The Iron Age 1925-08-27: Vol 116 Iss 9

annie cot att te ancient 5 iT 2 q 2 THE IRON AGE New York, August 27, 1925 ESTABLISHED 1855 VOL. 116, No. 9 Systematizing Fou dry Production Operations Planned for a Varied Line of Products and a Large Repair Business—Premium Wage Scheme a Corollary Development BY GILBERT L. LACHER COMPANY which makes a varied line of prod gained from arrat + ging equipment and routing produc- ucts, no one of them in large quantity and some. tion for repetitive work are largely beyond reach. of them according to special speci‘eations, is Greater attention must be paid to the planning of confronted with the problems of a jobbing Snop rather yperations to introduce a maximum of order and sys- than of a manufacturing plant. The economies to be tem in handling a wide range of miscellaneous work. PaT. No. _ DAILY PRODUCTION usep on __ ee ll isimensiesitciniesiniimssiay A clapccnliiians Omoeren DATE Oavan NuNeER i ee ett reer i AST | Pre Day Comrcate on. | | | oe $—— $$ fg pe Dare == | ORDERED DATE | — Set ce Pace NUwerr + a Nz me of P Dr’g N i Sen ; | lece o No. Want agg l ] aa . Per Dar | | T | ] T Orde, N ' Comrveve 4 a py Dare Kind of Mat 7 Orne Nuwere PS part of Yanted Quantity NO. Want PER Day —— vre wanted RATE Pattern No. Mold and | ieee ATE Nam Close up Out lel HH Mould 1d Hele ~——_Min, ouider old ¢ } Ove . ) With hout t Help = Min Pieces in mould — } Wisk P Hrs Set Cores” 'th Help H __ Min, : _Hrs. Signed 1—Molder’s Copy of the Foundry Order, which Is Made Out in Quadruplicate. This is the molder’s authority to undertake a given job. Under the heading “Rate” are entered the standard times for various operations. The x f . g . ? ; : . molder is paid a premium of 50 to 60 per cent of the time he saves within these standards. 2—A production card is made out for every order. When a given job is completed, the card is placed in the “dead” file. Space has been provided for four jobs, so that the same card may be used repeatedly, under orders calling for the same pattern. The production card file now contains a complete record of all castings made during the past decade. 3—When a mold leaves the molder, a boy attaches to it a slip inscribed with the pattern number, name of casting, name of molder, number of pieces in the mold and the date. These slips, collected when a heat 18 “ , poured, are an indication to the foundry superintendent’s office that the castings have been made 527 . fers eee ee eae ee er od ea on 928 THE rew org zations have made greater strides in that lirection than the Bucyrus Co., South Milwaukee, Wis., among whose products are the railroad type and re lving shovel f all sizes; dragline and trench ex vators lipper hydraulic and placer dredges; preader plows and wrecking cran¢ M r 2 equipmen n connection with itsia¢ ndertaking ften in remote locations, wher : e! nasmuch as the force the pe rat xv rema idle until work can be resumed. It exceedingly important, therefore, that repair ps m ‘ bait prompt when needed. Hence not rising that the B rus ( places great t ( indling of its repair very is promised on ' ‘ ny iit Be 0 ar 40 001 erns e kept in ! I I es in sel as t I nish replacement part < ne 3 Sf Recently a re- received for a machine which was built 83 s after Bucyrus compan) irders for repairs vary widely in size, ‘ f y i lving as little as a ite extreme tota I | andling of repair ( produc varied a line é } ls I high standard nir ! lr s article atte I I l Te e! ) ‘ roduc I tnorit t productior yrders, a i ne I vI e foundry orders Thess re in quadruy te ne copy each for the finished stock department, the foundry office, the molder tne re maker (Fig ) These orders are marked he name¢ piece I le imber, pat- er! nbe ng nu r I nd of material r N é e of the equipment i vhicl re ng pal he number of pieces vanted ar n wi he stings must | Pattern Department Responsibility I re ft imber I entered on the f at I eparti { which thereby in 1 ha ecked the r al has taker e re t I lpT ng proper p it rn The t | end r hen pinned I ' ¢ nereupon ent t tne e] I Ihe S¢ S r the md? ’ in alia VW ittachs t+, ae i oa a These ' T T ’ } t I ne — . d I 1e?7 () t eT re pnart 1) e } i 1 per ur ; mpleted , I molding is , I ‘ I VI ch wil ‘ I ecured f1 } hipping I t ‘ ‘ e clea}! ne ( n T irs Sas de] very The m chine } ! When a giver b } eted e produc tion Cal piace n tne “a Space has been pri vided T eact produ ? Tor ’ four jobs, a that the same card may be used repeatedly when an received. Th IRON August 27, 1925 AGE production card file is one of the most useful records in the possession of the plant, indicating all the castings made throughout the last ten years and the time re- quired in their production. Cost keeping is tied up with a premium plan of paying wages. Wherever possible work is rated by the hour or minute. The premium department by a time study decides what is a normal period for the performance of a given task, and then adds an induce- ment factor varying from 50 to 60 per cent. As an example, let it be assumed that the normal time limit on a certain molding operation is 6 hr. and the molder does the work in 4 hr. He is credited with a premium of 1 hr., or one-half the time he saves. Whenever a new job is handled in the foundry, the premium department must make out a new rate card. The “molding master card,” for instance, which identi- fies the job, indicates the time limit, whether or not a helper is required, whether metal or wooden flask is to be used, its dimensions, and whether the job employs pe and drag, or cope, cheek and drag (Fig. 4). Under isual quantity is indicated the usual number of orders for a given job received at one time. Ordinarily at east two identical orders are placed at a time. Under a column headed “R. S.” are inscribed the initials of the rate-setter, and under “O. K.” those of the head of the premium department, indicating his approval of the card as prepared. On the reverse side of the molding master card is ‘oremaking master card,” on which the rates for aking cores for the same casting are entered. There- indicated necessary information regarding the employment of driers, arbors, nailing, hooks, rods and vents, the box number, the number of cores in the set required for the mold, and the