1957-10-12 — Page 6

THE CHINA MAIL, - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, .1957.

FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE-

WITH THIS NEW WEAPON

THE next few years will

THE

100 Industrial com. petition between nations on afrightening scale. How dogs Britain stand on the ave of the race?

Have we the energy and the equipment successfully to withstand the Industrial might of America and Russia?

Can we beat the Germans and the Japanese in world markets?

The anateer to these vital questions les largely in automa- Mon

by LEON BAGRIT MANAGING DIRECTOR OF

BROTHERS (LONDON) LTD.

ELLIOTT..!

We are, in fact, at the start of

transitions as smooth and un- Already machine tools can be

accurately controlled by elec- a great "paper work!! revolu- harmful as possible,

tronia, "bralna," but there aro tion, many snags.

Automation does NOT menn unemployment. It is the lack of

that means no jobs.

This will not only raise our The machine tool manufac- efficiency and cut prices, but it turers have fill order books and · Opens up a market for a now The spread of automation is have not yet devoted as much product. Computers ате big going to create new jobs by the attention to the development of business and Britain must get a great expansion that must take automation techniques as many share. British designed and

Industries place in such

as people think advisable.

bull "brains" aro already in electronics, nucleonics, and in-

abroad and orders are strumentation. Few people

the realise

The chief cdvantage of this coming in faat. We lead that half our working kind of automation lles in lis world outside the US, in this puputation is now employed out potentiality as a "booster" of field and we must stay on top. products which elid not even

output with, in consequence, a xist 50 years ago,

reduction of costa,

The extent to which the tech- ntquy's of outomatien can be appiled to the production of goods and services may men 4.

THREE WAYS

ET un look at the three malu types of automation reparate-

the difference between 1172- Fint there is the hutomallon precedented prosperity or virtual a "diny" processes, like all res extinction

Brent trading mettes, CAS works. chemical nation.

plant

dectricity and suclear power.

How do the unions feel? My own view is that organised The fully aulomalle factory is labour recognises the need for still some way off in industries automation to raise our ilving manufacturing complented as clandards. They may be over semblies, but it will not be long enutious in the safeguards they before simple products

necessary are consider

where converted from new materials to changes In the labour pattern finished articles without human result, but they are not blind. hands being involved.

They may not ind i altogether

NO DRUDGERY

but they will find n way.

A more serious problem in my vlew is the question of capital for the essential modernisation of our industry.

Until Governments fully ap-

Many people are confused over

● The second calegory jo the CLERICAL automation the difference between automation of incebanical opera-

Is un- doubtedly going to make a big tion and mechanisation A type was. Under this heading eene impact in the immediate future. When is mechaniction: an tenter ruchines and machine The elvetronie "brain" is no precinte that we are living in a electronic "brain" Autounatis n. tools, posseyors, and materials longer the expensive toy of time of far-reaching industrial I la thr additional "brain" izariling mulpment.

scientists. It is being produced change, and mater their power, the ability ta control 15 The third kind et automation a variety of tasks from

and sold in quantity to perform monetary and economic policles 1hetions automatiendly,

com- to suit, the capital necessary will the processing of information puting the paths of guided not be forthcoming-and we may characteriser The aufourth or cutlerical automotion in fniasties to preparing rute de- miss the golden opportunities

mands for householders.

head.

mchine or procesi

IN 10 YEARS

T

that

Jaet.

In the first true great strides Many people spend their lives have been made in the last few in borleg repetitive clerical THE CHOICE vers, Juge plants are now work which can be performed operated e next 10 years is going to with just a handful of skilled electronic computers. Within the have no raw materials worth almost automatically better, cheaper, and quicker by DRITAIN is small in size. We ይርቲ progress iB three operators in charge, separate flelds

next 10 years there will be few speaking of. All we can give is vf automa- tion.

The key to further progress in industriel organisations of any our brains and our In none of these have

hands--but this kind of automation is the size without electronle "brains" that is a great deal. we a monopoly--we are, in

nuistery of highly complex taking the drudgery out some respects, behind America electronic techniques. With these clerical work.

.of

and Russia. Not in our know we have nothing fundamental to ledge of the new techniques, but learn; we more than hold our in the extent to which we are own. applying them.

Wo must cutch up. Time lost about automation in argument wiil never be replaced, Or course, i is going to mean change In the employment pattern, and it is the duty, of employers and labour to make

at o

electronic brain

in-

cost,

By adding automation to our

native skill and knowledge, and under the right leadership. In all walks of our national life, we

can create and hold a place for ourselves and our children..

and his soul goes marching. and his

on.

ABC

AMERICAS "CRITICS

ANY LITTLE ROCK WILL DO

World Copyright by arrangement with the Manchester Guardian

These Are The Men

Who Lead The

ELECTRONICS are due to sweep across and instil new life into almost every aspect of industry and commerce.

And one outcome is the changing status and respon- sibility of the electronic engineer. No longer is he just the man in the small back room, almost unknown.

He takes on a wider ro cognition, a greater respon- sibility,

Because the "processes" vast masses of The danger lies in the supply formation in a fraction of the of engineers, physicists, and time taken by human labour, mathematicians being

Insuff and. clent to meet the needs of this business management can

much lower form of engineering.

me much more efficient. The move into the nuclear and auto- The second kind of automa information

Twenty-five on which decisions mation age the choler between

years ago tion-of mechanical operations are based will be presented success and fallure is entirely virtually the only outlet for

has made the least advance, faster and in greater quantity.

