The Iron Age 1939-03-02: Vol 143 Iss 9

FRITZ FRANK President J. H. VAN DEVENTER Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editor Emeritus Machinery Editor Art Bditor Metallurgical Editor Associate Editors Washington Editor Resident District Editors Pittsburgh Chicago Cleveland Detroit Editorial Correspondents London, England Cincinnati FRAZAR Boston Hamburg, Germany Milwaukee San Francisco SANDERSON ASA ROUNTREE, JR. Toronto, Ontario Birmingham Newark, N. J. Louis TURNER, JR. Buffalo Owned and Published CHILTON COMPANY (Incorporated) Editorial and Executive Offices 239 West 39th St., New York, Publication Office and 56th Sts., Philadelphia, Pa. OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS MUSSELMAN, President FRITZ FRANK, Executive Vice-President FREDERIC STEVENS, Vice-President JOSEPH HILDRETH, Vice-President GEORGE GRIFFITHS, Vice-President EVERIT TERHUNE, Vice-President WILLIAM BARBER, Treasurer JOHN BLAIR MOFFETT, Secretary JOHN VAN DEVENTER, JULIAN CHASE, THOMAS KANE, CHARLES BAUR, CARROLL BUZBY, FAHRENDORF BAUR, General Advertising Manager DIX, Manager Reader Service Member, Audit Bureau Circulations Member Associated Business Papers Indexed the Industrial Arts Index. Published every Thursday. Subscrip- tion Price: United States and Pos- sessions, Mexico, Cuba, $6.00; Can- ada, $8.50; Foreign, $12.00 year. Single copy, cents. Cable Address, ADVERTISING STAFF Emerson Findley, 621 Union Bldg., Cleveland B. L. Herman, Chilton Bidg., Phila. H. K. Hottenstein, 802 Otis Bidg., Chicago H. E. Leonard, 239 W. 39th St., New York Peirce Lewis, 7310 Woodward Ave., Detroit Ober, 239 39th St., New York W. B. Robinson 428 Park Bldg., Pitts D. C. Warren, P. 0. Box 81, Hartford, Conn. MARCH 1939 Rabbits Belong Hats Modern Founding for Cars.................. Revere Mechanizes Brass Production The Right Metal the Right Place Appraisal Industrial Gas Edgar Modern Soaking Pits Pre-Cleaning Metals. Developments Handling Apparatus the Assembly Line Washington News... THE NEWS BRIEF. Rate Activity Capital Goods Weekly Ingot Operating Rate Plant Expansion and Equipment Buying Just Between Two Products Advertised. Index Advertisers Copyright 1939 Chilton Company (Inc.) 112 116 140 onsider Labor Costs When Buying Stee most jobs, shop labor costs are the biggest single factor—and they depend large degree the steel used. bars are too hard for bend- ing forming—or have hard spots break dull tools—if some shapes are not straight—or the case alloy steel the required proper- ties are not developed the first heat treat- ment—then costs, down profits. Purchasing steel that uniform and has the properties most desirable for your particular use Principal products stock for Im- mediate Shipment include—Bars, Structurals, Plates, Iron and Steel Sheets, Tubing, Shafting, Strip Steel, Alloy Steels, Tool Steels, Stainless, Babbitt, Welding Rod, 24—THE IRON AGE, March 1939 often pays big dividends the form decreased shop costs. You not have pay any more for this kind steel—so why not get it? For several years Ryerson has been building stocks these better, more uniform steels. Careful selection, checking, testing and inspect- ing assure the uniform high quality necessary for Ryerson Certification. Try Ryerson Certified Steels your hardest job—and check the labor costs. Many have told that pays. Joseph Ryerson Son, Inc. Plants at: Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Boston, Philadelphia, Jersey City. THE IRON AGE ... ESTABLISHED MARCH 1939 Vol. 143, No. Rabbits Belong Hats was famous for its white rabbits which were produced from hats. This you will note was reversal the procedure followed other places, where hats are produced from rabbits, their fur being principal component hat felt. upon time there was land known FeDoRa, because the fact that FeDoRa also differed from other countries that whereas most lands was customary for people skin rabbits, FeDoRa, the rabbits turned the thing about and usually skinned the people. One may well ask why the inhabitants FeDoRa tolerated this strange practice, they did for quite some time. The explanation simple, being based the well known psychological effect that brings crowds bull fights and prize fights see somebody else being skinned. The men charge white rabbit production, being highly skilled the principles mass-psychology, took care first direct the attention these dear little pets —their cost being $20 billion—to what they called unpopular But first was necessary find one. That was not such easy job. The minority could not too small, for that would not sufficient maintain white rabbit production. And peaceful democracy, such FeDoRa was before these things took place, had been case live and let live among minorities and with hard feelings between them. course, such minorities racketeers and kidnapers were decidedly unpopular even now, but they were too hard catch and their skins too tough even for the mightiest the white rabbits. Tax dodgers