth ylen e o x id e, isopropanol, m ethyl C ello so lv e , propylene, v in y l ch lorid e.1930
. C arb oxid e, ethyl alcohol, eth yl ether, isopropyl ether, m eth yl alcoh ol, V in y lite resins.1931
. B u tyl acetate, b utyl alcohol, b u tyrald eh yd e, "propylene ch lorh yd rin , propylene d ich lo rid e, p rop ylen e g ly c o l, propylene oxid e.1932
. A ceto a ceta n ilid , d ieth yl su lp h ate, d ieth a n o la m in e, m ono- eth anolam in e, eth yl acetate, ethyl acetoacetate, m eth yl acetate.1933
. A cetic an h yd ride, b u tyric acid , dip rop yl ketone, eth ylen e ch lorhydrin (a n h y d r o u s), isopropyl acetate, m eth yl am yl alcohol, m eth yl am yl acetate, m ethyl isobutyl ketone.* Precise dates for com m ercial production cannot alw a y s be indicated, as oftentim es developm ent w as progressive from the test rube, through large glass apparatus, to sem i-w orks scale, to drum lots or tank car by grad u al steps.
T h e dates g iv en above, therefore, indicate on ly the approxim ate tim e at w hich com m ercial culm ination of developm ent had been reached w ith respect to the various chem icals or groups o f chem icals.
letter saying, “ Please send me a can of something th a t will behave thus.” N o t always by re tu rn mail, but most often quite promptly, it would come back not merely a chemical description of the w anted compound, but also a sample for test to determine the usefulness. A significant p art of the whole nitrocellulose-plastic industry was based on the avail
ability of compounds of these m anifold types. A nd several other less obviously chemical enterprises depend on the several new series of aliphatics.
W ith the availability of each new compound there, of course, came the question “ H o w much can we sell? And w here?” A study of this problem also was a job for the customers’ research group aided by the central sales m an
agement. And throughout the entire staff was the expe
rienced chemist and competent chemical engineer who worked on the problem. N o selling merely to make a sale sufficed. T h e selling had to render a real service on which perm anently good trade relations m ight be built. N atu rally there have been relatively few occasions for backing up and reconsidering when this spirit of sincere cooperation has prevailed between producer and user. O ne such instance seems w orthy of note, however, for it emphasizes a m atter of public interest.
A num ber of years ago the research laboratory developed a product th at m ight be substituted for ethyl alcohol in the m aking of flavors, extracts, essences, and the like. I t was christened “ Flavorol.” I t seemed to have all the desirable properties and was an exceedingly good solvent. B ut m ar
keting was not allowed to begin at once. T h e m anagement knew this product was to go into m any cosmetics, phar
maceuticals, or even foods. Its physiological properties were
E vaporation. C hem ical en g in eerin g u n it o p era tio n com m on to so m any ch em ical processes.
investigated by the Corporation w ith the use of thoroughly competent toxicologists and physiological chemists engaged specifically for this purpose. T h e result must have been something of a shock to the management. T h e product was-, so good a solvent th at it dissolved m aterial from the stom
ach and intestinal linings undesirably. No attem pt was ever made to m arket the product for these uses. T h ere was no hubbub of official control.
“ F lavorol” seemed doomed to suffer untimely demise.
B ut a compound of these valuable properties certainly ought to be useful, so the research executives reasoned.
T h e y tried it out in new fields, where internal consumption is not contemplated and the degree of toxicity noted is no greater than th at of other accepted chemicals. I t became necessary to re-christen the child of the laboratories. And u nder its new name, it is today widely known as “ Cello
solve.” I t is the most potent and widely used of the cellulose nitrate solvents, a necessity for modern plastic m aking in many of its subdivisions. Research, seemingly unsuccessful, by more research has become a tremendous success.
In a num ber of cases quite novel applications of new synthetics have been suggested. I t was discovered, for example, th a t the dorm ant period of bulbs and seeds could be m aterially changed and the rate of sprouting controlled by the use of certain of the new derivatives. Ethylene chlorhydrin, ethyl dichloride, and a number of other ethyl
ene derivatives were shown to have significant influence, indicating a new type of biochemical control of potential importance to the commercial greenhouse, perhaps even to the farm er.
