New-York tribune., 1911-02-05
PROTECTING THE BUYER
Materials in Manufacturing AIco
Cars Carefully Selected.
SEVERE TESTS APPLIED
Each Shipment of Steel Receives
Chemical and Physical Treat
ment Before Being Used.

The selection and treatment OF materfalA
make up one OF the most important factors
in the construction OF the modern auto
mobile and form a subject the Importance
OF which is not generally understood by
the purchaser
The outward appearance Of the finished
product made OF cheap materials may bs
drite as pleasing 10 the eye as In the case
OF car on which a great deal OF time and
money have been expended in scientifically
treating the subject The superiority. how
ever. is readily demonstrated by ths wear
ing qualities and reliability.
II IS not generally known by tho public.
although II is a well known faGt AMONG
metallurgical engineers. that the physical
properties OF steels may be vastly i'm
proved by iudicious heat treatment and
that the tensile strength. ductinty and re-
sistance TO fatigue are vastly Improved IN
this way.
As an example: The tensile strength &c
steel NAV oe tripled without imparing its
resistance TO fatigue by giving il proper
treatment This means greater security
against accident arS greater durability in
those cars in which the materials ars
treated In this way. and the extra ex-
Dense involved accrues greatly 70 the bene-
At OF the purchaser.
The greatest care is exercised in manu-
featuring the Alco cars. according 70 p. y.
Gray. chief engineer OF the sutomobIle'ds-
partment. After first having by long con-
tinued experiment In the laboratory de-
veloped the treatment best suited 10 each
particular type OF steel. involving the uss
OF elaborate testing apparatus. consisting
Of tensile machine. alternating impact ma
chine. hardness tests with scleroscope and
Brinel machine. bending tests. drop tests,
the use OF a microscope on etched sections.
etc. the utmost care is exercised 70 insurs
obtaining these results commercially in the
heat treating department
This involves the use OF very sensitive
and accurate promoters. with indicating
and recording instruments, which check
each other in the process. These instru-
ments are tested daily and ca!brated at
frequent intervals with a standard instru-
ment. which in turn is calibrated by tho
Bureau OF Standards az Washington. As a
double check on the parts subjected 20 heat
treatment. frequent physical tests are made
on the parts themselves. All OF this work
is supplementary TO careful analysis OF all
materials used
Nhen Shipment OF steer ~ receive" "
the American Locomotive Company II is
held pending chemical and physical tests,
and IL is not put into stock until after hav-
ing satisfactorily met the specifications.
The bars are then stamped with the speci-
fcation number throughout their entire
length. and this st Ding process follows
the materials through the various stages
OF production. so 1t is possible at any and
all times to positively Identify the material
used in each and every part.
This system OF tests and inspection prac-
tically precludes the possibility OF the uss
Of any other material than that specihed.
and insures its meeting the physical re-
quirements as 70 strength, durability ana
dynamic properties. These tests extend noe
only to bar stock and forgings. but To steer
and malleabe castings as well.