might have served unpopular class, but there were quite number these even among the white rabbit managers, and one going deliberately set out get himself skinned. last came the inspiration. sick the white rabbits the minority known the Busi-Nessman. His skin tender, inarticulate and pays little attention politics. And while neither popular nor unpopular present, won't take more few millions dollars worth propaganda make him the goat for all our the Busi-Nessman became the victim the ferocious white rabbits, the enjoyment, for time, the onlooking majority and the other minorities. But the rab- bits had acquired taste for blood and after properly skinning this minority group, they began turn their attention the audience. And when the majority began their teeth, was not long before the rulers received mandate from the said: rabbits may put into hats, but must not taken out 4 = € 4 h them. PATH STEEL THE STRIP TINPLATE BARS PLATES PILING RAILS TRACK ACCESSORIES REINFORCING BARS Picture glistening footpath 20-gage steel, inches wide, connecting your own door- step with the moon 238,883 miles away. Inland’s flat rolled steel capacity now sufficient produce that much tonnage single year, with adequate reserve for emergency additional orders that are always apt arise and require prompt handling. But the vast quantity—1,535,000 tons flat OON rolled, annually—is far from being the whole story Inland Sheets. There’s finish—in almost infinite variety, chemical and physical properties controlled meet each customer’s specific needs. Not surprising the growing popularity Inland Sheets and Strip and the personal service that goes with them assure prompt- ness and uniform quality—every shipment. composite accessory divi- sion the General Motors Industries, Ltd., St. Catharines, On- tario—is unique that makes parts which the United States are dis- tributed among separate factories. The gear department St. Catha- rines makes transmissions, front and rear axles, differentials, and steering gears; the small parts department makes spark plugs, generators, small motors, shock absorbers, and hydrau- lic brake parts; the forge department supplies the necessary drop forgings; and iron foundry, started 1900, furnishes the malleable cast- ings for the various other departments besides supplying many outside custo- mers with hardware, chain and other castings. For some time the management felt the making gray iron castings, and also modernizing the 38-year-old malleable iron foundry. The problems encountered de- signing new foundry meet these wishes were varied and difficult. additional iand was available, was necessary demolish the various old foundry buildings, and build and equip new foundry the same site that would take care the malleable requirements, which were about tons per day melt, and, addition, provide for making gray iron motor car castings requiring about 125 tons per day melt. These castings ranged from shock absorber brake parts cylinder blocks and other automobile which had furnished num- ber different metal specifications from soft iron the dense iron hy- draulic parts and the harder cylinder iron castings. While the old buildings were being removed and the new ones erected, was necessary keep the malleable foundry going tull pro- duction without even the usual two weeks’ shutdown for inventory. All this was accomplished and only one day was production stopped during construction over. this, was necessary put the malleable operation into about one-third the space formerly occupied and use the remaining space for gray iron with its larger core department and the increased pattern shop. Modern Founding for Cars LINABURY Saginaw Malleable Iron Division General Motors Corp. This was accomplished changing over from the air furnace and floor molding continuous melting and the use mold conveyors and sand han- dling equipment. Similar equipment was provided for the gray iron sec- tion. The new building had arranged and designed fit with the old and equipment, which must continue production dur- ing construction work until the new methods could provided. second problem which had faced before the project could started was how would possible supply least three different mix- tures gray iron continuously all day and use but enough metal keep one cupola operating continuously. (Many foundrymen said could not done.) The solution was this: the principal difference these various mixtures the carbon silicon content, the gray iron cupola would melt only soft iron high carbon and silicon and when ladle harder denser iron was required, certain amount the low carbon, low silicon iron from the malleable iron cupola would added. properly pro- portioning these two metals, wide range mixtures was available. Where alloys were required, they were added the ladle. Metal mixed this way seemed have finer, denser structure without making the thinner edges difficult machine. With these conditions provided for, the arrangement