Chemical & M etallurgical Engineering
Industrial applications of importance included the mak
ing of nit'roglvcols for dynamites which retained their sensi
tivity at temperatures much lower than are safe for use w ith glycerine dynamites. A large new area of effective and safe use was therefore opened. For permissible explo
sives to be used in coal mining, other Carbide products have proved their w orth. Electrical condenser manufac
ture now frequently depends upon glycol pastes made from ethylene glycol for results not hitherto obtainable. And the justly famous Ethyl gasoline depends as much on ethylene dichloride for producing the anti-knock fluid as it does on the bromide, although the latter has usually been the chemical in the spotlight.
For selective solvent treatm ent of lubricating oils, di- chlorethyl ether, under the trade name Chlorex, has enabled the making of a new sludge-free type of auto
motive lubricant. T h is was sold first as “ Isovis-D” , a product of Standard O il Co. (In d ia n a ). In numerous other fields the selective solvent properties have contributed m aterially to new or improved product development.
Industrial fumigation has become an increasingly impor
tan t art as food m anufacture has passed from a simple kitchen industry to the large-scale plant. Ethylene oxide,
jHl’.n u* **■ iti f.BF. I * la"
I1**1.-1 ! t l H I ! i l l B ‘ S. S * ‘ -M r-
used alone in a concentration of about one pound, per thou
sand cu.ft. of storage space, will at ordinary tem peratures destroy such insects as weevils, beetles, moths, even includ
ing the housewife’s perennial enemy, the clothes moth.
N ot a few industrial developments have become possible w ith the present supplies of pure hydrocarbons available from the Carbide organization. O ne may now secure from th at group methane, ethane, propane, butane, and many of the higher derivatives in almost 100 per cent purity. An equally interesting group is provided in the supply of ethyl
ene, propylene, and their longer-chained unsaturated rela
tives. Industrially the greatest of these developments so far has been Pyrofax. T h is was a pioneer bottled hydrocarbon among the liquefiable hydrocarbon fuel gases for household use beyond the city gas mains. H ere a large measure of the success has come from the C orporation’s long experience and chemical engineering skill in the handling of liquefiable gases during storage, transportation and use.
Very recent developments of this organization have been no less interesting and are no less promising than their predecessors. Butyl alcohol and butyl acetate, among the outstanding contributions of 1932, now find a close rela
tive, butyric acid, in the commercial family. Because of its commercial availability in a pure form, tw o possibilities are
suggested, of cellulose butyrate for plastic use and of ethyl butyrate as a flavor. In this field, of course, these butyl derivatives supplement, and in some cases supplant, be
cause of high purity, like chemicals previously made by ferm entation. .
T h e desire for other ketone-type solvents has been rec
ognized for sometime. Very recently there have been an
nounced Hexone, m ethyl isobutyl ketone, and butyrone, dipropyl ketone. T hese are tw o of the new group of medium-boiling solvents made available in tank-car quan
tities. Hexone is a good solvent for gums and resins and has high blush resistance. Because of this solvent power, its dilution ratio appears distinctly higher than earlier com
pounds, making possible lacquers of higher nitrocellulose content w ithout increasing viscosity.
A like development has gone on in the field of alcohols and aldehydes, derivatives of multi-carbon hydrocarbons.
N ew octyl compounds are soon to be offered. These deriva
tives w ill be 2ethyl-hexanol and the corresponding 2cthyl- hexanal. I f there be need for the like derivatives of the other higher hydrocarbons, either of the saturated or un
saturated series, seemingly they can be made on demand.
Possibly the newest spectacular development of this group has been in the field of the V inylite resins. As an evidence of the real commercial possibility in this direction, visitors at A C entury of Progress in Chicago saw an entire bungalow w ith floors, w all finish, even the complete trim and doors, made of this interesting new plastic resin. A d
m ittedly, not all of these products are fully commercialized as yet. But it is evident th at they can be so made.