time limit per init in making cores from core boxes. A group time limit is fixed for the larger cores where parts of the work are performed by different The time on the floor, on the bench, and for pasting and washing go up to make the total time »wed for the unit. rT} is core men. Wages and Premiums or base rates, fixed on these master irds are the timekeeper’s authority to compute the wages of the men. The timekeeper keeps time on every job made and the premiums earned are awarded on the basis of the time card. A foundry time card provided for each man in the foundry. The time card for the molders (Fig. 5) has a detachable section at the top called the “header,” containing the actual and the premium time put in on various jobs by the molder on a given date. This section goes to the aymaster’s department. The remainder of the card as five identical sections for recording the progress on i many The time limits, time ‘obs. To simplify the principa work of the timekeeper, all the operations are listed so that he can describe them by merely making a check mark with his pencil. Thus, if it is floor work, all he has to do is to check t 1 “floor.” If a given job is under way, but ympleted, the record is carried over until the ne wor day. If helpers are used, it is so indicated, and e helper’s rate is computed on the basis of a per- ntage of the molder’s earnings. Incidentally, for guidance of the molder, his slip carries the rate tor a given job, indicating whether it is to be per- rmed with or without a helper. A day-work allow- nce is provided for work which is not rated. A time put in on unrated work is provided at the bottom of the foundry time card. In alculating premiums, the total time allowed for given tasks 1s compared with the total actual time put in. In other words, if a molder exceeds the time limit one job, that time is added into the total tual time put in on all of the jobs which he completes. Group rates have been established for shaking out, chipping and poking out. In other words, the gang employed on a certain operation is credited with one- half the time it saves. No premium rates have been any ] ace for recoraing excess fixed for furnace men, but their performance is com- pletely recorded in the electric and open-hearth furnace They are granted bonuses, how- and cupola journals. August 27, 1925 ever, on the basis of exceeding a certain tonnage in production and a certain percentage in good castings obtained from the metal. Welding, annealing, loading, operation of cranes and truck tractors, handling of flasks in the yard and similar operations are on a straight day-work basis. The daily heat sheet previously referred to (Fig. 6) contains a complete record of all castings poured from each heat, the pattern numbers, the order numbers, and the names of the molders who made the molds, as THE IRON AGE 529 board on which is kept a daily record of total hours of labor, total production and total shipments, as well as the balance of work in the chipping room. There is always a portion of the plant output in the chipping room, the average tonnage in that department amount- ing to from four to five days’ production. These statistics are drawn up in graph form, also, so that the performance of the foundry department may be grasped at a glance. The superintendent, his assist- ants and the foremen watch the bulletin board closely, INTER -SHOP SHIPPING LIST SHIPMBNT No.-.------------~- PIECE MARK OR PATT NO Sa Ge . TS > WN igs SORE i </ES i= < wis Y Ke Za Ghiores te oe Received bx—$ <<< i. meee ain RATION Mh gre S | MOLD TO BENCH OVEN nai ASSISTANTS —_ 4—Whenever a New Job Is Handled in the Foundry, a New Rate Card Must Be Prepared. The “molding mas- ter card” identifies the job, indicates the time limit, whether or not a helper is required, whether metal or wooden flask is to be used and its dimensions, and whether cope and drag only, or cope, cheek and drag, will be used. 5— Time card as provided for each employee. A detachable section at the top goes to the paymaster’s department. The remainder of the card has five identical sections for recording the progress on as many jobs. To simplify the work of the timekeeper, all the principal operations are listed so that he can describe them by merely making a check mark with his pencil. A space for recording time put in on unrated work is provided at the bottom of the card. 6—Daily heat sheet, containing a complete record of all castings poured from each heat, the pattern numbers, order numbers, names of the molders who made the molds, number of bad castings and an indication of how each was faulty—whether cracked, broken, blowy. month to the cost department. 7 Total weights of good and bad castings are sent each Shipment receipt is made out whenever castings are sent from the foundry to other departments. The total weights as obtained from the shipment receipts are computed monthly and forwarded to the cost department well as a record of bad castings, indicating in what respect they were faulty—-cracked, broken, blowy, etc. The total weights of good and bad castings are sent each month to the cost department. Likewise the total weights as obtained from the shipment receipts are computed monthly and forwarded to the cost depart- ment. Check-up by Superintendent and Foremen In the foundry superintendent’s office is a bulletin so that remedial action may be taken promptly if occasion demands. Once a month a cost meeting is held in the foundry department, which is attended by the superintendent, the general foundry foreman, the metallurgist, two office assistants, an apprentice instructor, two bay fore- men, a general foreman and two sub-foremen of the chipping room, a core room foreman, a general night foreman and the general foreman of the gray iron department. eer tert omnes ork tite Fee ar baits pe .