and design the building was started. The metal storage yard and melting operations were placed the north end the site that the 90-ft. span overhead traveling vard crane could used handle steel for the forge shop also, which was located north the foun- dry site. was also decided make the 32-ft. wide bay the east side along the street, two stories height, put- ting the pattern shop and storage up- stairs and using the lower floor for boxing and shipping export chassis parts. The crane could then used for loading the large cases flat cars. The same crane would handle the foundry sand, coke and metal. This arrangement placed the ship- ping castings the south end where was most direct and con- venient for trucking the manufac- turing plants. westerly direction from the export department were placed the core room, the gray iron foundry and the malleable iron foundry. The design and architecture the building, approximately 330 336 ft., was handled the company’s plant engineering department. The main structure consists one two-story bay 32-ft. wide, extending north and south and seven bays ar- ranged that every other bay has its roof about 8-ft. higher than the ad- joining bays, thus forming monitor root construction. The sides this monitor are filled with centre pivoted ventilating sash affording abun- dance light and fresh air for all parts the building. The walls the building are brick and glass and the roof precast hydite. The roof covered with smooth surface asbestos roofing facilitate sweeping off the dust and cinders. The clear space under the roof THE IRON AGE, March q 4 trusses the molding and core de- partments 22-ft. leaving ample space for the sand distribution equip- ment and core ovens. the south end the cleaning department and shipping, the clearance The floors the melting and pour- ing section are hard sharp cornered fire brick. The rest the floors are armored concrete. The heating system has been de- signed help the ventilation. winter, warm air from unit heaters brought ducts about in. above the floor that the floors are warm and free from cold drafts and the men not have work cur- rents warm cold air. This hot air the floor furthermore raises any smoke fumes that might settle near the floor. the summer, the fans fur- nish constant supply fresh air the interior the building and over- come the oppres- siveness hot, dead air. Directly north the foundry and extending its entire width, the metal stor- age yard and the incoming rail- way tracks. This yard covered 90-ft. span, 5-ton electric traveling crane built Herbert Morris, Ltd. in. magnet used for dling the metal and motor operated grab bucket for the sand, lime- stone and coke. The sand stored three concrete bins, each with capacity 800 tons, directly north the core room and opening into it. dropped the bucket through long hatchways the roof. Portable covers keep out the weather. West the sand storage the metal yard, located behind the cupolas. Metal stored the ground and steel lined bins with bottoms that slant toward the scale car track. There are six separate compartments the east end for the gray iron materials and six for the malleable, the west end. front the metal bins and above the scale car track are four coke bins and one limestone bin, each 28—THE IRON AGE, March 1939 one-car capacity. About 4-ft. from the face the building the scale car track with two scale cars, one for each cupola, ex- tending along the front the metal bins and under the coke bin that the metal can raked into the charging bucket the car and the coke dropped from above. These bins form shelter for the scale car crew, keeping out the rain and wind. the winter the ends are closed protect the workmen from the cold weather. The scale cars are electrically driven and equipped with dial scales. the scale platform each section heavy roller con- veyor for removing the loaded buckets and putting the empties. The contents the bin are ar- ranged the order charging the materials that the scale car, start- ing the end with empty bucket, will loaded when reaches the dis- charge point either side the center line the bins which also the center line between the two cupolas. Centrally behind the two cupolas three parallel sections heavy roller con- veyor are set the floor extending and the same level the rolls Mold conveyor for Covered insulated mixing ladies. The one the left for malleable iron, the one the right for gray iron. the scale car. When loaded, the charging bucket rolled off the scale car one the outside conveyor sections; the east one for the gray iron and the west one for the malleable iron cupola. slight pitch the con- veyor aids the operation. The cen- ter section the conveyor for the returning the empty buckets from either cupola. Supported from the roof the charging floor charging hoist that swings from central pivot cir- cular track. The end this hoist swings over enclosed hatchway which directly over the ends the three roller conveyors from