T h e resins, which result from polymerization of vinyl compounds, have been known for many years. But com
mercial development has awaited production of resins w ith the appropriate physical properties. W h en pure these resins are colorless, odorless, tasteless, transparent, and non-flam- mable therm oplastics; but they may be colored w ith dyes or pigments and given any degree of opacity by incorpora
tion of fillers. M odified w ith appropriate plasticizers, they can be molded, sheeted, extruded, and otherwise shaped at w ill. T hey are highly resistant chemically to all acids, except glacial acetic and phenol, and to all alkalis. T hey are, of course, susceptible to therm al attack, as they retain their thermoplastic property after forming.
A
wide variety of applications has already been demonstrated. Some of them are suitable for dentures; others have been used for large cast pieces weighing as much as 150 lb. and as large as 2 1/ 2 by 8 ft. in surface area. T h e resins dissolved in ketonic. solvents arc used to impregnate porous media, such as paper or textiles, which after drying m ay then be applied by hot pressing for surfacing of various objects. T hey may form the basis of lacquers, in which no cellulose ester o r other resin is necessary, and will spread as a tough, stable, chemically resistant, protective coating. A t present limited applications are being made commercially w ith the restricted supplies already available. L arger usage is under consideration, always of course w ith the economic as well as the chemical aspects clearly in mind.
C a r b id e 's n e w r e s e a r c h and d e v e lo p m e n ta l la b o ra
to ries.
A n E D I T O R I A L
T h e C a s e f o r
M O D E R N IZ A T IO N
„N T H E M I D S T o f the fren zied economics o f 1933, the w o rk o f gen eratio n s is being com pressed into a few sh o rt m onths in an a tte m p t to set a rig h t the ills th a t afflict society. W ith m any o f the recognized p riu - ciples failin g us, to d ay ’s dem and is fo r ex p erim en t and fo r side trip s along u n fa m ilia r paths. I t is h ard ly s u r
p rising, th e re fo re , th a t the obvious— th ough fallacious
— solution fo r the problem o f p u ttin g people back to w o rk should be to declare a holiday on m echanization.
If m achines create unem ploym ent ban them , o r a t least c a rry th e ir efficiency no f a r th e r : so the re fra in goes.
E v e n c e rtain officials of N R A fell into the p it of standstillism in the earlier days of the N ew Deal, but, fo rtu n ately , this so rt of th in k in g is no longer in fav o r in W a sh in g to n . In fact, th e R ecovery A d m in istratio n is now m arsh allin g its forces fo r a d rive to accelerate the purch ase of so-called durab le o r capital goods.
P o in tin g o u t th a t this has been a capital-goods d ep res
sion ; th a t em ploym ent in these in d u stries fell som e 59 p er cent fro m 1929 to 1932 and w ages, 72 p e r c e n t; and th a t fo r every capital-goods w o rk er re tu rn e d to the payroll, th re e w o rk ers in o th e r in d u stries can be re em ployed, the N R A is now p u ttin g the rehabilitation o f the capital-goods in d u stries up to the natio n as a p atrio tic duty.
B U T th ere is m ore th an patrio tism involved in the m odernization w hich is the o th er side of the capital- goods reh ab ilitatio n p ictu re. T h e re is increased re tu rn fo r the users of capital goods. T h e re is life fo r the c o n stru ctio n in d u stries and fo r the builders o f the tools o f production. O n the one h an d revived activity in this field will m ean th a t the w ages earn ed by capital-goods em ployees will re tu rn to the avenues of consum ption th ro u g h pu rch ase of consum er goods. O n the other h and it will m ean th a t p ro d u cers w hose costs have been increased by the codes can recover a p a rt, perhaps all of the increase, th ro u g h g re a te r production efficiency.
I f th ere is any one m eans of p u ttin g the system into
balance again, th a t m eans is surely the one of re- em ploying those people who now m ust depend fo r sub
sistence on the donations— direct or th ro u g h taxes— of others. A s long as incomes m ust so largely be shared w ithout equivalent production, th ere is not the faintest hope of a d ju stm en t to norm al conditions.