¢ A ei ev Pn TR OO ee arene <2 —e eee Inwall Cooling for Blast Furnace System of Water-Cooled Plates for Retaining Shape of Wall and Prolonging Its Life—Application to Dutch Furnace NZI ted wit watel One main difference betweer’ this system and other pply te ind drains, constitute essentially methods in use lies in the fact that these plates are the D nwall cooling system for blast furnaces. carried by the shell and do not depend for support This has been devised by James P. Dovel, vice-president upon the brick wall. As a matter of fact, they can Sloss-Sheft Steel & Iron Co., Birmingham, Ala., and function in the absence of any brick at all, which was has been 5 1 test of re than two years in som not the case with other methods, where any failure of of the furnac: ca mpany. In addition, the sys- the wall meant a complete failure of the cooling plates te ed t era tl rnaces of differ- also. ent ling the new furnace of the Konin- Due to their method of installation and support, } e Ned ul Hoogovens en Staalfabrieken, at } H | section drawing shows the ‘ | iu 1 I ‘ ¢ nav n er enging Freyn Et y { yy ! é te ing plates are so l ted and spaced as to form a series of shelves which eff ally top the movement of stock along the Another View in the Same Furnace, Taken Di- rectly Above the Other One, and Showing Pro- truding Ends of Water-Cooled Plates After an 18-Month Run. No repairs were made prior to putting blast on again these plates are easily replaced in case of individual failure. This method of maintaining the furnace sec- tion and avoiding the great trouble and expense due Taken ot an. Mievation of About 16 Feet Abo: to cutting away upper walls is reported to have given the Mantel. This Shows One Side of the Inwal thorough satisfaction in the twelve furnaces to which Completely Cut Away. This inwall was replaced it has been applied in this country. by the f¢ oled plates, dur gis mor ths, wn Our photographs are from the inside of a furnace he abse f ) brick whatever. After the which was failing rapidly prior to the installation of hotograph wu taken the furnace was put back these cooling plates. After the plates were installed, Ola i nm avout ¢ MONTHS, rr eee which required about 12 hr. working time, the furnace om OTT CEL COMGALION was operated for about 18 months. It was then blown out because of market conditions. At that time the hell of the furnaces This results in an agglomeration photographs were taken. Since then the furnace has material, forming a good inwall, with just enough been put in blast without any repairs to the inwall and water circulation to prevent fusion to a point a few 1as been operating so successfully as to break former inches in front of the nose of the plate. This mai records. This later campaign, so far has listed more tains a vertical alinement of the inwall, which here- than seven months. tofore has been doubtful, as the tendency has been It is believed by Mr. Dovel that, inasmuch as five frequent! for t} neandescent stock t t the inwal f the furnaces fitted with this device have been break- away ol e Sia ing previous records, the system may possess other | | | August 27, 1925 THE IRON AGE 531 advantages than merely protecting the inwall. The perfect alinement of the walls should make a smoother and more even feed downward of the stock and th‘s perhaps accounts for the improvement. + x4 aj | |B Manganiferous Ores in Blast Furnace WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.—The experimental blast fur- nace operated by the Bureau of Mines, Department of f Commerce, at its Minneapolis Experiment Station, was recently blown out, after being in operation continu- ously for 34 days, says a statement issued by the Bu ] reau of Mines. It is considered that this test makes LL. )-9 » distinct progress on the problem of utilizing manganif- erous iron ores and constitutes substantial proof of the , usefulness of an experimental blast furnace in the field ‘ | of industrial research. The primary object of the run was to determine the feasibility of operating a furnacs 7 bo<—-< a = | >.> — ~~ 2 od —T e +> ; ><> = bow ne i ™~ ae ee” } T ; > r — AN t Feea f ~ — \h 1S 3 io—<> as -a . _¥ { ; + Fw 7 { i) t—, +P eo-<d {> — } 2 | ? \\ | ’ l | bes \ , * oS ~3-<_>~~< ~-¢"> + ' 4 T * a 4 ) L y 9 “t+ <-> < 4. ™ ' | ' < yy ] t 4 \ —>-)— > > a - ™—= A . « ’ {T+ ’ . i - at — oe Z on a T mi + ; ” -oO-<> > <I ¢ a - = = {ree + ; ia on 100 per cent Cuyuna Range manganiferous iron ores and to ascertain the tonnage, fuel consumption, and recovery of manganese which may be expected in com merical operation on these ores. Tonnage records show that a total of 134 tons of metal was made during the test. This material is now available for investigating the next step of the } , manganese problem. The manganese content of the I p———4 metal varies from a few per cent to about 15 per cent The phosphorus is high in all cases and will probably 1 average 0.6 per cent. The problem of separating th« m. | ' phosphorus, iron and manganese metallurgically will J be taken up by the Bureau of Mines during the next : } rt fiscal year. —>—__“ =i In addition to regular operating data, such as ¥ weights and analyses of materials charged, weights of Hj slag and metal, cubic feet of wind per minute, blast P 4 pressure, top and hot blast temperatures, over 800 gas samples were taken from various elevations of the fur Co ——————— nace. Temperature and pressure measurements were also made at corresponding positions within the charg column. These data constitute fundamental informa- Transverse and Partial Longitudinal Sections, tion on blast furnace operation. As a result more sys- with Half Elevation. of Blast Furnace Erected tematic and comprehensive data have been obtained at Ymuiden, Holland. The cooling plates (as at than was possible in previous experiments. With the 1) data now available, it will be possible to follow the ; reactions taking place in the interior of the furnace Similar data have been taken on a commercial furnace are 3 ft. 8 in. apart vertically and 15 deg apart radially, making 24 in each “layer” and 240 in all. They are fed by 1%-in. water lines, so that comparisons can be made between experimental drawing from a 6-in. supply line, and have drains and commercial furnace conditions. The gas analyses of the same 1%-in. pipe. The plates are inter- on the small furnace and those available from a com- connected in groups of six. Most of the cooling mercial furnace indicate some interesting conclusion plates extend 2 ft. into the furnace wall, but the can be drawn concerning the path of materials in the two lower rows are longer experimental