the scale | | | | for buckets can used for both. Each equipped with wishbone for holding the cone bottom buckets. the charg- ing floor entirely en- closed, the charger not exposed the out- side weather. The blowing equip- ment, consisting two Ingersoll Rand turbine blowers with automatic air weighing equipment, nine floor below the charging floor. The malle- able iron charges con- sist approximately per cent steel, per cent silvery iron and per cent returns. From Shakeout screen for small castings. car the ground floor that the charging bucket can picked from the conveyor, raised through the hatchway and swung into either the cupolas. The operator standing the floor under the center pivot not line with the heat from the cupola doors and can move about level off charges, put alloys, and other such details that may looked after from the charging floor. The cupola equipment consists No. Whiting cupola for the malle- able iron and No. cupola for the gray iron. The doors stacks above the charging floor are both the size the No. that the same the cupola, the metal flows continuous- into one end 4-ton cylindrical covered receiving ladle. Fused soda ash added the spout for desul- phurizing. The metal passes horizon- tally through the ladle the spout the other end from which poured into one-ton transfer ladle and taken electric arc furnace for super- heating and adjusting the mixture. This hydraulically operated nose tilt Pittsburgh furnace, holding about three tons molten metal. With each molten metal addi- tion, small amount clean steel added prevent graphitization and reduce the carbon content. test sprue, in. diameter, then poured make sure that there mottling the iron. The electric furnace located di- rectly the head the two mold conveyors making the lighter type castings that the pourers can come directly the furnace and not lose temperature transfer. little the left third conveyor for the heavier castings. The pouring ladles are the cov- ered insulated type made the Mod- ern Equipment Co. and are carried Cleveland tramrail trolleys and track. The pouring platforms are conveyor height and are made subway grating. The conveyor and equipment was furnished the Link- Belt Co. The conveyors are the car type and the molding loops, with the molding machines inside, are ap- proximately 125 ft. overall length. The conveyor for the larger castings heavier con- struction and the loop wider, mak- ing room for larger molding machines. The first two lines have molding stations each while the latter has ten. The molding ma- chine equipment consists Osborn squeezers for small flask work and in. jolt strip squeez- ers for the larger flasks. The cast- ings vary size from harness buc- kles truck differ- ential carriers. After pouring, the along the return side the conveyor through long ventilated cooling hood which takes off the smoke and steam. reach- ing the lower end the loop, the molds are plowed dumped onto Simplicity vibrating shake-out screen. The flasks and bottom boards are pulled off and returned the mold- ers; the sand passes through the screen reciprocating conveyor, tunnel beneath the and the cast- ings slide off the screen long cillating feeder the same tunnel. This feeder extends past the end the three shake-out screens, receiving castings from each, and slowly con- veys them in. wide apron cool- THE IRON AGE, March 1939—29 7 + J | 3 | | ~ ing conveyor running right-angle. The end the oscillating conveyor beveled that the hot castings are evenly distributed across the apron conveyor. The arrangement such that the larger castings have longer travel giving them more time cool. This conveyor, moving about ft. per min., takes the castings be- neath the floor, direction parallel with the mold conveyors, the sta- tions where the gates are broken off and the castings placed tote boxes. The gates are left the conveyor, carried through the north wall the building the metal yard and dropped onto grating which slides them into pit under the crane removed the magnet the charg- ing bins for remelting. They thus make the complete cycle without being trucked handled except remov- ing the gates. The sand from the end the shake-out screen conveyed the reciprocating conveyor through the tunnel the hot sand bucket elevator which delivers magnetic pulley belt where any metal removed and mesh. From the screen, another belt conveys over the two 30-ton sand hoppers where plowed off into 30—THE IRON AGE, March 1939 one the other desired. While one storage hopper being filled, sand from the other being fed measuring hopper the 8-ft. Simp- son mill below. the specified amount water, sea coal and bond are added and the mixture milled. From the mill, the sand goes belt elevator, then through aerator and then belt back the molders powerful exhaust system sucks the dust from the hoods over the shake- out screens, from the top the hot sand elevator, from the screen, the Simpson mixer and the aerator. This removes the dust