1936-03-21 — Page 2

Page

THE OUTLOOK IN THE

ipt

MACHINE TOOL

INDUSTRY.

fact that the demand for The the products of the machine-tool Industry comes entirely from manufacturers und not from the general public inevitably makes the industry particularly sensitive to charges in the rate of general activity. With any decline in the laster, manufacturers naturally "tend to currat, if not to abandon altogether. purchases of new ma- chinery and

to utilise existing plant until recovery is well estab- lished, and they have been once more able to make adequate al- locations for depreciation. This tendency is well illustrated by the expertence of the United States where an inventory of metal-work- ing equipment undertaken by the "American Machinist," revealed that in 1935. 65 per cent, of the machine tools in use were over 10. years old, while in 1930 the com-

parable figure WILS only 45 per

Though similar statistics ccnt. are not available in this country, there is no reason to believe that experience here has been radically different from that of the Untied States.

MACHINE-TOOL INDUSTRY The machine-tool industry is one of the first to feel the effects of a depression and one of the last to benefit from any revival in activity. Moreover, it would be ex- pected that the effects of the de- pression would be more pronoun- ced in the case of machine tools than in most other branches of in- machine dustrial activity, since tools are probably less often re- placed because they are worn out: than because improvements in de- sign and the introduction of new

to 23,826 tons in 1932. In the fol- lowing year, however, Russian de- mand fell away seriously and ex- ports declined to 8,000 tons, with- out any substantial rise in the home demand taking place. year 1933, therefore, marked the trough of the depression and since then there has been a very mark- ca recovery.

The

The

In the export field a substantial Improvement took place in 1935., total exports standing a 16,506 tons, valued at £2,246,497, against 12,218 tons and 1,009,979 in the previous year.

largest in- dividual category and the

one which showed the greatest in- crease between the two years was lathes, which accounted for one third of the total exports in 3935. All other categories, with the ex- ception of milling machines, also showed an increase. The latter, however.

have the highest value per ton.

IMPROVEMENT

The Improvement to the demand for machine tools has already been reflected in the financial results of most of the principal manufac- turers. There Is, moreover, every this improvement prospect that will continue during the current that pur-

year.

The very

fact

chases were so severely curtailed during

the depression, coupled with the growth of mass-produc- lon methods and the improve- ments in design which have been effected, must have created a very considerable potential demand which is likely to make itself felt. a recovery is translated into im- proved earnings.

Increased prosperity on the part of the machine-tool industry is of

to of considerable importance the country as a whole. in view of the high rate of employment Hord. 'ed.

ypes permit substantial savings in production costs to be made. It is

possible, though, therefore new types permit substantial sav- be ings in production costs to made. It is therefore possible, though, of course not always ad- visable, for manufacturers to sus- purchases of new machine. pend tools for very considerable periods If the demand for their own pro ducts falls off. As a result, it is estimated that domestic orders for machine tools in the United Sta.es tell in 1931 to little more than 10 per cent. of the 1929 peak.

Nevertheless, owing to a set of fortuitous circumstances, the ma- chine-tool industry in this coun- try felt the depression consider- ably less than might have been expected. Though home demand fell seriously between 1929 and 1931, the depreciation of sterling and the entry of Russia as a large purchaser resulted in an increase in exports from 16 234 tons in 1929

·STEEL AND THE ATTEN. DANT INDUSTRIES

The British Steelwork Associa- tion. Artillery House, Artillery-row, Victoria-street. London, S.W.1, has Issued an interesting little publica- tion, bearing the above title, which deals briefly and in simple langu- oge with the various processes employed in the manufacture of -steel from raw materials to the finished product. Many fine lus- trations of blast-furnace, coke- aven, steelworks, and other plant are included, and when dealing with production the little work states that of all our major indus- "tries, the steel industry has shown ihe most rapid improvement from the disastrous years of 1931 and 1932. By 1934, steel production had increased by 70 per cent.. un- employment in the industry had fallen from 45 to 25 per cent, and the indirect benefits of the revival had spread in widening circles through the whole economic life of

the country.