N
E V E R T H E L E S S , u n d er the N ew Deal, it is g en erally supposed to be anathem a to talk o f labor saving. I n creased efficiency is all very well, but “labor saving,” no.
T h is inconsistency, o f course, has no economic ju stifi
cation, b u t it has plenty o f adherents. T h ere have been code-m akers, fo r exam ple, who attem pted to w rite standstill agreem ents into th eir rules of fa ir play, ban
ning the installation of new m achinery; n o t alone new capacity, b u t also replacem ents. T h e theory w as not so m uch th a t em ploym ent would be created thereby, but th a t capital w ould be saved. W h a t these code-m akers fo rg o t w as th a t it is not savings but m oney in circula
tion th a t creates s a le s ; and th at the perpetuation of high cost in one in d u stry m eans increased com petition from an o th er and a low ering o f living standards and of purchasing pow er th a t can by no m eans benefit the laggards.
F ro m the view point of a single industry, then, failure to m odernize m eans the standardization of high cost and low consum ption. F ro m the standpoint of society the result is identical, but being all inclusive is even m ore disastrous. G ran tin g th a t the im m ediate effect of m odernization in an in d u stry m ay be some tem porary decrease in em ploym ent in th a t industry, it is nev erth e
less tru e that in the past the ultim ate effect has generally been the rev erse; fo r w ith decreasing prices, an increas
ing dem and has-been found to exist fo r m ost com m odi
ties. C onsum ption is inherent in production, as effect and c a u s e ; fo r it creates its own purchasing power.
F u rth erm o re, except in the case of certain com m odi
ties, such as food, the theory of lim ited dem and becomes untenable to anyone who will stop to consider w hether
N ovem ber, 1933 — Chem ical & M etallurgical Engineering 571
tw o p a irs o f shoes or one overcoat co n stitu tes the lim it of his p erso n al capacity to consum e.
T h u s it is evident th a t th e p re se rv a tio n o f inefficiency benefits n o b o d y : certainly n o t society, fo r it has few er goods fo r its use th a n it m ight have. C ertain ly n o t in d u stry , fo r in m aking' few er goods th an it m ight, it can re ta in th e value equivalent o f few er as its profit.
C ertain ly n o t th e consum er, fo r he loses bo th com ing a n d g o in g : on the one h and as a pro d u cer, on th e o ther as a m em ber o f society.
W ith o u t a ttem p tin g to belabor the issue, w e a re p e r
haps ju stified in one fu rth e r d em o n stratio n o f th is all- im p o rta n t principle o f th e need fo r continuous m o d ern i
zation. In the m aze of m oney, credit, debt, exchange, gold sta n d a rd s and w hat-not, w ith w hich we have clu t
te re d o u r fu n d am en tal aim s, it is easy to lose sight o f the basic sim plicity of hum an activities. A t bottom , we a re concerned w ith b u t tw o econom ic p u rsu its : th e p ro duction and consum ption o f goods and of services. T h e la tte r a re clearly su b sid iary , to be paid fo r in large p a rt by the fo rm e r, f o r p ro d u ctio n supplies subsistence.
I t follow s, then, th a t p ro sp e rity consists in th e p ro duction and consum ption of relatively large quantities o f goods and services and th a t h ig h er sta n d a rd s of living hinge on the ability so to produce an d consum e, w ith am ple leisu re fo r th e la tte r process. A s a second corollary, it is a p p a re n t th a t a p rereq u isite to p ro sp erity is increased p ro d u ctio n efficiency, w hereby m a n u fa c tu re becom es so pro d u ctiv e th a t few er p ro d u cers are needed and m ore goods a re available fo r th e paym ent of services. M ore goods, m ore services, sh o rte r w o rk ing h o u rs, m o re le isu re : these a re th e in g red ien ts from w hich h ig h er sta n d a rd s are com pounded. T h e process is capable of alm ost endless expansion, lim ited only by the econom ic ra te a t w hich irreplaceable raw m aterials should be consum ed.