furnace, as well as in commerical tur naces., eh! ks § be Lad Ei 4 PS se ELS Lay abi - ity ar Bolt Showing Dimensions Necessary in Ordering we | eS} Xo Q | : , I ow = | r Y v cr ’ é | 9 | | oO i—] ' = | J ’ — —_ S | B It D R t Suggestions to Purchasers to Be Specific if Delays a : or Errors Are to Be Avoided BY ARTHUR L. GREENE’ To } ul t manu not a standard commonly employed or commonly tu mpl pecification data in tur recognized as such, handicapped erving tl In the illustration the dimension items have been b ipposed that tne assinicat drawn in which need to be known for proper filling i nd standard bolts vell knowr of the order. It will be noted that, in addition to giv- I uld be 4 ir wit But a ing the overall length and diameter of the stud bolt, n wi lose irprisil a f there is also shown the length of threads for both the f just wh nstitu i nut and tap ends and the point measurement. Knowl- AY e! I I y IS¢ edge of each of these spec ifications is necessary. tl n S dard ur Turning now to the ordinary eye-bolt, another in- nseque! added ¢ tance is had wherein many of the same difficulties are elive? ! erienced while tl experienced as those with a stud bolt. Many customers ng au vill order a quantity of eye-bolts—say, 1000, % in. x 4 and assume that the information given is_ suffi- 4 1€1 trate ient for proper interpretation of the order. In this nd } ng from le instance, the question arises in the manufacturer’s f da t it, (3) hook mind as to the definition of the latter dimension K b All namely, 4 in. eading of “specia meanitl Generally speaking, it means, of course, the length ‘ ( tandard r measureme the bolt. But does this represent the overall length s + ? } netey Customer and Manufacturer Differ in Ideas of Length Tt Buffa Bolt ¢ North Tonawanda, N ‘ tent t 1 commos fallacy in ordering stud assumes tnat —————————rer tt / ng the overall length and diameter of a bolt of kind, sufficient data are given for fulfillment of the But nsider the following facts: First, abso I f the thread length for both the tay and nut nd f a stud bolt is essential for its use ir lar case: second, no standardized length of hese tap and nut ends is recognized for a given overa ngth and diameter; third, measurement of the length na is differs from each othe that the tap end measured through the point, while the ~asured to the point; fourth, point meas irement als le n many instances and must b nown, therefor for correct interpretation of the cus- re W ne ] nsequence of the failure of many customers t ve either sufficient information when ordering a stud t r because of failure to give the right kind of nformation, many bolt and nut manufacturers have leveloped their own methods of interpreting specifica Some have even adopted a standard of their wn in which a given overall length and diameter of bolt represent a definite length of the tap and nut Difficulties attend the use of this, however, as it ) f the bolt including the eye, the length of the bolt neasured from the center of the eye to the end, or the length of the bolt measured from under the eye to the end? We have here three possible interpretations, any one of which may be correct. Another question arises as well. What inside diameter of the eye is wanted by the customer? This -dimension is important when the use of an eye-bolt is considered. In other words, if the diameter of the eye is made too small or too large, the use of the bolt in a particular instance may be destroyed. What It Is Necessary to Specify In our illustration, therefore, the outline drawing of the eye-bolt has the necessary line dimensions in- serted. These consist of the eye diameter measure- ment and the measurement on which the length of the bolt is based—that is, either the overall length, length from the center of the eye to the end, or the length measured from under the eye to the end. With any one of these three latter dimensions known, together with the inside eye diameter, there arises no possibility for misinterpretation of the order. It is worth noting here that many bolt manufacturers have taken upon them- selves to consider the length measurement to mean (unless specifically stated otherwise) the length of the bolt measured from the center of the eye to the end. But this practice is by no means universally followed. To consider briefly now the case of a hook bolt, such as that shown third from the left: A customer will order a number of these bolts, with the same lack of spe- os) — — Weaame-GNy 4dg1Ind AGIs aq1n9 aaIis” August 27, 1925 cific data as that noted with the eye-bolt. Here again the bolt manufacturer encounters much the same diffi- culties, only perhaps to a greater extent. The length of bolt given is open again to three different interpreta tions—thatis, does the customer mean the overall length, length measured from under the hook to the end, or length measured from center of the hook to the end”? The obvious interpretation would be to consider the measurement to mean from under the hook to the end There is no certainty, however, that such an interpre- tation would be correct from the customer’s standpoint We encounter still further difficulties in considering the measurements of the hook itself. There is nothing in the order specifications to indicate the diameter or radius of the hook, the width across the opening, or the length of hook wanted. There is no general rule by which the manufacturer can interpret these measure ments. At the same time, it is vitally essential that these dimensions be known. If they are not given, the manufacturer has no other recourse but to write the customer for the missing data. In the illustration, therefore, on the outline draw- ing of the hook bolt are entered the dimension lines for the following items: length of bolt measured from under the hook to the end of the bolt, diameter of bolt, width across the opening of the hook, length of the hook itself and the radius of the hook. With these items shown or given, sufficient data are at hand for the manufacture of the bolt exactly according to the customer’s wishes. Customer May Give Only Two Dimensions Next to the hook bolt is the U-bolt. We can pre- sume again, as often happens, that the customer gives the manufacturer but two