Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-07
DR0P-F0RGlNG A MIRACLE
IN MAKING MODERN CARS
Single Process That IIus RevoIution-
lied the Making OF strong,
Light Autos.

10 great extent the tremendous
production records attained by the
!arser American motor car factories In
me past few years have been accom-
pushed through the rapid strides made
IN The development of the art Of drop
forging.
From the very beg ginning Of the auto.
mobile Industry. engineers have sought
a means OF obtaining maximum
Atrensth in tho parts subjected to
Acavy strain. without adding useless
weight to the completed car. Drop
lorging and the use OF high grade
frome Vanadium steel proved the solu-
tlon OF the problem, and to-day the
manufacturer who builds the majority
ot the parts used In his car, counts an
shicicnt forge shop as one Of his most
valuable possessions.
our old friend. the village black
smith. was the first drop forgcr. Some
hfty years ago, Il member Of this
brotherhood evolved the scheme for
using steam hammer on the larger
iorginss he had to make. But in order
TO achieve the desired result, he was
compelled to work out the material
almost to the desired shape b. hand,
then with the aid OF portable tools
which were used in conjunction with
ms crude steam hammer, the forgings
were finished TO size. With this method
much depended upon the skill OF tho
Il matter OF guess work. The human
element was strong
The railroad blacksmith took up tho
methods OF his predecessor and i'm
proved upon them, and the experts in
the big sewing machine, shoe machin-
cry and harvesting machinery factories
added Inventions and improvements
which still further sinpiined the pro-
cess.
The automobile manufacturer, how
ever. has brought the art down to it's
greatest point of efficiency, and men
who understand the principles OF actor
car construction are Inclined TO meas
urc the longevity Of an automobile b.
the number OF drop forgings entering
into Its construction.
From the fact that drop forging Is
nowadays purely mechanical. thus elm
mating the human element Of skill and
artislnship formerly acquired by the
smith, the methods used are extremely
simple and effect n wonderful reduc-
ton In the cost of production, and in
addition, uniformity OF product is abb
solntcly assured. In some cases the
production cost is reduced on n ratio OF
about 40 or so to !. Forgings can be
made In greater variety. and those
which were most difficult and even i'm
possible to hrish over tho anvil, are
now formed with apparent ease under
The drop hammer. There Is almost no
limit 10 design: any shape from
cooked hat 10 frying pan can be
formed. In addition. the work is accu-
rate and finished.
AS pioneers in the manufacture OF
parts for automobiles. Dodge Brothers.
who have just placed their own car on
no market and seen at the Palace
rapidly grasped the advantages OF
lrop forging, and their forge plan in
detroit Is pointed out as typifying all
hat is best in tho business The huge
tasf NJ.
Weights. as heavy AS two to three tons,
are almost constantly In operation.
turning out parts for the new car
Here tn. visitor can see tho standard
steel stock, heated TO white glow
and then placed under the hammers
coming from them magically formed
INTO front axle. connecting rods, crank
smart. ca'nshnft, or any other of hun
"ied and one parts. There is "A spccial
set OF dics FOR each part, the hammer
":an receiving onc-half and the bed
OF tn. machine the other The first
set breaks down the stock into the
general shape required. while tho sec
ono set shapes II accurately. some
times both sets arc In one hammer II
me part IL small enough to admit two
sc's s'de by side. OFTEN break down
and finishing hammers arc separate
l" thc visitor making his first trip
through a forge shop IL Is a sourc. ~
considerable wonder rs TO how the. men
IN charE" Of the hammers stand the
'"rrihc neat from the white hot metals
inc answer is found In the type of
nnii'ing erected by Dodge Brothers to
mouse the forge shop, This Is typical of
the big modern manufacturirp ins,i,r
lions OF the kind. The buildings arc
ions and narrow, OF steel and con-
crete construction and built so ,hat
curing the summer months il Is possi-
DE TO open practically all sides OF the
..I, 10
air.