B u t to come back to e a rth fro m cosm ic g en eralities, let us forestall a h oary a rg u m e n t th a t is o fte n ad v an ced by the " sta tu s quotians.” I t is ad m itted h e re an d now th a t the m odernization of all u n its in an y b ra n c h o f in d u stry w ould be of d irect benefit to n one o f th e p a r
ticipants except in so fa r as th e benefits w ere reflected back fro m society in la rg e r consum ption. I t is g ra n te d th a t com petitive advantages w ould be lost an d th a t som e uneconom ic replacem ent w ould doubtless tak e place.
B ut such a situ atio n is n o t a fa c to r in a c tu a lity : it is too m uch to hope th a t th e re w ould be no lag g ard s. C e r
tain units, in the schem e o f th in g s, are b o und to be progressive, o th ers not. T h e econom ist’s “m a rg in a l”
producer is alw ays w ith us an d it is because o f him th a t larg er th an average re w ard s a re w aitin g f o r th o se who are far-sig h ted enough to see w h erein th e ir in te re st lies.
A n d there are o th er concrete p h rases in this business of gettin g ready fo r the recovery. O n e is the fa c t th a t price, as the criterio n o f com petition, has been d e em phasized. Q uality, as th e chief rem ain in g variable, has come to the fo re. Q u ality m eans h ig h e r efficiency in plant and equipm ent, im provem ent in th e m ethods of m anagem ent and in personnel. H o w a re w e g o in g to go a fte r these things in the face of d ep ressio n -scarred exchequers? H o w shall w e know w hen and w here m odernization is ju stified ? H o w im prove p lan t, p o w e r services, in stru m en ts, equipm ent, d istrib u tio n a n d fac
tual tools? T h e p ro g ram is enorm ous, the pages th a t follow m erely a sta rt, b u t if th ey accom plish one th in g , they will have served th e ir p u rp o se : to d riv e hom e th e single o u tstan d in g fact in in d u stria l recovery, th a t m odernization and m odernization alone can a n sw er the dem ands fo r low er costs and h ig h er qu ality th a t ex ist today a fte r fo u r lean years of fam ine.
W H A T A B O U T T H I S P R O C E S S ? N e v e r h a s t h e r e b e e n a t i m e i c h e n m o r e d e p e n d e d o n t h e c o n t i n u i n g a d v a n c e o f c h e m i c a l e n g i n e e r i n g t e c h n o l o g y ! A'cic p r o c e s s e s , n e w p r o d u c t s , n e w m a r k e t s a r c t h e o r d e r o f t h e d a y . T h e r e i s n ’t a p l a c e in y o u r p l a n t t h a t y o u c a n a f f o r d t o o v e r l o o k in y o u r m o d e r n i z a t i o n p r o g r a m .
r
572 Chem ical & M etallurgical E n gin eerin g— V o l.4 0,N o.ll
By L. C. MORROW
E d ito r , F a c to r y M a n a g e m e n t a n d M a in te n a n c e
M A N A G E M E N T N o w F a c e s N e w R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s
. j R : E C O V E R Y m eans th a t people a re g o in g to w o rk again. B u t th e y are n o t ju s t picking u p w h ere th e y le ft off, each p e rso n in his old jo b , an d th ey are g o in g to w o rk u n d e r q u ite d iffe re n t conditions. So m an ag em en t has new problem s to solve in p re p a rin g , o rg an izin g , an d d irectin g th e efforts o f these people.
E m p lo y ee tra in in g is a problem . P eo p le m u st know how to w o rk efficiently to e a rn th e ir h ig h er pay. U su ally it is b est th a t th ey be tau g h t. F e w people a re good te a c h e rs ; those few m u st be selected fro m th e fo u n d a tio n perso n n el by m anagem ent.
K n o w in g how to w o rk efficiently, th e em ployee m u st be d irected in th e application o f his know ledge. T h e re m u st be som eone to su p erv ise him — su p erv iso r, fo re m an, g a n g boss, stra w boss, leader. I n itself, th e selec
tio n of th e fo rces o f supervision, th e m in o r executives, is a jo b f o r m anagem ent. T h e n u m b er o f people in cluded in th is categ o ry is g ro w in g . F o u r 6 -h o u r sh ifts re q u ire m o re m in o r executives th a n do th re e 8-hour, o r tw o 12-hour sh ifts. I t is u su al p ractice to pro m o te fro m the ra n k s— a trem en d o u s good-w ill builder.