dimensions—that is, the length and diameter of the bolt. It will be seen that certain essential dimensions are missing from this order. Regarding the length, the manufacturer again encounters the problem of determining whether the customer means the overall length or the length meas ured from under the curve to the end. It will be noted further that there is no dimension center given for the “U” shape, nor is the width between the two legs indi cated. These dimensions must be known before manu facture of the product can begin. THE IRON AGE 533 In the diagram, the U-bolt is shown with the dimen- sion lines that must be included for proper interpreta- tion of the order. The dimension indicating the width of the bolt is drawn between the center lines of the two legs; this is the recognized method of specifying the bolt width, although, if the customer desires, this dimension can measure either from inside the legs or across the legs. The length of the bolt here is meas- ired from inside the bend to the end of the bolt. Countersunk Head Bolts lo consider now the last item shown—the counte1 sunk head bolt. Some of these bolts are standard, while thers are special. Practically all tire, plow and sleigh shoe bolts are considered standard; all other types, however, are special and require, therefore, complete specification data. Most important here is the specifi- ation for the angle of the head. Its importance rests on the fact that, where a bolt of this kind is to be sunk nto a metal sheet of plate, the angle of the head must onform to the angle of the counterbored hole. Other- wise, an imperfect bearing surface will result. Con- sider a typical instance where the customer sends in an order for a special countersunk head bolt, wherein he requests a 15-deg. countersunk head with a given length and diameter of bolt. Several difficulties are now encountered. First of ill, the customer has failed to give either the width across the head or the thickness. The specification “a 15-deg. angle” is open to various interpretations. The customer may mean a 15-deg. angle measured from the enter line of the bolt or he may mean an inclusive ngle measured over the entire head. When a countersunk head bolt is ordered, the cus- tomer must bear the following specifications in mind as ndicated in the diagram. In addition to giving the diameter of the bolt and its length (which will be taken here to include the depth of the head), the customer must specify either the thickness of the head or its width. It should be clearly indicated, further, whether the angle of inclination of the head is measured from the center line to one side of the head, or whether it is in inclusive angle for the entire head. If the foregoing tems are specified, the bolt sent will conform with what the customer has in mind. Barge Made Almost Wholly of Steel Channels TEEL channels form not only the frame wor! also the great bulk of the sheathing or plating of ter 100-ft. steel barges recently built for the New York Central Lines. Channels 12 in. x 20.7 lb. are used standard, being run lengthwise over the deck, the bot tom and both sides. The sloping ends of the barges are made of similar channels run athwartships. Even the rounded corners in the cross section of the ae ot channel at tne ipperT part, altho ai DI igh plates are used in the lower corners. Additional plates ‘or rubbing strips are carried along near the upper part of the section, but do not form a portion of the regular plating. This method of construction has been patented by R. E. Ellis, who is represented by Edgar Ames, 30 Church Street, New York. One claim for the system is great rigidity Low maintenance cost and unusual dead weight carrying capacity are claimed also. Wage Incentives That Fit the Job Method of Compensation Should Be Selected with Due Regard to Type of Work, Intelligence of Employee and Simplicity of Record-Keeping ry HER! literature on methods 0! above described ratio exceeds a predetermined : oi : ers, and out of it emerges no point for an entire pay period. The stand- r} much is apparent, no ard of ratio or efficiency varies from 70 per fits all 1 iirements and cent to 80 per cent, depending upon the kind I most of work done in each group. As the average Wwol n groups rather efficiency of our plant is approximately 90 per ensatio! cent, the bonus earned varies from 10 per cent ‘ al for bette peration and to 20 per cent. } ge « putation We obtain our cost control through the fact that after standard efficiency is reached rhe Group Plan the cost is practically constant so that we f the know that if a standard of efficiency in ex Packard Motor cess of the starting point is maintained the rth by costs are at or below standard. nee! that mpany., it The Hudson Motor Car Co. likewise pays its men rapl . . by the group system. R. S. Perry, its planning man- VW roup bonus | throughout all of ger, states briefly: uc partment We do not be 1—Our men are assured of a certain day’s pay 1 ; advantage of individua aleulated on an hourly rate and in addition ve for tl reasol iat the members a bonus made up from a calculation of the idea number of pieces produced. will increase the output of -—This system is very easy to compute because ntive to use their all payment of the piece work portion of the vel to transn them plan is made from the number of large units j produced. For example, the men in our axle itation for purpose f determining plant are paid their regular daily rate plus a ; ST Sead ich mpler ertain bonus, depending upon the number of nlv neces irv for u ompleted axles produced. No attempt is f 4 tnut of each grou made to count individual pieces from any par- f each individual. W< ticular operation. at it not neé Our payment standards are based upon time tudies of operation. The unit cost is ther bore predetermined. Deviations from these } tandards are reported when gangs fail, on a a roduction basis, to earn their guaranteed day rate 5 . The Westinghouse Electric Plan \ t interesting presentation of the group method payment has been made for the Policyholders’ service Bureau by G. D. Piper, assistant general audi- or of the Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. The in formation supplied by Mr. Piper admirably