The Detroit times., 1911-04-15

THE Mechanical Branch" The body
polite OF this auxiliary body was
made up of the chief engineers OF the
various allied makers. and they met
with great frequency for purposes or
discussion, the comparing OF notes aud
! the elucidation of the problems n
volved. The literature of the mechan
ical branch was ultimately the basis
OF system OF standards which was
finally promulgated under the auspices
of the Society OF Automobile Engin-
GERS, and when the mechanical branch
became inactive, its records OF expert
ences and standards were placed at
the disposal of the Society OF Auto
mobile Engineers, forming the nucleus
of an effort which has since been ex-
tended to the good OF the industry.
The best guarantee that purcaas-
ers can possibly have OF the stabi'.
fly OF the American-made automobile
is present In the concerted effort Of
| the American automobile engineers,
and the fact that they are members
of common body, and that they meet
at frequent intervals for the purpose
OF comparing notes, Is assurance
enough TO the buyer that II the Amer
ican-made type OF automobile differs
In important particulars from those
which come from afar the reasons
| for the differences, whatever they
may be. are paramount"
The Society OF Automobile Engin-
GERS, with a membership OF nearly
! 500 Of the ablest engineers and ex-,
perts having 10 do with the automo-
| bile industry, has, within the year,
accomplished results that will be
found TO have made engineering his
tory OF definite nature. It's work is
OF interest not merely to the tech
nician, but to the layman who de-
mands efficiency, safety atd comfort
In the use OF his motor car, but Who
has little idea how largely these de-
sired qualities are the fruit or vast
research and labor Standardization
is the keynote OF the work OF rhe
society. 1t Is the vital and impera-
tive need OF the producing end OF any
great industry.
That Standardization is a good thing
is realized by many. but the necessity
of II would be realized by many more
IL the situation were fully understood.
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 d.
mansions and designs for lockwash-
ers between the sizes of 1916 OF an
inch and Y inch than there ought to
be Ii Is hard for the business man
to see why any such situation should
arise unless there existed some neces-
sity for II. The explanation is clear.
A craftsman is called upon to make
drawing OF an automobile axle, for
example. His instructions are TO draw
an axle capable of carrying car Of
some given weight and that, in gen.
eral way, Ii should be an I-beam 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, to accom-
modate the rest OF the steering
mechanism and permit the whole
thing to slip into 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
tubing for the steering cross rod, FOR
example, that does not exist In stock.
II 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
bolts and for the size of the holes FOR
the spring clips and for many other
details Every one of these things he
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, IL the figures correspond and the
design be good looking one, II goes
TO the purchasing department and 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 chem
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 az inc HlSn pIlCS you aiS oDh6Ou
TO ask for them"
SO the special parts are ordered and
| incorporated and the worst OF X Is
that the next time a new model is
designed, ii may be desired TO incor-
porate this axle or parts of it to save
tools and fixtures; so again the spe-
cial parts are ordered and 1t may I've
several years before the extra ex-
pense of obtaining special parts Is
gotten rid of. All this arose, not from.
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
screws, tubing, lock washers, rod
ends, grease cups and the many fit
tings that are standard
This system already exists In
bridge building and other construc-