New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-19
SCIENCE IN CAR BUILDING
All Metal in Modern Auto Is
Thoroughly AnaIyzed.
LABORATORY is EXPENSIVE
General Motors Is Now Testing a
Steel Which May Create New
Standard of Strength.
by J. II. Newmark, General Motors

Few people as thew roll along comfortably
III their motor cars realize the part which
science plays in the construction Of the
automobile. 1t would be impossible, In fact,
for the iayman 20 have comprehensive
idea Of the intricate scientific analyses that
must be made of all materials entering into
the component parts of the present day
motor car.
The quality OF cars which the manufact-
urer produces is in exact proportion to the
amount of scientific skill and care that
goes into the production. A scientific de-
partment of some sort or other is a neces-
sary adjunct TO all automobile factories.
1t is furthermore one OF the departments
in which cost cutting processes must not
enter, for the reason that no manufacturer
can afford to trife with the reputation for
which he must rely upon the quality of his
product TO maintain. The more jealous he
is OF his reputation the more care and tho
greater expense incurred in the scientific
department.
The research department Of the General
Motors Company In Detroit is one OF the
most complete institutions OF the kind TO
be found IN any automobile organization In
the world a definition for this department
would be "a physician who keeps the prod
uct of n company in healthy condition
and free from flaws for that Is what It
really does.
l. tests everything no matter what II Is
or how trivial. Inc smallest and the larg-
est items alike are carefully analysed. and
the director, Claude Y. Cox. will, II re-
cuested, give the pedigree Of m axle for
tve-ton truck or tho ingredients making up
a harmless looking grease.
The functions OF this department are
many and important. 1t mus, first OF all
methods 1t must know the prevailing
practice in motor car construction In this
country and abroad. II must know the
good and the bad. and II must give It's rea-
sons for II.
A visit to this laboratory is really educa-
| tional. II will be learned that many thou
: sands of dollars are spent each year in ex-
perimenting and in perfectlng machinery
II has testing machines having the strength
TO pull apart a piece Of steel that would
support hundred-ton load.
At the present time the department is In
vestigating and testing I'm strict secrecy q
new steel, which, from the advance ex-
aminations made, will not only create a new
standard for strength. nut al the same time
lessen the cost Of production.
No tests are so severe as given this fun
damental constructive metal. for steel IL
the basis of ali machinery building. II is
not only chemically Analysed but physical
~ tested. The tensile and torsional strength
are minutely ascertained. Sample steel Is
made. remade and heat treated. and under
goes every other laboratory test known TO
science.
Innocent looking bearings. but so vitality
important in motor car construction. are
subjected 10 grueIlinG tests. AS a premi-
nary they are put In a revolving machine
and turned several million times 10 note
the wear II any. They are then placed In
experimental motor cars and used under
normal conditions. After this the bearings
are broken W. analysed and placed under
a microscope for observation.
Motors are tested By thermometers. BY
this method the brake horsepower is
known. the compression OF the motor ls
also noted. the quantity OF gasolene con-
sumed and the working OF the lubrlcatinE
system. All OF these tests and many others
are made not only for It's own products,
but for the subsidiary companies OF the
great corporation.