incorpo- atively short space almost all the essential form of wage payment. f ps of moderate size, not over 12 workers in a group, which we have found, from experience, increases rather than lessens rted ndividual initiative. This result we believe U! to pe largely due to the speedier workers be- ng willing to put forth their best efforts in 1 group, where their individual performances are more or less submerged in the perform- ance of the whole group, whereas working individuals the tendency is to limit their Cl rate of production so as not to invite the ill NN O)Q,Q_), OR Say a Or ~ -_ t ~ > f f ! hese will of their less ambitious fellow-workmen. ‘ation l'urthermore, much of our group work con rou} Che tir ilue ists of several grades—i.e., work requiring he in- ow, medium and high rated men—and we t of elieve our group system tends to stimulate and sun more interest on the part of the lower rated mont} eri 1 so that men toward qualifying for the more highly ( n e value of the paid grade of work performed in the group ) ned it each d: nd each pav pe than when working by themselves. . th the elanss time required by the -—Our system is inherently easy of computa- | : rroul ! t work, tion due to the fact that the worker knows , he tweet the work turned out that if he completes a job without exceeding he time required to irn it out the standard time limit he is paid for limit ( ' mer that time at his standard time rate. For ex- | ' ner cer onu f ample, if the standard time for the job is, ‘ r eas é cent that t say, 10 hours and the worker completes it in August 27, 1925 exactly 10 hours, or less, he knows his earn- ings on that job are ten times his standard time rate an hour. Conversely, if he expends more than 10 hours on such job, he knows his earnings are the number of hours taken times his “day work” rate. 4 3—Quality is essential to eligibility for the higher earnings offered under the standard time wage system. Adequate inspection is our insurance for receipt of quality. 1—Our standard time wage system renders feasi- ble to a considerable extent discontinuance of detailed product or job costs, because the cost of work done thereunder—on which time ex- pended does not exceed the standard time limit—is practically a piece work cost. Devia- tions from the standard time limit are taken eare of by a so-called “fall which is referred to the super- visory force, promptly after this knowledge reaches the cost department, for explana- tions as to the causes for the “fall downs.” There may be, of course, deviations from the standard time hourly rates in that high-rated workmen are assigned to low-rated jobs, and when this occurs the unit cost is increased; in these cases the extra cost is reflected in our periodical average costs if on standard product, or in the cost of the individual or- der if on special product. The Worthington Pump & Machinery Corporation is using a group premium successfully on casting, cleaning and ship- ping in several of its factories. The Burroughs Adding Ma- chine Co., while not using the group plan on a large scale, does employ it in two small, compact units, those engaged in making shipping boxes and roll paper. The Cleveland Metal Products Co. based on group production. A large manufacturer of motor wheels uses group rates for practically all of its dry kiln, stock handling down” report duction by a’gley”’ be cause of tions. if workers fail to to keep the prove individual, greatly study of group wage Me tropolitan Life 1 gives a bonus and pickling operations. In these cases the entire group works as one man as far as the cost keeping is concerned, as a piece rate is set for the number of units handled. This rate times the production, di- vided by the number of men in the group, gives the individual earnings: Individual Incentive Plans It is, however, manifestly unfair to present informa- tion on the group method of wage payment without similarly citing successful application of the individual incentive plans. The Burroughs Adding Machine Co. uses the piece work basis for the greater part of its production. Its methods of wage payment are described in detail by V. R. Bechtel, its factory accountant, as follows: 1—The greater part of our production is paid on a piece work basis, the basis of which is a specified number of units an hour to be com pleted on a particular operation to earn the class or hourly rate assigned to each class of work. Increase or decrease above or below this task is paid for or deducted from the class rate in proportion to the production. 2—The time ticket shows the task in pieces an hour, the class rate, and the number of pieces finished. The calculation of earnings is made by reference to a chart to secure the cost for 100 pieces; then multiplying by the number of units completed, using calculators. 3—Quality is maintained by thorough inspection. In bench departments employees must re-do rejected work without pay. In machining de- THE IRON oade i7vice ntives too complicate de ymputa No matter hou ingenious the understand t tnd the management spends too much effort trying records straight, if will not practical, The wage incentives, by treating the extra pay- ment in regard to a group rathe simplifies the co tion and makes for better cooperation. Th methods was the Policyholders se? surance Co... New Yorl AGE 535 partments the amount paid to the employee for his labor is deducted from his pay. In cases of scrapped work or rejected work that must be repaired by a different department than the one originally doing the work, deduc- tion from the employee’s pay is made for an amount not less than the amount paid to the employee for doing the operation, and not more than the labor and inaterial value to point of rejection. 