The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-08

perts having 90 do with the autoir"
bile industry. has, within The year
accomplished results mat VIII 90
found to have made engineering h's-
tory of a definite nature. It's Work 's
OF interest not merely 20 the tech
nician. but 10 the iayman who te-
mands efficiency. safet, aSd comfort
In the use OF his motor car. but VINO
has littl, idea how largely these IL
sired qualities are the Iruit OF Nas'
research and labor Standardization
is the keynote OF the work OF the
society. II Is the vital and impera-
tive need Of the producing end or any
great industry
That Standardization Is good thing
is realized by many. but the necessity
OF IL would be realized by many more
II the situation were fully understood.
For example. II is not clear 10 many
OF the business men associated with
the automobile industry that there Is
any unnecessary complication OF de
sign They do not realize that there
are three or four hundred more IL
mansions and designs for lock-wash-
ers between the sizes OF SIG or an
inch and y inch than there ought 10
be. IL is hard for the business man
TO see why any such situation should
arise unless there existed some neces-
sity for H. The explanation Is clear.
A craftsman is called upon 10 make
a drawing OF an automobile axle, TOT
example. His instructions are TO draw
an axle capable or carrying car or
some given weight and that, In gen
eral way II should be an Ibeam axle
OF certain length and style. Entering
into this axle are very many details as
To size OF hole for spring clips. pins
for steering joints, etc, 10 accom-
modate tie rest OF the steering
mechanism and permit the whole
thing 10 slip into a car properly.
The craftsman exercises his own
Judgment as TO these details. not haV-
Ing before him any standard for the
various details. He may choose a
tubing for the steering cross rod. for
example, that does not exist In stock
IL he has no table OF tubing sizes De-
fore him. he makes II TO suit his own
fancy so long as 1t will do the WORK
He will do the same thing for the
shape OF the heads of the screws and
the spring clips and for many other
details Every one OF these things ne
may select, to suit his fancy. may not
exist In stock, may not even be or
standard design.
The drawing will go TO the checker
and II the figures correspond and the
design be a good looking one, II goes
to the purchasing department aud the
parts are ordered The next thing
that may happen Is that the screws
ordered are found TO be special and
the screw company furnishing them
so states and says, Can you not use
this size. which differs only very
little from what you have ordered?
The purchasing department says,
Yes, but all the other parts are al
ready In the machine shop and par
TALLY machined and we are sorry, but
we must have these special screws
even al the high price you are Obliged
TO ask for them"
So the special parts are ordered and
incorporated and the worst or IL Is
that the next time a new model IL
designed, il may be desired TO incor-
porate this axle or parts OF 1t TO save
tools and fixtures; so again the spe-
cial parts are ordered and 1t may he
several years before the extra ex-
pense OF obtaining special parts 10
gotten rid OF. All this arose, not frori
necessity but from the unguided idea
of craftsman.
To guide the ideas Of such drafts
man is one OF the principle functions
OF the Society OF Automobile En-
gineers. The aim will be TO put into
the hands of every designing drafts
man an Engineers Pocketbook or a
series OF sheets, which shall show him
what is available, in the way OF
tubing. lock washers, rod
ends, grease cups and the many at
dngs that are standard.
This system already exists In
bridge building and other construc-
tons and has been brought about by
the large companies who furnish such
They publish handbooks
showing what the standard sections
are for I-beams, angle irons and the
ike. The craftsman has formed @
habit OF going TO such books 10 and
put which size OF I-beam he can OBJ
tain as a regular section. He man
abco W POioNO . ohONh VI
I-beam In his design. With
The result that no special rolls have
10 be turned up TO produce II and no
and communication |
rs to special prices are necessary.
This Is the direction In which the So |
,iety OF Automobile Engineers Is
working, and not with the idea OF
sitting original design There will be !
40 attempt TO throttle original r.
search as In changes in engines, |
changes in transmissions, or changes |
n any portion OF an automobile |
This does not alter the fact, how
ever, that 1t is better TO have a novel |
engine or a novel transmission made /
I'D OF component parts which are
standard and well.tried out, than oae !
which is not only novel in design as /
4 whole but one in which every /
element is novel and untried
The s. A. f. stands ready to assist /
n manufacturing difficulties and |
necessities In any OF the many com |
Detent engineering fields OF automo- |
bile production. AS an example, the |
OF electric lighting SIS /
ems for automobiles recently applied |
10 the society 10 take up the matter |
II standardizing certain features Of |
hose systems, with particular refer |
ance to their attachment TO automo- |
Diles This matter was promptly re-