ELECTRICAL INSTALLA- TION MATERIAL

14

Since 1888 Messrs. The Genera' Electric Company, Limited, da net House, Kingsway. London, · W.C.2, have kaued a series of general catalogues, the prepara- tion of which has, Yor obvious reasons, latterly become a matter of some difficulty, while cumber- someness might easily defeat the object of easy reference. In a new edition, which has recently been issued, the wise coure has been taken of excluding ceriain rections, such as heavy engineer- ing and seasonal merchandise" material, and making the others as complete as perbe. In the

HONG - KONG DAILY PRESS

SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1936.

ENGINEERING AND BUILDING

"MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL IN S. AFRICA

The Iscor Works of Messr

South African Iron and Steel In- dustriit Corporation, Limited, at Pretoria, have now been in opera- tion for some 18 months. The installation comprises a battery of 57 coke ovens producing 180,000 tons of coke per annum, a blast furnace having an annual output of 180,000 tons of pig-iron, an open-hearth steel melting shop capable of produclag 180.000 tons of steel ingots per annum, and consisting of a 400-ton active tit- ing mixer and two 100-ton tilting furnaces, and a heavy rolling mill plant for the production of joists. channels and raits and a light rolling mill producing wire rods, fencing standards and merchant bars. The whole of this equip- ment had been brought into active operation by July, 1934, and subse-

March 11, 1935. quently, on sheet-rolling mill plant was placed service. An interesting sound film of the new works, showing all the processes of manufacture from the mining of the ore to the final rolling of the steel, was ex- hibited

&

at South Africa House. Trafalgar-square, London, on Feb- ruary 4' under the auspices of the chairman of the Corporation, Dr. H. J. van der B., who is at pre- sent on a

visit to this country.

and by the courtesy of the High, Commissioner for the Union of South Africa. The admirable lay- out and flexibility of the installa- tion, the manner in which heat and energy are conserved, and the general

roominess of the works were well emphasised in the film. During the first year of its opera- tion, namely, the twelve months ending July, 1935, the works turned out 100,000 tons of finished rolled products, comprising · rails for the South African Railways and the Witwatersrand mines, and structural and other sections for the building and engineering in- dustries. The works were design.

On the average, it is estimat- ed in the United States that the machine-tools industry employs four times as many men per stop as the average of other manufac turing plants, while the value add- ed to the raw material through labour alone amounts to about 50 Per cent. or 60 per cent. of gross selling valpe. Moreover, the grea- ter part of the labour employed re-ed for an output of some 150,000 quires to be highly skilled,

"In this connection it is interest- Ing to note that some producers of machine

tools who have been working almost to capacity have been complaining of the difficulty of securing sufficient skilled la- bour, in spite of the recent state- ment of the Amalgamated Engin- eering Union that no shortage ex-

sts.

NOISE PROTECTION IN BUILDINGS

tans of rolled products per an- num, but we are informed that the present production is already in excess of that Agure. Even so, however, it is stated that the Iscor Works cannot meet the prevailing demand and farther large exten- slons "have been decided upon. These, which will cost some £1,500,000, wil Include a second blast furnace, another mixer in the melting shop and additional rolling-mill equipment. The new plant will take about two years to complete and will increase the capacity of the works to 250,000 tons of finished steel products per

annum.