from the foundry and the fines from the sand, thus im- proving the working conditions, cool- ing the sand and opening up. The dust passes through spray and over wet baffle plates that but very small amount discharged the at- mosphere. down water the dump the west the foundry. Annealing and Cleaning When the castings are picked from the cooling conveyor, the gates and few fins are broken off but there other cleaning operation. The castings are classified size and put into tote boxes accordingly. These boxes, when filled, are moved across the aisle into the week-end storage placed for loading into the anneal- ing trays. The annealing equipment consists two electrically heated Loading end pusher-type furnaces Electric Furnace Co., Salem, Ohio. Each furnace takes two rows in. alloy steel trays. Across the front the furnace extends track built into the floor which light car with beam scale. the platform the scale car are roller rails which match height and gage the washed. = 7 2 annealing furnaces. with the rails the furnace. empty tray rolled onto the scale and the car moved the tote boxes with the castings which are loaded into the tray. When the desired weight has been loaded, the car pushed position front one the fur- naces and the tray rolled onto the re- ceiving platform front the furnace where remains until automatic signal announces that the tray the furnace vestibule has been pushed into the furnace and the inside vestibule door closed. Then the outer door opened freshly loaded tray pushed into the vestibule and the outer door closed. the furnace, the metal quickly heated 1500 deg. F., then slowly heated 1725 deg. and held there ten more hours. The metal then quickly cooled 1400 deg., slowly cooled 1300 deg. and taken out the discharge platform the far end. The above temperature changes take place the tray pushed from one position the next passing through the furnace. The temperature each zone controlled Leeds North- rup equipment and the timing automatic control clock. Across the discharge end the furnace track similar that the charging end but instead the scale tilting frame. When the hot tray pulled from the furnace onto this frame, the car pushed along the track position line between the two furnaces where the contents the tray are dumped into the loader Pangborn Rotoblast. From this same position, the tray pushed off the car onto roll conveyor which returns between the furnaces the charging After shot blasting, the castings are discharged into another car with bottom dump which takes them the side the machine and slides them onto sorting belt. This belt takes them under aisle and incline the sorting station the west side the cleaning room. Each annealing furnace has normal capacity 170 tons per week. One operator per shift does all the packing and charging and another takes care the unloading and shot blasting. From the sorting belt, the castings are sorted and classified and sent tote boxes the sprue cutters, the grinders, the mills These operations are right angles the belt that the parts can picked off the belt directly the head the line for the next operation. The mills are 36x48 in. Whiting with direct motor drive each. The grinders are No. Norton type built the Fordsmith Machine Co. with the mo- tors the base and the speed changed moving the belt. Castings pass across the aisle two Hy- draulic Press Mfg. Co. Fastraverse presses and drop hammer. the shipping room Toledo platform scale with counting attach- ment and storage bins for the castings. covered truck ramp the shipping door brings the transport platforms the floor level, while castings for the own consumption are taken lift truck directly the various de- Gray Practice Located the east the malleable iron molding department the gray iron molding department with but low division wall between keep the castings from getting mixed. The cupola for this department melts soft gray iron; the metal for cylin- ders, pistons, shock absorbers, etc., which harder denser metal, amount the hard iron from the malleable iron cupola with the soft gray iron. The mixture produces tight, fine-grained iron that seems have less tendency chill the smaller sections than similar anal- ysis iron were melted one cupola. Ladle addition nickel mium are made where these alloys are required. Bull ladles filled with the desired se ; : = | | mixture are taken the various sta- tions and transferred the pouring ladles, thus giving more complete mixing. Each conveyor has its own pouring loop and pouring ladles. The first line next the malleable section for the heavier motor castings such cylin- der blocks, heads, flywheels and truck brake drums which can made the same iron. All conveyors are the car type with antifriction bearings and heavy steel plate tops. the cylinder conveyor there are plates, ft. long and ft. wide. The cylinder block and head molds dragged over Simplicity knock-out vibrator and the cores shaken out onto screen below. Weights this