New Britain herald., 1928-05-05
CHEMIST ESSENTIAL IN MANUFACTURING
Factory Laboratories Rsspen' sble for Quality in Metals

In the past few years chemistry has been recognized as one of the most important factors m produc- ing goods by the industrial world, especially by local concerns. The people of today show extreme care when buying goods and are gener- ally well versed in the merits Of what they are buying. They arc careful before making a purchase. knowing that there are many other makes of the same articles on the market. The factories are in the midst of a period of competition and their goods must back up the state ments made by their salesmen.
 With the great demand for hard ware local factories are putting plenty of time and money into their chemical laboratories. Practically every factory in New Britain has a modern laboratory, equipped with the latest instruments.
 Many wonder where the chemical laboratory comes in with reference 10 producing goods in a factory, Without a laboratory q factory would stand to lose thousands of dollars a year The works of chem ists are manifold and important. In factories where hardware and cut lery are produced, steel is received and used in great quantities. Here the work of the chemists start. \ sample piece Of steel is taken from each assignment. In some factories this piece Of steel is milled up into fine chips and take into the labora- tory. There it is analysed for hard ness. and other factors which go to make up quality. Chemists can tell the quality of steel by the amount Of sulphur, carbon. etc, that lt con- lains. Many times 1t is learned that the steel is far below the grade needed 10 produce the goods and sometimes it is found to be of nc use at all. If this steel had been used the manufacturers would sui fer a loss of thousands Of dollars The defects of the steel are moi readily seen while the article is be ing manufactured. They generally crop out after the article has beer completed and it is necessary to gel it as a second" or discard Il com pletely. This is prevented by care ful work on the part of the chem ists. The duty of the chemist is te see that inferior grades of steel arc rejected so that the goods producet by the concern is all 1t represents them 10 be. The factories cannot h' careless in these days of compeu ton.
 Chemists in the local factories ar useful for great many other pur poses. They are called in to an alyze plating solutions when tn plate pits or doesn't take properl on the goods. This is often due the lack Of one or two ingredient or an overabundance Of salts an acids. As the appearance Of the fin ished article goes q long ways whe it comes to selling it to the genera public. the work Of the chemist l his capacity is invaluable. Wh" the chemist finds time on his hand! he makes himself useful by maki1 etching acids, stencilolents, dyes an cleaning solutions.
 Chemistry has become fully rec ognized in recent years by the 1T dustrlal heads although sometime it is classed as necessary evil. Tn nf lah ", tho is to get production and while chen istry is non- productive, its lmpor' snce is unlimited.
 Chemists also attempt to dlscov' processes to shorten the time r nuired in the manufacture of eel the chemists can find new agen that can be used in making II goods.
 Most of the laborat ories in the lt cal factories have one or two collee graduates who understand chemist
 in all it's forms. Young men ar even young women are brought int the laboratories and are taught do the routine and research work the department The head chemis handle the important eXperimen performed in the laboratories. Lart sums of money are spent in the ia tories to keep the chemical depar ,ment supplied with modern and Il, io-date instruments.