Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-05
ENGINEERS URGED
To STUDY YMETHODS
Growth of Auto Industry Demands
Cooperation of ManufaC-
turing Mechanics
PROBLEMS ARE INCREASING
Purchasing Departments Ham,
pered by Lack of Mate
rial Specifications
PROBLEMS ARE INCREASING

The public is familiar with the aims
and the accomplishments and with the
character of the work formerly carried
on by the mechanical branch of the
Association of Licensed Automobile
Manufacturers. Owing to the magni-
tude of the still fast-growing automo-
bile industry it is absolutely necessary
that this engineering work be carried
on not only in accordance with the
best methods that have obtained in
every other industry Of prime impor-
tance, but also In accordance with those
conditions peculiar to the motor car
business.
In no other industry has there been
such tremendous development in Such
an incredibly short space of time. NO
other industry has given us such an
unparalleled economic value or has ap-
pealed so much to the element of per-
sonal interest upon the part of the av-
erage man. Methods long in use in the
manufacturing arts have been revolu-
ttonized and new ones have been Gre
ated to meet the demands of this won
derful age of mechanical tranSporta-
tion. If, in other great industries of the
world, concerted work on the part of
engineers has been found necessary,
then certainly it is of vital Importance
that the motor car engineers work hand
in hand in the solution of those prob
lens which fundamentally affect the
future development of the automobile
business.
The society will continue the publica-
tion of the specifications on materials
prepared by Henry Souther, and Will
carry on in a broader way much of
the work begun by the mechanical
branch. This action upon the part of
the association is short cut which Will
very materially favor the progress OF
the society's work in the simpli1cation
and solution of many of those Difficult
ties which require concerted action on
the part of motor car engineers.
Howard E. Coffin, president of the
Society of Automobile Engineers, in his
address said:
Every purchasing department in the
business is being seriously hampered In
it's work by the utter lack of uniformity
in material specifications, which are
being passed on to them by our en-
gineering departments. Every 1ndiV1d-
uaI engineering department is law
unto itself in nearly all matters touch
ing design and the preparation of speci-
fications. individuality in specif1ca-
tions is largely useless and should be
restricted within reasonable limits. AS
a case in point, the engineering depart
ment of my own concern mas lately de-
liVered to our purchasing department
material specifications upon Whlch SIX
months delivery dates are the best
promised. AS a direct excuse for this
DELAY the mills report their utter ina
bility to care properly for the multi
tudinous and special demands which
are being made upon them by motor car
engineers. Among the similar situa-
tions which confronted the mechanical
branch some three years ago was the
question Of steel tubing sizes and de-
liyeries The tube mills reported to our
investigating committee not less than
160O different sizes of tubing which they
were being asked to supply for the
motor car trade. Few, if any, standard
sizes could be stocked, because of the
minute and immaterial differences in
the specification in each individual
case"