F ro m the m om ent he rin g s in on th e first day the em ployee m u st be paid. F irs t, th e le arn in g w a g e ; how lo n g shall th e tra in in g p eriod b e ? T h e n th e m inim um w a g e ; th at, o f course, is fixed. B u t if he is to advance to a jo b o f skill? A n d w hen he does, how m uch to p ay h im ? W h a t to p ay th e m an o f experience w ho com es in as a skilled w o rk e r? W h a t d ifferen tials to m a in ta in ? H o w re g u la te incentive, bonus, a n d piece ra te s in th e in te re st of labor costs co n sisten t w ith com petitive p o si
tion in selling th e p ro d u c t? P a y in g th e w o rk e r is, indeed, one of m an ag em en t’s problem s.
O f co u rse th e w o rk m u st be d o n e in safety . G reen h an d s a re b ig risk s. So a re people w ho have n o t w orked fo r a long tim e, even th o u g h th e y have been well fed.
B u t if u n d e rn o u ris h e d 'o r in p o o r health, th ey a re a still b igger risk. A ccidents, illness, absenteeism a re co stly ; th e ir p rev en tio n is a problem o f m anagem ent.
A ttitu d e cuts m uch ice. A m an m ay re se n t a m achine
all th e tim e he operates it, th in k in g about how m any m o re m en w ould be w o rk in g if it w e re n ’t in existence.
S illy to th in k th a t w a y ; m aybe som e w ell-directed ed u cational w o rk w ould set him straig h t. M an ag em en t’s p roblem to show him it’s th e m achine rthat pays th e w age.
A p a rt o f th e educational p ro g ra m should be a defi
nite a tte m p t to show th e w o rk e r th a t successful selling begins in th e p lan t— w ith him . M an y tim es he can p u t in o r leave o u t q u a lity ; he can ru n up u n necessary lab o r cost, w aste m aterial, d ep reciate e q u ip m e n t; fail to con
trib u te his sh a re to w a rd sh o rt-cu ts in m an u factu re.
L ikew ise he m ay be caused to u n d e rsta n d th a t his real com petition ex ists— n o t in the m an ag em en t o f his plant, o r in his fellow w o rk e rs— b u t in w o rk e rs like him self in com petitive p lants. I f those o th er w o rk m en do p u t in th e quality, do keep the costs dow n, th e ir p la n t is in a b e tte r com petitive position, has a b e tte r chance o f m ain
tain in g jobs. I n sh o rt, an y w o rk e r g iv in g less th a n his b est to his em ployer is p laying into th e h an d s o f h is em p lo y er’s com petitor.
T h e a m o u n t of w o rk th a t an em ployee can do in a given u n it o f tim e depends p a rtly upon his ow n effo rts, b u t also p a rtly up o n th e tools provided f o r him and th e po sitio n in g o f those tools. O rd in a rily the boss can see th a t his m en keep up to speed, and th a t th ey e x e rt th e co rrect am o u n t o f physical stre n g th . B u t, unless spe
cially tra in ed , th e bosses are n o t likely to know all th a t can be done to elim inate lost m otion. M an ag em en t can tra in th e boss by supplying such tools as tim e-an d - m otion stu d y an d process charts. T h e ir p ro p er use will let n eith er the w o rk e r n o r th e p ro d u c t indulge in too m uch lost m otion or aim less w andering.
F o re m e n them selves a re a problem . T h e y a re close to th e w o rk ers, a re the m ost d ire c t influence in b rin g in g ab o u t th e new executive control req u ire d b y th e “ N ew D eal.” T h e y know w h a t th e to p ex ecutives have to know — th a t is, w h a t’s on th e w o rk e r’s m ind.
A s an individual the w o rk e r th in k s alo n g certain lines.