If you appreciate

precision as well

as quality

ZENITH AUTOMATIC

Ask for the new

But it we drop behind because of bickering unit Indecision no be one is going to help us. As we

curs.

ZENITH AUTOMATIC

You could not make a better choice

685 First Prizes.

for precision, won at the official contesta organized by the famous Swiss observatory of Neuchatel, prove the undeniable leadership of ZENITH in the production of finest quality timepieces.

When your own. Zenith automatic gleams on your wrist. you will be the proud owner of an absolutely up-to-date watch the price of a factory that is famed for ita outstanding successes, Those around, you will know that you have chosen the very best of Swiss watches.

Drive

LOM

By Clifford Metcalfe

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF E.M.. ELECTRONICS LTD.

He must,

lo

petent therefore, be com- who measure up to the standard

judge the Atness set.

of electronic equipment to meet Markets in capital goods his particular needs, or have the international and Installations services of expert advice on the have to be made and exhibitions subject.

manned in foreign countries.

BUT A DIFFICULTY

COMPANIES in these fields of business are already having difficulty in finding enough men who combine the abilities needed with that of speaking a

For elther

case, negotiations with the customer's represente- live will reach a high technical level-a mere smattering of the

enough.

ment rather than as the re- sult of routine development and engineering work.

It was the war years that electronics was the home really marked the develop-gineering details will not be rádlo receiver. The cus- ment of electronics for tomer could know little of usen outside the home. In the real importance to him this period the reasons duct often-at least in part language fluently enough. to of different techniques; and which kept the engineer in made to the measure of the impress a foreign customer. the design engineer could the back room were quite tion, the engineer needs to know

particular customer or appilca- Here, both the responsibility not meet with a representa- different from those which tive cross-section of the had applied before. But the customers.

There was, therefore,

TILITY,

北

gap to be filled by a sales- At times the en- gineer my have resented him, and even regarded him as a parasite living on radio without learning the art in detail.

THE PARTNERSHIP

result was very largely the

same.

A CHANGING PICTURE

SECURITY was usually the cause for restricting his contacts with his customer, the ultimate users of his equipment, and his recogni- tion by the public which paid the bill.

At the same time, with a pro-

more about the user's problems, and the opportunity are even

THE OPPORTUNITIES

greater.

As well as his responsibility to his employer.. he also has to behave in some small way as an ambassador of Britain; tu ON both counts the line divid-

Ing sales representative and confidence, which are the bests and engineer grows thin, even to of mutual trade. vanishing point.

There is a great need-and a

increase understanding

A travelling representative great opportunity-for

engineer need not yet expect to combe out of the country all the petent engineers who can under time, but must be prepared to stand the other man's problems: inke his share of heme duties, who have the personality to be It is, of course, welcome anywhere, and

only In the the laboratory that he can keep his wisdom and integrity to be knowledge of electronic tech-. sent anywhere.

niques up to date.

211

But though the field is only growing,

the companies Involved are in desperate need of people of this calibre.

WHAT WE MUST DO

the fust real

for the elec.

to enter fully

ot Belling

BUT in fact, as in all sales

of consumer goods, sue boys were often praised to the

It is true that the back-room ers who possess these qualities The opportunities for engine. cess depends on a

are not limited to the few. know skier (and sometimes derided) ledge of the customer 119 as a class; but save for excep- Capital goods projects usually well as a knowledge of the tonal cases, the individual had involve at least a. preliminary

little recognition or responsi investigation goods. There is an essen- Blity

of conditions, except Juside his own installation; commissioning, and tial partnership between the narrow circle.

maintenance. At each stage specialist in one. and the

HERE then is technician of whatever stand- opportunity specialist in the other.

ing, is in a position in which his tronke engineer

will be judged to some into the business extent by his behaviour;

British corocd At the same time, the respon-

developments. sibility carrica opportunity. We have the knowledge. We because he has emerged from have the brains. Can we fully his small back room and is to exploit them to the beneßt of placed that he can win public the country and thereby main- The customer is a business recognition,

tain and improve our standard executive whose livelihood, and

of living? possibly that of hundreds

This recognition, spreading thousands of employees, depend among his customers,

I believe we can. Indeed, to on his right judgment.

can only improve the prospects of those survive, we MUST.

The result was that, in the pre-war years, the en gineer was "insulated" from the customers, and sat in the small back room. He only occasionally caught the Himelight, and then often

with fortuitously,

the glaniour of a new develop

This picture is changing rapidly. The customer now is Arm

longer buying something on which he or she will depend only for an hours background to conversation and a passable addition to the decoration of a living-room.

or

Idcas and

(LE LOCUE SWITZERLAND)

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Sok At HERALD INTERNATIONAL LTD. 901 WING ON LIFE BLOG

The 'Brain' and how works for

one man

463 21.

14

3968

*

1 1 E

FOR EXAMPLE ahre, in the steryday world of work, solanes taken over Mɛjob tha? KlToeta Kil pockets - VALS arttrektio "computer" antenzatiòsily, WorkH Dut WHETH 1: From tline, cards: side bonuses, deducta - Ensuestion, "onioulájás-and: GIGIRILAREN and daully prints DEER DRY MD ronds to sa into the wage paçkavornik in less time