TEMPERATURE INDICATOR FOR TRANSFORMERS

A

Comfort, not to say health, de- mands that the inhabitants of our towns shall be afforded reasonable quiet inside their dwellings. The Increasing amount of street trafic, as well as such aids to leisure as broadcasting, are only two of the factors which make this condition difficult to full, and have drawn attention to possible methods of providing sound insulation. This question, is discussed from the highly practical point of view in a pamphlet which has been issued by the Fachausschuss fur Larm- minderung of the Verein Deutscher The British Electric Transformer Ingenieure, in conjunction with Company, Limited, Bush House,

. The average temperature of transformer can usually be deter- mined sumclently accurately from that of the surrounding of, but this method takes no account of The maximum temperatures which may occur during heavy overloads of short duration or when running on the maximum safe load. Messrs.

tur London, W.C.2, have therefore de-

the Deutsche Gesellschaft Bauweseri, It deals with the means that can be adopted to render buildings less sensitive bou to external and to internal noise, such points as the

construction

and fitting of walls, windows, staircases and doors being conal- dered, as well as the installation of machinery and the erection of wiring systems. There seems no reason why the main recommen. dations of the committee should not be adopted in the case of new buildings, though their application to existing structures will, of course, be more difficult.

way, wires cabies and Bexibles. wiring supplies, conduits and, fit- tings Ironclad switchgear, line contact breakers, lighting fittings and glassware, small transformers, measuring instruments, motors, telephones and fans, &c., are fully covered, as will be agreed when It is stated that the textual mat ter with the illustrations occuples very nearly 1,000 pages. The catalogue's well, indexed in an way which should render easy and rapid reference possible. It

vised an indicator to show the internal temperature of the hot- teat winding. This consists of nee coil which has the same ratio of watts to heat-dissipating prea s the winding of which temperature is desired.

It is wound non-in-

THE PRODUCTION OF LUBRICATING OILS FROM COAL

The subject of tite production from coal of the oils required in the internal-combustion engine and of fuel oils in general has tulked largely in recent discus- stons of technical bodies. It cannot be denied that this has been due not only to its inherent scientific Interest, but in perhaps stil greater measure to a very natural disquiet, consequent upon our dependence upon imported ol, in regard to the possible posi- tion of this country in the event of international complications. Mr. K. Gordon. in his stitute of Fuel paper referred to in our Issue of November 29. described the practical hydrogenatian p'ant with which our readers are fami- liar, but confessed that no steps had yet been taken to investigate, far less to manufacture at Bli- Hingham, lubricating oils from coa".. At another Institute of Fuel meeting there was an informa! discussion upon the adequacy of our fue supplies in a time, of national emergency. and again it was recognised that there is in sight no home source of lubrica- ting olis, although without lubri- cants the availability of untold quantities of burning oils of every grade would be of little valua Lubricants, in short, appear to Our Achilles' represent to-day Heel. The report of the Fue

was dis.. Research Board which cussed in these columns on De- cember 6 last, has little comfort to offer. In the 1934 report the best that the Board could say was that "at the Fuel Research Station alls which have lubricat- ing properties although they are not yet suitable as commercial lubricants, are

being obtained from coal products." In the 1935 report we read that "success has

not

yet been attained in the attempt to use tar for the manu facture of lubricating oll."

TO RENDER ACCOUNT

In these specia: circumstances of the lubrication situation i especially appropriate that Pro-" fessor A. W. Nash, head of the Department of Oil Engineering at Birmingham University, should have been asked by the Institute of Fuel to give, jointly with his colleagues Mr. F. C. Hall and Mr. W. R. Wiggins an account of the researches that have been for many years in progress in his department upon the synthetic production of ́ubricants from coa! products. Lubricating oils are, of course, of many qualities. Recotu- ing to the character of the ma- chinery for which they are to be used. The total consumption in this country is about 115 milion gallons, or about 115 million gal lons, or about 5 per cent. of the total of imported. One of the

い

INDUSTRIAL LEADERS ON TOUR

Maru.

Shanghai, March 18.

difficulties in producing this 'sma 1 amount of divers qualities arises from the very high quality ni existing lubricating ois resulting from the skill of the petro.eum chemit, which induces the en-" gineer to make ever more and more stringent demands upon his lubricant. It was suggested in the course of Professor Nash's paper that in addition to the study that chemists are now making into the synthesis of olls having the necessary properties. engineers should look into the question of re-designing their machinery so as to reduce the work to be done by the lubricant. For example, It is highly de- trimental to oil for it to br brought into contact with hot products of combustion, and by taking more care la design this might often be avoided.