4—Standards are established for each operation as far as direct labor is coneerned. Overhead is distributed on a percentage of direct labor. This standardizes both the labor and over- head. Deviations from standard are reported daily, showing the excess of doing any job on which there is a piece work task, either on a temporary piece work task higher than the standard task, or on a day work basis. An Individual Premium Plan HE best laid plans for stimulating pro A foundry equipment com- pany, while not using a group bonus plan, employs an in- dividual premium plan. It ad- mits that its method of com- puting the factory workers’ payroll is somewhat complex and difficult, inasmuch as the premium system enters into bheniee ai the computation of an em- ployee’s wages. The premium system is based on standard time production for each operation, hence the time on each operation must be figured individually. It feels that its method of paying factory workers both speeds up pro- duction and maintains a high standard of quality. The alk on each operation is the standard for the operation, and any deviation from this standard is automatically recorded under the premium plan. If an employee finishes a job in the allowed time, which is the rule, he is given this difference of time, as a which is automatically recorded on the com pany’s payroll sheets. All work in “gang aft sche te, group method of mputa i made by > ice Bureai of the wed time premium this company’s factory is done on shop orders, either productive or non-productive, according to the classification of work. When an employee com mences to work on a shop order, he is given a time card with the order on which he is to work recorded tnereon., When the man commences and when he leaves this job, the time card is punched on the time clock. These ob cards pass through to the shop dispatcher, who records the time elapsed on each job. On the subse quent morning the total cards for each employee are forwarded to the timekeeping department, where they are recorded in the payroll book, under productive or non-productive headings. The non-productive cards are simply recorded on the payroll book, showing the order number and time elapsed on each job. At the end of the week, the total hours on the pay sheet are added up and brought down into their respective columns and extended by the rates, and this amount is placed in the total rate column for the week. Then the em ployee’s check is drawn. Employees working on premium work use a special card. This premium card records the set-up and take- down time allowed on each job, the number of pieces on the job and the allowed time for each piece. When the ecards reach the payroll department, the elapsed time is recorded in one column with the set-up and take- down time, and the total time on the job, being the number of pieces plus time allowed on each piece as recorded in a separate column. The difference between the allowed time and the elapsed time is the premium or excess time on the job. At the end of the week these columns are footed up and extended as in the case of non-productive work. oe Active Metallurgical Research Problems Handled at the Bureau of Standards Show Great Diversity—A Plea for Larger Personnel | BY DR. H. W. GILLETT” . available for meta n fundamental scientific problems chosen by the ‘ type of metallurgical prot bureau. During the War the metallurgical resources Bureau of Standards of thi f the bureau were, of course, occupied entirely with erce, were covered in the first war problems and were utilized by many other Gov- the activities othe: ernment agencies. Such utilization bids fair to con- ' ' ribe me of th tinue on about the present basis. ie vive an erroneou Military Projects—7 Per Cent rtance, the approximate pe! Three projects, partly handled on transfer funds rgical division funds spent on rom the Army and Navy but necessitating consider- ist closed is given, from cost ble cooperative expenditure of bureau funds, have igul One per cent of the funds een gun erosion, special applications of air-hardening $1,( TI equivalent to around steels, and work on “sprayed” metal coatings. Pub- in ipervisory, technical, shoy ications are seldom made on these projects, the reports ‘ essary supplies and equip being of a confidential nature. | ] } erialis tems will. f < irsé } n all proje Steel for Gages—6 Per Cent her than research, covering \t the request of the Army, a study of the dimen- ervice to other parts of tn nal changes in steel for gages and of the wear of I kK on specifications, mentioned in gages in service has been going on for several years. articie iccount for about 50 per cent \ group of producers and users, the “Gage Steel Com- I Ut irely research projects may bt mittee,” has kept in touch with the work and several projects undert n at the reques 1utomobile firms are cooperating in the service wear t er Government departments, <0 pe! tests. The rk has involved study of internal 1 hni societis J) per cent; and tresses due to quenching, as well as of changes on nitiative of the bur V per cent tempering and aging. VOrkK OF vari rts done tor Gov While more such theoretical work might profitably published and much oj Ww has be done, not so much stress will be laid on this subject ation to industrial and scien in the coming year. A series of gages is being made. vevertheless, there can be applied u ising steels and heat treatments of promise, on the t n ain to be Tor the direct benent of metal- basis of previous work, for minimum dimensional ; in produce scientine information hanges. These, with the cooperation of the division I reseal marily for other Government ‘f weights and measures, will be stored and measured ‘ ) | a f the funds allotted for metal (to a hundred-thousandth of an inch in a 4-in. length) | ia A i al ial at intervals. Service wear tests will be continued, also. High-Speed Steel—6 Per Cent Suitability of high-speed tool steel for roughing uts is of importance in making big guns and, for ' Two of the Eight “Flow Test” Units for Study of the || Properties of Metals || at High Tempera- tures. The speci- mens are mounted within the electric furnaces, whose tem- perature is regulat- ed by controller at extreme right. The . weights at the ex- treme lower left im- pose stress on the specimens through the lever system. | window in side of > furnace (hidden by the electric light) can be opened and the elongation of the specimen meas- ured by the travers- ing tele scope August 2 = — fe) bho ol Small Cupola at the Bureau of Standards, pro viding Both for Experimental Work on Cast lron and for Making Castings for Scientific Instruments Used at the Bureau and Con- structed in Its Shops some years, the problem