screen break the coarse pieces too large pass through the screen. The sand and smaller lumps pass through the screen into concrete pit filled with water and are sucked out hydrau- lic dredge pump. The discharge this pump through long pipe which extends along the building and over the railroad tracks the dump where the sand deposited and the water runs off into the canal. The bails the cooling baskets car- ried this cooling conveyor are short Discharge end reciprocating cooling conveyor, onto apron cooling and sorting conveyor. are made Osborn jolt squeeze strip molding machines while the lighter molds are made Nichols and Mil- waukee molding machines. After the molds are poured, they pass through ventilated tunnel until they reach the far end the conveyor loop. Here the copes are shaken out while the casting and around the end the loop through another tunnel and are shaken out they start back the molding side. Simplicity shake-out screens are used for the gray iron also. the discharge end the shake- out screen, hoist picks the cylin- der blocks means tongs which lock position and hang them the hooks the overhead chain cooling conveyor. Other castings are placed open work baskets and hung the same conveyor. This conveyor first travels north the core knockout room where the cylinder casting IRON AGE, March 1939 enough that the baskets not touch the knock-out vibrator and are carried with the cylinder blocks back the south till they reach the clean- ing room where they are taken from the conveyor and sent the vari- ous cleaning operations. The cylinder blocks are placed roller conveyor and passed swing grinder where the top and bottom surfaces are ground. They are chipped, handground, sand blasted and water tested along line roller con- veyor. Other castings are tumbled, ground and finished necessary. the second molding line the gray iron foundry are made the clutch housing, transmission case, manifold and intermediate size castings. The clutch housing drag made 14- in. Nichols machine while the core green sand made and set Osborn rollover squeezer. After the drag half the mold made, placed over the core box the roll- over machine and the two rolled over together and then placed the con- veyor. The transmission core green sand topped rollover machine along the mold conveyor line. The third conveyor for the small cast- ings made snap flasks, such hy- draulic brake cylinders, shock absorb- ers, etc. These molds are made squeezer machines using stead slip jackets. the shake-out, the molds are plowed off the conveyor onto vibrating screen while the oper- ator puts the bands and bottom boards back onto the conveyor. These cast- ings and those from the second con- veyor are dumped into the cooling baskets and lifted second slow moving chain cooling conveyor where they pass slowly back and forth over- head for min. and finally down loop where the baskets are dumped sorting table for separation from the gates and general classification. From here they the shot blast machines tumbling barrel quired. After cleaning and grinding, the castings are inspected and shippea put storage. Between the third conveyor and the core room the brake drum depart- ment with turntable mounting ten machines that centrifugally cast brake drums metal molds and after cool- ing the proper time, eject them ontc apron cooling conveyor. These drums are cast with the backs place and have gates remove grind nor necessary machine the outer surface face. The capacity the table about 250 drums per hr., most the time being taken cool the mold. The sand for the gray iron con- ditioned the same for the malleable but there are two 8-ft. Simpson mixers the system instead one pro- vide for the greater requirements. Core and Pattern Facilities The core room located east the gray iron foundry and south the sand storage bins. The sand brought the storage and dried verti- cal dryer special design take minimum floor space. For mix- ing the sand are Baker Perkins mixer and 6-ft. Simpson mixer. The sand delivered the core makers truck. The core making equipment consists six Osborn core blowers, several rock-over and roll-over ma- chines and some special machines be- sides the bench work. The baking equipment consists six Foundry Equipment boxtype ovens (CONCLUDED PAGE 68) é Mechanizes ° ° ° FALK Vice-President Revere Copper Brass, Inc. ° ° the new $3,000,000 brass mill Revere Copper Brass, Inc., Rome, Y., mill which every part was deliberately planned facili- tate proper handling and flow ma- terial from raw materials finished product—smoothly, continuously, minimum time and with maximum control quality. this mill are integrated and co- ordinated into complete and perfected system all improvements previously developed the entire Revere organi- zation, with its six throughout the country. These six plants gave broad background ex- perience which hardly would have been available had previous operation been confined single plant. Maximum