EXTENDED USE OF METALS

The more extended use. of special metals for moving parts might also reduce the work to be performed by the Jubricant There is something to be said for the contention that as the whole problem is a matter of national

expediency, the engineer should

do what he can to assist by re- ducing his demands wherever possible, instead of going his own way and expecting the chemist to keep pace with his uttermost re- quirements Lubricating oils to- day must falá! at least four stringent conditions: their vis-. cosity must vary as little as pos- sible over a wide variationi of temperature; they must retain their fluidity at low temperatures; they must not decompose ther- mally with deposition of carbon In the engine cylinder; and they must be reasonably resistant to oxidation. No oll from coal has yet been found that will fulf! these conditions in their entirety All seem to break down "at lower temperatures, either by therma decomposition or by oxidation. than do the established commer-- cial of's

A

A lubricating oil is essentialy colloid and 1s a two-phase system, colloid of, showing the Tyndall cone. Very high mole- cular weight is therefore neces sary.

Probably the present iack of success is due to the fact that chemists hay not get bul't up a suficiently comp'ex molecule which at the same has a stable structure. That is the chemical problem underlying the production of lubricating of synthetically. If the engineer can help in the ways that have been suggested It may be possible to use a less complex molecule, easter to pro- duce and more stable when" pro- duced.

WOLFRAM CONSIGNMENT FOR CANTON

(From Our Special Correspondent) An investigation party composed

Canton, March 18. of eight industrial leaders in

Two thousand tons of wolfram Yokohama arrived here yesterday morning aboard the s.s. Nagasaki obtained from the mines in Hunan are being shipped to Canton by The party will stay in Shanghai for a few days to study fall to be sold here by the mii.

tary sales office as a monopoly. the commercial and industrial

The consignment is the cori- conditions before proceeding to South China. It is understood summation of the trade collabora- that they will be in Hong Kong by, tion

Kwangtung and Hunan March 27-

General Ho Chien, Chair- man of the Hunan Provincial Government, is anxious to develop Human trade in Kwangtung and sees auch room for improvement following the completion of the Canton-Hankow Rallway.

entral News Agency.

CHANCE IN KWANTUNG

ARMY COMMAND · ·

ductively and is supplied from the secondary of a current transfor mer the primary of which is con- 'nected in series with the load, both transformer, and coil being placed inside the main transformer, As the current in the transformer thus varies with the load, the

Changchun, March 18. beating effect of the coil repro- General Kenkichi Ueda, who has duces the conditions inside the been appointed Commander-in- transformer. The temperature is Chief of the Kwantung Army and actually shown by a thermometer Japanese Ambassador to Exinking the bulb of which is placed inside in succession to General Jiro the coll. The thermometer dial can Minami, will arrive here on March be marked at the maximum safe 28 to take up his new posts, it was temperature or can be provided learned to-day. General Minami with .A maximum-temperature. *will leave for Tokyo on April 2.

Alarm or switch-trip, con- hand. tacts can also be fitted.

According to authoritative sources, Mr. Ryuichiro Nagaoka, President of the General Affairs Board of the Manchukuo Govern

is prefaced by an interesting moment, following a conference with mary of the General Electric

between

Wolfräm is sold as a monopoly here: The present price is about $95 Hong Kong currency per ton from good demand owing to Russia, France and Soviet Russia.

The usual sources of supply are Southern Kiangst, the North River valley and East River districta. Private mining, companies sell the mineral to the First Group Army sales department, which alone can export wolfram

following the arrival of General Ueda Mr. Nagaoka is expected to give poor health as reason for his General Minami to-day, has de- resignation. He left hospital yes work and organisation, both at cided to tender his resignation to "terday after receiving treatment. home and overseas.,

Premier General Chang Ching-hul Union News,

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