1941-03-31 — Page 25

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 31, 1941.

STANDARDISATION ALUMINIUM FOR

IN ARMS FOR

U.S. AND BRITAIN

ENGLAND

BRITAIN NEEDS ALUMIN- IUM. THIS IS MADE FROM BAUXITE AND NETHERLANDS INDIES HAS BAUXITE.

But, one ton of bauxite yields a maximum of 1/4 ton aluminium. Thus, four ships will be necessary to carry one shipload of alumin- ium to the factories of the British ufferaft Industries.

This then is the reason why a huge aluminium collection cam- paign has bren launched in the N.E.. for shipment to Great Bri- tain. Pots and pans are brought in by the thousands and a sizable amount was yielded from rubber estates where aluminium cups are used to collect the raw latex. These are now being replaced by

A DRIVE FOR THE fullest possible standardi- sation of war equipment among the armed services of the United States and between American services and the British is being intensified in anticipation of the "single order" system of defence production which the Administration has set as one of its goals tins or earthenware cups. under the lease-lend programme.

Current efforts are being directed mostly toward standardisation in aeroplanes, ordnance, tanks and technical instruments.

In order to give this part of the defence programme greater cen- tralised direction and to bring the British mere definitely into the parture. President Rosevelt is ex- ported to

to co- andinate better the andardisa- tion work already being carried on by a large number of loosely- elated groups B The Army, Navy. Treast; y Office of Produc- from Management, and the indus- tries involvect

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one of the "completed" 'plane cumpanies and another a similar part. but of slightly different specifications, to another. Differences between the Army standardise the part would re- and Navy over types, designs, quire one of the subcontractors to parts, etc, are being ironed out re-tool his shop or turn all the rapidly, the authorities say. Sug- business over to the other one. gestion of the British also are who probably would be swamped bing we ghed carefully, although with orders some in the industry and the gov The National Aircraft Standards. |eron ense as well have noted a re- | Committee was set up as an ad- sastaner among US, service people] junet of the Aeronautical Cham- Au decept many of the recommen- ber of Commerce to represent the dations originating from overseas I industry in planning the stand- There have been no end of dif-¦ ardisation movement. The com- ficulties in arriving at some of the mittee is representative of all the Substantial progress is said to compromises. that already have manufacturers of "complete" ser- have been made in the four cate~ been made. Illustrative of some vice aireraft, and maintains con- gories mentioned. It is to be re-

of the things that are taking placej tact in Washington through the flected soon by obvinus results in is the story of four days of dis- Aeronauticnl Chamber's Technical tank and ordnance being develop-| cus: ton between British and Department, headed by J. T. Gray. "d for joint use of US. services| American technicians over the Aside from its transactions with and the British, governmental question as to whether a certain, the government departments the authorities said. It would be noted switch in a recent type of 'plane] NASC provides a mechanism for mmediately in Instruments, say should be off or on when in the an Interchange of information and these same sources, if it were not up or down position.

technical data on the standardisa- for a ban of silence imposed upon 1 details of highly technical secret devires,

Various Groups Cooperating

The quest for standard designs. nterchangeable pails and the like: is belog carried on in these three ields through ever -mcreasing col- laborative effort of American and British technicians, but ban od aeroplan . the problem is egarded a primarily one for the Americans themselves at this stage.

the

Through the joint effort of the Aeronautical Board of the Army and Navy, the Civil Aeronautics Committee, the Office of Produc- Lion Management, the Aircraft Standards Committee, the Techni-

al Division of the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce, the Society >>1 Automotive Engineers and other agencies, all twenty-three of the companies turning out com- leted aroplanes have been ca- isted in the drive for a greater stabilisation of this most intricate defence item, to the end that pro- duction might be speeded up and the problem of field maintenance and repair diminished.

The plane manulieturers have been separated into Western and Eastern divisions, and at a meet- ng recently called by the OPM the standardisation problem was divided into seven major parts

and an engineering group set to work on each.

tion.

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As significant as that question movement among the various tion might seem to a layman. it, manufacturers, was said to have been very vital Inquiries as to actual results of in the particular plane because of the standardising movement the previous training of the men date do not bring any large muni- who would be expected to fly it. ber of examples, but officials re. Military plane construction is in- gard it as enough for the present fluenced a great deal, especially in that the effort is getting into full The nitter of instrumentation, by; Swing and that doubtless it will be the type of framing the men have stepped up by better organisation it in ser-land à elarer view of the goal now had who must operate

that the lease-tenf bill has been signed.

vice

It is with that problem in mind that some engineers insist now by the time to begin standardisation In earnest, so that the new men being trained may be schooled in the use of the standardised equip.

with ment,

whatever changes it may involve from equipment now in use by either of the U.S. ser- vices or the British.

Fewer Types An Advantage

Production would be speed- ed immeasurably, engineers say, by the reduction of the number of parts of planes, and certainly by Standardising them as between types and manufacturers. Instead of having five or six different types of storage batteries, requiring per haps as many sizes and types of bolding boxes, the designers might

agree on one or two.

The Army and Navy are said to need to simplify and reduce the problem of field mainten- ance and repair. To be able to take the wheel off one type of 'plane and put it onto another would reduce the necessity of transporting So many sparc

parts, Several of a late type of Ameri- can reconnaissance bombers ship- ped a few months ago to the Bri-

The question of complete un'is and types was made the special province of the Joint Army-Navy- British Standards Committee. The National Aircraft Standards Com→ mittee was told to devote itself primarily to the subjects of air ish are said to be grounded now" frames and power plant instalia- in Africa, awaiting the shipment The problem of standardis- all the way from Burbank, Calif., ing engines, propellers, accessories, of certain parts needed to make equipment materials and processes them serviceable again. The parts was allocated to the Society of are sold to be ordinary enough, Automotive Engineers.

but unfortunately they are not The mat.er of standardising interchangeable with anything aeroplane production Is a long else the British have, not even range proposition at best. Although with comparable American types, greater and faster production is According to those famillar with the aim, the government and the the subject, the standardisation industry both must be careful in

process is starting in the small invoking standardisation processes things first, as, for instance, the not to hold up production at this "hardware"-nuts and bolts. Even time when every plane is sorely before the present drive for stand. needed; also not to create any new ardisation got under way, a num- "bottle-necks" in material sup-her of 'plane manufacturers plies, machine tools and man- the Pacific Coast were reported to power which might affect other have got together and worked out defence industries as well.

the specifications for a number of such parts and pooled their orders, Stumbling Blocks In Way

on

In view of the immediate necessity for keeping the wheels turning in the aeroplane fac- tories, standardling methods will be introduced so gradually that engineers do not expect the As ail engineers readily agree, resuit to be fully obvious before the problem of standardising aero- 1942.

plane production is much easier "We want better and better to state than to achieve, even on 'planes and it's necessary to have paper. Aside from the intricacies them," one authority said, "but of the plane itself, the nature of we've got to draw the line some-the industry presents stumbling where and, say 'Here we'll stand-blocks of its own, 'The large manu- ardise for quantity production.' | facturers of so-called "completed" The time is near when we will 'planes are in reality largely ns- have, to draw that line, if we can sembles of parts made by dozens do so without holding up pro- of subcontractors. One subcontrac- 'duction, now in progress."

tor might suppy a certain part tol

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