The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-04-07
METAL FATIGUE
BEING STUDIED
Increasing Cooperation Among
Investigators Leads to I'm.
porant Discoveries.
SEEK SOLUTION Of PROBLEM
Metal o. Apparently Excellent Quality
b Breaks Without Warning and
= r., Eminent Scientists Ar Trying
% Find Out Why.

NcW IOrk.-.OO st0o met&tS 8et
tiredT asks Prof. II. r. Moore Of the
engineering experiment station. uni
! versity Of Illinois, In q statement pre-
pared for Engineering Foundation,
New York, on "Fatigue Of Metals"
| The question became important dur
Ing the war In connection with allied
dir operation and has taken on a new
significance in peace, according to sI-
cheering authorities. Prof. Moore
tells how cooperation between En-
cheering Foundation. universities and
industrial establishments has endeav-
ored to find a solution of this and
other problems and at the same time
bring about a combination of the ma
TONS best engineering and scientific
minds.
Cause Of Accidents" Sought.
I'm schooldays," Prof. Moore says,
I'VE Grated about tireless steel.
showed athletes. Now the word
fatigue is being used by men of
science as the most suggestive name
for certain kinds of failures Of steel
and other metals. Metal Of apparently
excellent quality breaks without warn
ing in crankshafts Of airplanes, In
parts Of steam turbines, in other rap
idly moving machines, in members Of
bridges subjected to vibration and fire.
quent changes Of stress.
"What are the causes? How can
such failures be avoided? What are
the limits of endurance Of various
metals under many repetitions Of
stress?
ANSWERS to these questions became
especially important during the war,
and particularly in connection with
military aviation. A committee Of en-
gineers and scientists organized by
the National Research council and
Engineering Foundation undertook
study. The problem proved complex
and its study costly. But lives and
property are In jeopardy through lack
Of knowledge Therefore, the study
has been continued. After the armis-
tice the division of engineering Of Ma.
tional Research council turned to En-
cheering Foundation for financial as.
sistance. The engineering experiment
station of the University Of Illinois had
been connected with the early study
and had the men and some Of the
facilities needed for further research.
Many Tests Are lnauuurated.
"In October, 1919, the three organiza-
lions mentioned entered into an agree
ment for two years, Engineering Foun.
ton undertaking to provide $4,000,
in installments, as needed. A limited
line Of experiments was inaugurated
Certain manufacturers contributed
test specimens of steel. Special ma
chimes were constructed and methods
devised. Under known conditions
many specimens are being subjected to
millions of repetitions or changes OF
stress. Information of practical I'm
portance is emerging from the accum-
ulating records of hundreds Of OBJ
servatiOns.
I'm the fall Of 1920 the General
Electric company requested an ex.
tension Of the program Of tests to GOV.
er certain nickel steels in which It Is
interested as a builder Of steam tur.
bines. To meet the expenses the COM
pany offered $4,000. A supplementary
was undertaken and the
new work has been started.
"Other users and producers Of
wrought or cast metals can secure val
liable information at relatively small
cost by taking advantage of the exist
Ing staff and facilities for expanding
this research in fields Of peculiar in
terest to them. Each group Of special
tests helps in the understanding Of the
general problem.
'This cooperation research Is an
example of one Of the most effective
ases for the funds Of Engineering |
BY relatively modest
the Foundation initiated
the tests and carried them far enough !
TO demonstrate their usefulness to the
Industries concerned; through the affil-
ation between the Foundation and
the Research council the advice of the
leading men of science In this field Is
contributed for the determination Of
methods and the Interpretation Of re-
suits. Similar procedure can be APP
Mind RI nfhor kinds Of rpSpa rchpa"