was studied in cooperation with the Naval Gun Factory, where much of the work was previously done. It is now done at the bureau, and wholly upon bureau funds. The performance of the three prominent types of high-speed tool steel has been exhaustively studied, and a related problem, the machineability of various alloy steels treated to various strengths, is under way. Alloy steel manufacturers have cooperated by supply- ing the large test “logs” for this phase of the project. The effect of changes in composition of the tool steel is being studied, the effect of tantalum and of nickel. being among the points investigated. The manufacturer of an electric brass melting furnace has installed a furnace without charge. By the use of a special magnesia lining worked out by the bureau on the basis of its experience with refractories for melt- ing pure iron and platinum, the furnace has been adapted to laboratory use on steel. High-speed steels of standard compositions, made in it, show perform- ance equal to that of good commercial brands of similar composition. The preparation of special alloys required in several projects is facilitated by this furnace. Duralumin—1!'2 Per Cent’ Work on the endurance properties of thin shee duralumin, for the Navy (Bureau of Aeronautics) and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the design of special fatigue machines, especial of a new design for high-speed testing, have been in progress for some time in the engineering mechanics section. The metallographic work required has | done by the metallurgical division. Various cases are known where duralumin parts of airplanes and airships have become embrittled by exposure, usually to sea-air, and notably in the case of spilling of the calcium chloride “anti-freeze for the engine condensate of the Los Angeles. Embrittlement has in some cases occurred even in storage. These eases have been referred to the bureau for study, thi een *These percentage figul pr division funds expended fiscal yea THE IRON AGE 537 work being included under “tests for other Govern- ment departments.” The potential seriousness of the situation, whereby duralumin showing no exterior change may develop intercrystalline brittleness involv- ing almost complete loss of ductility, calls for attention, else the reliability of air craft using duralumin will be questionable. Fortunately, it is certain, from the large propor- tion of duralumin that is free from this deterioration, that the problem is susceptible of solution, and the probable causes for failure and means for their avoid ance appear in sight. But definitely to establish the causes and lay down exact precautions for their avoid ance will require rather extensive research; hence this problem is one of the major projects for the next fiscal year. This is one of the few new projects planned Tarnish-Resisting Silver Alloys While this has been a major project during the past fiscal year, it has been almost entirely supported by funds transferred from the Bureau of Mines, from an appropriation made by Congress for the study of the extension of uses for silver. Because Standards had previously worked out methods for testing resist ance to tarnish, and had an experimental rolling mill and other equipment needed in the work, this phase of the problem was turned over to Standards, to avoid duplication of equipment. A large number of silver alloys have been examined in considerable detail. No alloys of sterling fineness that can be left in hard-boiled eggs overnight without traces of tarnish have been found, and there appears little hope for a truly non-tarnishing sterling. On the other hand, there are a dozen alloys, chiefly those based on zinc or cadmium as main alloying element, which can be made of sterling fineness, are suitably workable and have satisfactory appearance, and properties which are markedly more resistant to tarnish than ordinary sterling. While they will tarnish, their rate of tarnish ing is much slower and they would require less atten- tion from the housewife. If one is content to use an alloy scarcely or not at all distinguishable from sterling, but containing onl) (0 to 75 per cent of silver, a very high degree of -_ High-Frequency Induction Furnace Used at the Bureau for Melting Platinum, Silver and «a Wide Range of Alloys. crucibles, whose composition varies according Special refractory to the material to he me lted, are made up at the hureau for use in the furnace Pcie: eg rt Ce vere aay 2 eT aed 8 a SOTA eet Bi "E ag Bi aes SS Ol Noe er tarnish resistance an be attained. For parts of scientific instruments and for silver thread, lace and nsignia of officers in military, naval and fraternal organizations, such alloys offer promise. An interest ing by-product is an alloy of about 60 silver, 40 zinc, which, on a cut surface, takes on a beautiful wild-rose pink that has decorative possibilities. This project 1s practic: completed and will not be active in the nr o Soldered Joints—1/3 Per Cent 4 mor ind minor project, suggested by request for information by Army Air Service, has peen a study f the ability of soldered joints to hold Chromium Plating 4 met project of the chemistry division r the Bure Engraving and Printing has been ment of wear-resisting chromium plating the plate from which Government bonds are Burea of Engraving and Printing t iperior wear resistance will save \y rnment severa hundred th usands of dollars Corrosion—8 Per Cent t projects requested by technical etic ‘ f corrosion and corrosion-testing, ! eration with the American Society for Testing Materials, a ints for more of the funds thar I tne! ngle project with the exception of the comprehensive project f “gases in metals.” It has lleged *that the country’s loss due to corrosion ximates $300,000,000 per year. The development for lerated corrosion testing, in f ( analag is to various condi- indamental importance. Stacks f cori ! ata exist, determined by all sorts of ds, wl cannot be correlated and whose mean- ng 1 bseurt The first step in remedying this situ- select apparatus and methods that will give concordant results in different laboratories. If such methods are universally used, in addition to any pecial tests chosen to suit the problem or th