I f he becom es a u nion m an, h is th in k in g is likely to
N ovem ber, 1933 — C hem ical & M etallurgical E ngineering 573
ch an g e; it takes on th e characteristics o f the collective m ind. T o deal w ith th a t offers problem s all its ow n.
F o rem en m ust n o t be “ fo rg o tten m en ” as to eith er tra in in g o r salary.
W h e n m anagem ent know s w h a t’s on th e w o rk e r’s m ind, it know s w h eth er o r n o t he is satisfied as to hours, place o f w ork, heat, light, food, red tape, p a y ; how he feels ab o u t unions, piece rates, bonus. I f it is im p o rta n t fo r m anagem ent to know all th a t, it is also im p o rta n t th a t th e w o rk e r know w h a t’s on m an ag e
m en t’s m ind. W h a t is m anag em en t’s a ttitu d e to w a rd lab o r? Is it ru n n in g the business so th a t the w o rk e r is reasonably su re of his jo b ? Is it keeping a b re a st of co m petition? In sh o rt, is it fa ir and efficient? T h e W o rk s C ouncil has been know n to dissem inate th is in fo rm atio n s a tis fa c to rily ; so have com pany publications, o r house o rg a n s ; so have m ass m eetings, a t w hich th e top executive or som e rep resen tativ e lays th e card s on the table.
H o w m uch pay he can get is alw ays on th e w o rk e r’s m ind, w hich m eans th a t the sam e su b ject m u st be on m an ag em en t’s m ind. M inim um ra te s of pay cannot be m axim um rates. T h e re alw ays have been d ifferen tia ls in pay in p ro p o rtio n to skill req u ired . T h e closer w e come to elim inating these d ifferentials, th e m ore d isg ru n tle d th e skilled w o rk er becomes. T h e re already is d issatisfactio n in som e instances w h ere th e skilled m an has h ad a raise of only 5 o r 10 p e r cent ag ain st the unskilled raise o f 20 o r so.
U nskilled lab o r in itself offers difficulties. M in im u m rates m ay v ary in th e sam e tow n, even in th e sam e p lan t fo r th e unskilled lab o rer em ployed in d ifferen t in d u s
tries. T h is condition probably will re su lt in a settlin g dow n so th a t the least w o rth y , o r the least fo rtu n a te w ill g ra v ita te to th e ra n k s w ith low est pay. B u t, if th ere is a n y th in g like a sh o rtag e of unskilled labor in a com m u n ity it w ill ten d to fix th e h ig h est ra te in th a t com m u n ity as th e one rate. In th e sam e w ay, if tw o rates o f pay a re au th o rized in th e sam e plant, th e sam e te n dencies w ill prevail.
W H E N incentive system s a re used (u su ally in con
nection w ith skilled or sem i-skilled la b o r ) , good m a n a g e m ent will be carefu l. I f o p e ra to rs a re given task s on w hich th e rates are too low, they will sim ply tak e th in g s easy an d accept m inim um w age allow ances. I f ra te s are set too high, th e com pany pays u n earn ed bonuses, w hich is bad fo r n et profit.
I n all o f the problem s m entioned labor plays a p a rt.
T h ey a re th e m ost p ressing, a re intensified by th e new provisions u n d e r w hich in d u stry m u st op erate today.
T h e re a re o th er problem s in w hich lab o r has no p a rt.
C ost control is one of them . C odes te n d to m ake statistics obligatory. I f a p lan t becom es th e su b ject o f com plaint w ithin its ow n in d u stry , the b u rd e n o f p ro o f will be its ow n responsibility. I t is re p o rte d th a t m a n u fa c tu re rs upon w hom fines have been im posed fo r lack of code co n fo rm ity have learn ed th a t oral sta te m ents, u n su p p o rted by clear records, do n o t go. B e cause m o st codes declare ag ain st selling below cost, reco rd s o f cost, an d th e re fo re cost control, a re vital.
O f course th e control o f cost, a n d th e cost re c o rd in g system th a t m u st be a p a rt o f it, alw ays have been indispensable to the p lan t th a t know s w h ere it is g o in g ;
r n A R E C O V E R Y
374 H p
it ju s t happens th a t som e o f them failed to believe it w as so, got along som ehow , o ften by plain luck.
