Evening star., 1940-06-06
Chrys|er Corp. Opens
New Engineering and
Research Buildings
Tour of New Units
Comedies With 18th
Anniversary
BY DAVID ]. WILKIE,

DETROIT, June 6.-The thousand
and-one factors that go into the
designing and production of a motor
vehicle were demonstrated striking
ly for a group of automotiye and
science writer's today as Chrysler
Corp. opened two new engineering
and research buildings at its home
plant. 4
The formal opening OF the two
new units was timed to coincide
with the 18th anniversary Of the
founding of the corporation. De-a
signed to enable the corpora tion's I
research workers to utilize almost
every means known to science" in
determining the construction of the
car of today and tomorrow. the new
facilities give these workers 162 OOO
square feet of floor space with "a
laboratories, Offices and testrooms.
Asserting that Chrysler Corp. has
spent more than $1,000 900 in engi-
neering and product development in
the past Is years, Fred M. Zeder,
vice chairman of the board of the
corporation in charge of all its
engineering, said the new units,
while providing for practically every
conceivable scientific use, would be
followed by others.
Beauty Utilized.
The new laboratories are of un-
usual beauty and refinement, Of
which 'cool red-tiled floors and
restful biege walls Venetian,
blinds and black and-white ceramic
work benches are noteworthy ex-
amples.
This phase of the undertaking is
part of the plan and purpose of the
engineers who designed the new
structures.
Science" said Zeder, has often
come out Of the attic, just as the
automobile has come from the car
riage shop or bicycle builder and
moved into inadequate quarters
with makeshift tools. And science,
guarded by jealous hierarchy. has
often functioned behind closed doors
In secretlve obscurity. But these
conditions are not essentials to the
success Of engineering research as
a cooperative effort On the con-
trary, by bringing science out in
the open with the most advanced
equipment, the most impeccable
neatness, the most ordered routine,
may be released the best creative
energies OF the men who use them.
provided those men are imbued with
the essential enthusiastic curiosity
that fires the true researcher in
any field"
Many Facilities Available.
A few of the facilities available
In the new laboratories are the x
ray tube to study atomic structure
OF metals; the spectroscope to as
certain the elements of which an
experimental part is composed;
polarized light to study stresses in
working parts of the automobiles;
electrophysical apparatus to pro-
duce voltages up to 100000 or radio
trequencies beyond normal broad
cast bands for the most exacting
electrical experimentation: cork
suspended rooms for absolutely vi
brationless weighing; cathode tubes
to measure the most complicated
or simple vibration; photomicrog-
raphy to make possible photography
through q microscope with magnif-
cation up to 5000 times the original: (
a wind tunnel for aerodynamics re-
search; cold rooms for experimental
ton in temperatures as low as so
degrees below zero Fahrenheit and
dynamometer building where va
rious types of engines can be made
to strain against dynamometers to
determine, among other things, just
what power they will develop under
specific conditions.