SAVINGS IN TIME: RESEARCH AND RECORDS 1. Inspection and research.—Closely allied with in spection, so closely allied, in fact, that one set of appa ratus often serves the two functions, is research. The two functions are, however, distinct. Inspection is for the purpose of insuring that the work of material shall come up to certain prescribed standards. Re search is for the purpose of determining these stand ards and for discovering possible improvements in the product or the manufacturing processes. Research is much like advertising; its value is cumulative. The first results are likely to be disappointing, and if the work is discontinued they are absolutely worthless. When the general plan of recording all results is fol lowed, however, apparently useless results often prove of great assistance in the solution of future problems. The General Electric Company spends annually two and a half million dollars in making and developing inventions. In addition to its experts it employs a corps of twelve patent-attorneys and twenty-eight assistants. The Westinghouse Electric Company maintains a department almost as large and expensive. The Pennsylvania Railroad Testing Laboratories at the company's Altoona shops were established in 1875, and employ over 200 men. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company, the Hoe Printing Press Company, and scores of smaller concerns carry a force of salaried men whose duty it is to make inven tions and to develop their possibilities.
2. A large research laboratory.—Probably one of the largest and best equipped commercial laboratories is that of the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company, which makes every kind of machine used in threshing grain. It has its own facilities, but to offset the heavy expense of maintaining the laboratory, it does com mercial work for other firms.
The laboratory occupies four rooms in the com pany's office building. One is the laboratory office, in which the reports are made up and the results of the various analyses and tests are recorded for use, reference and distribution. The office contains a library of several hundred volumes on subjects relat ing to chemistry, physics, electricity, heat, power, manufacturing, etc. The fine microscopes, barome ters, hygrometers, anemometers, machines for elec trolysis, grease-testing machines, glue testers, etc., are also kept here. Among them are a number of very delicate scales, one sensitive to the 1200th part of a milligram.
Samples of all kinds of minerals, paints, oils, drugs, paper, cloth, leather, rubber, cordage, fuels, clays, brick, etc., are kept here for reference, inspection and
comparison. The collection of samples forms a basis of a valuable education not only for the chemists but for the shop foremen.
The system of record-keeping is careful and ac curate, and data for years back are a very valuable fea ture. One set of books is used for research work-, one for recording chemical analyses, one for physical tests, and one exclusively for foundry work.
3. Commercial results.—The head of the labora tory not only is an expert chemist, but he has had many years of practical experience in the iron and steel, rub ber, leather, oil, paint and other industries. Being thoroly practical, he is able to judge of the value of any particular chemical analysis or physical test. This practical knowledge, of course, is essential in a laboratory of this kind, for while any chemist may be able to make an analysis, yet in applying chemistry to practical work he may be entirely at a loss, and thru lack of personal experience in the manufacturing or commercial side of the problem he may often do more harm than good. Each of the assistant chemists handles a special line of work, so that the laboratory runs in a systematic manner. A very important fea ture of its work is the making of specifications for the raw materials which the company uses. This involves a great amount of testing and research work: Another feature is the investigation of the causes of failures and breakages and the solution of the diffi culties. This is also an important part of the work of the Pennsylvania Railroad and of the Westing house testing laboratories, and their procedure is al most identical with that of the J. I. Case Company. Thus, if a threshing machine shaft, bearing or belt proves defective or breaks for an unknown cause it is shipped to the laboratory and carefully tested and ex amined. If the fault is due to poor workmanship or defective materials, the chemist reports the fact and the part is replaced free of charge. If the examina tion fails to show the cause, the foreman or chemist is dispatched to the locality where the trouble occurred to make a thoro investigation. If an inordinate strain has been applied or unusual conditions introduced, the investigator is in a position to suggest the necessary changes. Altho this method is expensive, the com pany feels fully repaid in that such a plan insures the confidence of its customers and tends to improve fu ture output.