New Britain herald., 1929-01-14

MANUFACTURE Vl pTOuuCLS u peace ~
the necessities OF war.
I'VE are anxious to do our part.
and. in order to do our part. feel
it incumbent upon US to urge con-
gress to enable the manufacturers
Of the country. who will have this
great responsibility. to prepare
themselves by acquiring knowledge
In advance. and by studying and
planning the manufacture of the ar
ticles they will be called, upon to
build by actual production in small
quantities in peace time through
educational orders.
Mr.. Trigg. as chairman of the
special committee of the L. s. Cham
Der of Commerce. has ably discussed
the importance of educational orders
and has gone into the matter 30
thoroughly that there IL no need OF
my enlarging upon the points which
he has mentioned.
Describes Manufacturer Di0culties
Il can. perhaps, give you an illus
tration OF the difficulties that a man.
tempting to produce munitions ana
equipment in time OF emergency
without having had previous expert
ence in the manufacturer of the
article in question by giving the eA-
perience. briefly. of the New Britain
Machine Co., in manufacturing three
inch anti-aircraft gun carriages in
1917 and 1918.
THE New Britain Machine Co,
was chosen to manufacture this in
tricate piece of mechanism because
of their experience in the manufac-
ture of precision machinery of about
the same size and weight as an anti
aircraft gun carriage. the supposition
being that there re very few con-
Germs in the country better fitted to
undertake a contract OF this char
aCter.
IA contract was placed with the
New Britain Machine Co. on july
IS, 1917 for 40s auto trailer car
riages, model 1917. for three inch
anti-aircraft guns. This contract was
later increased to a total OF 6l2.
One hundred and twenty carriages
we're finally finished and are now In
actual service, I understand. as reg
ular equipment Of the U. s. army.
THE delivery required in this
emergency was:
10. January 1918: 80, February
1918: 60, March 1918: so. April
1918; 104. May 1915: 124, June
1918: 1O2. July 1918; 1o2, August
1918.
almost superhuman efforts were
made by the New Britain Machine
Co. and every preference was given
the planning and manufacture of
this work. Facilities were increased.
and the deliveries required would
have been somewhere nearly approx
mated If it had been. humanity pos
sible. The actual deliveries were as
follows:
l, August, 1918; 4. January. 1919:
30, previous to May l, 1919; II. May.
1919: SO, June, 1913: 81, July !, to
July. 16 1919.
Three = Day Production
by July 1919, the New Britain
Machine Co. was delivering these
gun carriages complete with sight
ing mechanism. mounted on steel
trailers, guns mounted. proof fired.
tested and inspected, at the rate OF
nearly three q day, but they should
have been delivered in July. 1918. at
this rate instead OF in July, 1919.
IF Germany had been attacking
the United States in July, 1911. 1t is
doubtful whether these guns and gun
carriages would have been of any
service in July, 1919 and much less
In July, 1919.
1.-The New Britain Machine Co. was
complimented by the L. s. army ord.
nance on the efficiency of their pro-
duction methods, and the quality OF
their products. The delay could have
been avoided If the New Britain Ma
chine Co. had had educational Or
ders.
How to Avoid Delay
IF you have no objection, I would
like to go a little further into de-
tail SO as to make clear the reasons
why it took IS months to begin de-
livering these gun carriages in guam
tity instead of six months. and hon
q large part Of this delay could have
been avoided.
1.-THE case is that of other manu-
facturers and particularly those
manufacturers who were called upon
to make intricate pieces Of mechan-
ism, the details of which they wert
unfamiliar with and Of which they
had had no experience In manufac.
ture.
Il have brought photostatic prints
Of the assembly and detail drawing.
Of this anti-aircraft gun carriage. Ii
order to make this gun carriage s
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