elimination hard mus- cular labor was especially sought this new Rome unit, because thereby the strength and attention the oper- ating men will conserved for con- centration tasks requiring knowl- edge and skill. Reduction exhaust- ing manual effort also will minimize accidents associated with fatigue. furtherance the streamlining objec- tive, standard mill equipment was fitted into pattern where possible. But where “bottle-neck” was encoun- tered, which previously had slowed operations imposed back-breaking effort, and which known equipment could eliminate, Revere engineers de- vised means circumventing the bottle-neck. the new the keynote Production The new brass mill has number such devices—machines original design that contribute much main- tain and accelerate smooth, unhurried yet rapid flow production. Many these pieces equipment are shown the following double-page spread pictures, and outstanding features are: which the bars travel and are auto- matically fed and refed into the break- down mill, each sequence automatically controlled series “electric eyes” (see photo next page). furnace through which bars travel steadily and are automatically con- veyed back the mill, the over- hauling (scalping) machine. Thus, the usual method loading and unload- ing annealing pans eliminated (photo 2). system material reservoirs be- tween each operation and the next in- creases flexibility and continuity production, assuring steady flow work rolls, annealing furnaces, picklers, etc., the line. 80-ft. straight-line pickling ma- chine uncoils the metal, then pickles, scrubs, washes, dries and recoils continuous operation (photo 6). Finish annealing furnaces new recirculating and recuperative types, equipped with recording automatic- control instruments regulating furnace and metal temperatures, impart the metal pre-determined and closely con- trolled characteristics. ments automatically records the plant superintendent’s office the opera- tion every machine the entire mill (photo 11). All the machines and appliances just mentioned are not necessarily novel principle, but the new Rome mill they have been brought together the latest and most advanced form. But several these machines are wholly part new, having been originated the engineering staff and developed operation Revére commercial pro- duction. The effect this highly modernized mechanical set-up, aside from speeding output and improving quality, make the production layout much more compact. The new mill designed produce steadily output 2,000,000 metal per month within ground area 72,000 sq. ft. This ratio, believed, has never before been ap- proached the industry. axiomatic that the quality the mill output depends basically upon the quality the slabs supplied the casting shop. The electric melting fur- naces are arranged minimize the handling the raw metal and castings, and special ventilating facili- ties draw off the fumes from each furnace individually, assuring every THE IRON AGE, March 1939—33 ; — | | | | a t The Streamlining Brass Manufacture cast into water-cooled molds (1). The slab ends are sheared off, and ten slabs are stacked that they can mechanically lifted slide down one time the horizontal conveyor which car- ries them the breakdown rolls (3). The unique conveyor system feeding the breakdown mill (5) con- sists upper level horizontal unit, lower level horizontal unit and two conveyors. After breakdown the bars through annealing furnace (2), then are overhauled, thence the first run-down mill (4), four-high unit which coils the material during reduction. Metal shown storage reservoir conveyor system (4). The lower level conveyor transports coils mill for further passes, and coils emerge from rolls they are taken power driven conveyor the upper level where they can sent back the mill for further passes, sent the annealing furnace background, all which levers and push buttons. The metal then uncoiled begins its trip through straight line pickling machine (6), then rolled again the second run-down mill (7), annealed, rolled the third run-down mill (8), pickled and scrubbed double-deck unit (9), and finished single stand mill (10) equipped with tension-blockers and anti- friction and recoiling devices. The superintendent's office (11) has electrical indicating instruments which give record operation all units the entire mill any time. materials are electric furnaces and casting shop employee complete pro- tection against fumes (photo 1). The metal cast into 6-ft. heavy slabs which are delivered crane inspection benches, whence they are carried conveyor shears for gat- ing. The bars are gated specially- designed guillotine-type shear, and out which they are moved auto- matically and stacked piles ten for delivery the rolling mill. the rolling mill the bars are mechanically lifted, one (photo 3), from the stack and passed through the breakdown mill. Leaving the rolls the bar carried around the mill escalator system for sec- ond pass. The