A n o th e r of m an ag em en t’s problem s is th e cost of pow er. A s o th er costs te n d to becom e fixed, th e im p o rtan ce o f any revisable costs increases. A n d the cost of pow er is revisable d o w n w ard in m any instances, both in g en eratio n an d tran sm issio n . In m ost p lan ts the cost of b uying o r m ak in g po w er an d ap plying it needs investigation. W h e th e r po w er is g en e ra te d or p urchased, th e u n it cost is n o t necessarily fixed. M an y p lan ts o p e ra tin g obsolete or inefficient g e n e ra tin g eq u ip m en t have fo u n d th a t costs could be lo w ered co n sid er
ably by b u y in g th e ir pow er. O th e rs have fo u n d th a t th ey could save m oney by g e n e ra tin g th e ir ow n.
C O M P A R A T I V E L Y few p lan t m en realize how m uch can som etim es be saved by stu d y of the co n tract w ith the pow er com pany to determ ine, first, w h eth er it is the m ost advan tag eo u s fo rm o f co n tract to w hich th ey are en titled and, second, how th ey can best m eet o r tak e ad v an tag e o f its provisions.
T h e re still rem ain s the im p o rta n t problem of utilizing electrical energy to tu r n the sh a fts o f p ro d u ctio n m a
chines. A t every step in th e process th e re a re m any o p p o rtu n ities fo r loss an d inefficient use of pow er.
Som e of th e losses a re electrical, as in tra n s fo rm e rs , d istrib u tio n lines, a n d m otors ; o th ers a re m echanical, in b earings an d tran sm issio n devices. T o g e th e r they o fte n account fo r a s u rp risin g p ro p o rtio n of th e to tal p o w er paid for.
In conclusion, som ething ab o u t equipm ent. M uch m e rit has been claim ed fo r a policy of fo reg o in g the installation, fo r a tim e a t any rate, o f labo r-sav in g equipm ent. I n m y opinion, such a policy will n o t hold w a te r. I f w e a re to h a lt o u r process of tra n s fe rrin g bu rd en s fro m the backs o f m en to m achines, w e are in consistent if we do not go fa rth e r, replace o u r m ost p ro d u ctiv e equipm ent by the least pro d u ctiv e w e can find, tra n sp o rt o u r m aterials by w heelbarrow , o r by ro ller and pinchbar, w rite o u r lette rs longhand.
N o , th e re can be n o q uestion of sto p p in g grow th.
A n y developm ent, any application th a t increases the p ro d u c t of an h o u r of labor is socially desirable. T h e problem is the control o f g ro w th , n o t its stoppage. It is a question th a t m an ag em en t will som e day solve.
Sim ply expressed, it m eans th a t o u r social system m u st eventually p ro v id e som e m eans o f seeing th e displaced w o rk er th ro u g h his p eriod o f tra n sitio n to o th er w ork.
I t is a p a rt of th e big problem o f “ secu rity ,” about w hich th ere is even now very definite concern.
In the m eantim e o rg an ized labor is len d in g its aid to labo r-sav in g equipm ent, first by aggressively a tte m p t
ing to ex p an d the dom ain o f organized labor, and sec
ond by seeking th e 30-hr. week. W h e n e v e r the 30-hr.
w eek becom es com m on practice, th e re will ex ist a boom tim e fo r engineers, in v en to rs, an d research m en. In the past, the sh u ttin g off of im m igration, and th e re duction o f m an pow er by tr a n s f e r fro m in d u stry to arm y, b ro u g h t ab o u t increased dem ands fo r labor-sav- ing equipm ent, co st-cu ttin g and sh o rt-c u ttin g m ethods.
T h e sam e th in g will h ap p en again, w h atev er the cause of a sh o rta g e o f labor. T h e lid will be tak en off technological developm ent, and m anagem ent will no longer have inhibitions.
Chem ical & M etallurgical E n gin eerin g— V ol.4 0,N o.ll
