The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-04-20
METAL FATIGUE
BEING STUDIED
Increasing Cooperation Among
Investigators Leads to I'M
porant Discoveries.
SEEK SOLUTION OF PROBLEM
Metal Of Apparently Excellent Quality
Breaks Without Warning and
Eminent ScientIsts Are Trying
to Find Out Why.

New York.-"Do the metals get
y tired?" asks Prof H. F. Moore OF the
engineering experiment station, Uni
versity Of Illinois, In statement pre-
pared for Engineering Foundation,
New York, on Fatigue of Metals"
The question became important dur
ing the war In connection with allied
air operation and has taken on new
significance in peace, according to en-
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 combination of the ma
tons best engineering and scientific
minds
Cause Of Accidents" Sought.
'In schooIdays," Prof Moore says,
1--WE Grated about tireless steel
sinewed' 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 Inaugurated.
'In October, 1919, the three organiza-
lions mentioned entered into an agree
ment for two years, Engineering Foun-
dalton 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 COW
er certain nickel steels In which 1T Is
interested as builder Of steam tur-
bines. To meet the expenses the COM
pany offered $4,000, A supplementary |
agreement 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
uses for the funds of Engineering |
Foundation. BY relatively modest
the Foundation initiated
the tests and carried them far enough
TO demonstrate their usefulness to the
concerned; through the aftil- /
EER "