number rides the bar gets the escalator depends upon the width the bar being rolled. The feeding the slabs the mill gov- erned and timed automatically photo-electric relays which act like traffic policemen—giving the bar the “go” signal enter the rolls only when its predecessor has moved out. recording instrument separate building housing the superintendent’s and production de- partment offices makes record the exact time each pass every mill. addition, every operation every other machine the entire plant similarly recorded, giving the mill executives continuous, comprehen- sive and dependable picture mill operations (photo 11). There thus prompt indication the center trouble when production interrupted lagging. Records from these instru- ments are available permitting the plant management check exactly the working time any machine any single operation, any number operations, over any desired period. The data all file. Study the charts enables the management man and machine time adjusting and coordinating all operations harmonize for greatest efficiency. Walking-Beam Furnace When necessary anneal the bars between breakdown rolling opera- tions, they are delivered conveyors walking-beam furnace, then back the rolls for more passes. After the bars receive the final breakdown pass they are again delivered the walking-beam annealing furnace for the final flat anneal. This walking- beam slab-annealing furnace new the brass industry. Formerly the bars were piled pans stacks. Loaded with 5000 10,000 metal the pans were pulled and out the furnace. This operation required con- siderably physical labor and the an- 36—THE IRON AGE, March 1939 nealing results were never consistent. this stage the bars have grown from the original 6-ft. length length approximately ft. more, and have decreased from thickness in. about 7/16 in. After leav- ing the overhauling machine, the bars are automatically stacked which are picked crane and de- livered the first rundown mill 7). The 25-ft. flat bars are fed through this mill mechanically, are auto- matically coiled after the first pass. Here again the number passes the receive depends upon the width the bar and the gage desired. the bars are receive another pass, they leave the coiler conveyor and are delivered front the mill ready for the second pass. the bars require heat treating annealing between rolling operations, they are routed the conveyor annealing furnace. The coils leave the conveyor one time and travel through roller-hearth furnace one direction lower level, and back through the furnace the opposite direction upper level con- veyor, which the coils are returned the first rundown mill the pickling and cleaning machine, depend- ing upon the finish and gage desired. This furnace the recuperative type, cold metal entering absorbing heat from hot metal moving outward, and here again Revere engineers elimi- nated use annealing pans. Each coil metal travels through the furnace separately, assuring even annealing. This type furnace new the brass industry. this point the metal has become much thinner and therefore requires more exacting rolling and handling. But before these operations the bars require pickling and cleaning. The straight-line pickling machine (photo entirely enclosed, the work mov- ing continuously one end and out the other. The heavy coils are auto- matically uncoiled, pickled, scrubbed, washed, dried and recoiled. Previously this operation involved much laborious and time-consuming effort. Also never produced entirely satisfactory results, because was impossible properly scrub the metal the vats. And was particularly back-breaking job because each coil had opened hand and the metal spread trays and immersed crane the various solutions. But treating the metal the mechani- cally-opened strip made practic- able clean this machine rapidly and thoroughly, continuous opera- tion. Pickling completed, the ready for further rolling. The coils are conveyed suitable rolls for dif- ferent types rolling, depending upon the finish and gage required. Some these rolls are set tan- dem (photo 8), following practice pioneered Revere early 1929. The mills are equipped with electri- cally driven constant-tension blockers, winding devices. Constant control the winding tension essential accuracy maintaining the desired gage. the recoiler, also, harmful stretching the metal prevented device which governs the peripheral speed the recoiler (photo 10). Between rolling operations the brass this ready-finish stage the annealing has been done continuous furnaces, well adapted the more general char- acteristics heavy-gage metal. the metal approaches the final stages, batch-type annealing resorted because the specific treatment indi- vidual lots can given. This indi- vidual treatment has been found neces- sary obtain the varied character- istics demanded present-day re- quirements, which are becoming in- creasingly exacting. After the metal comes heat-treating operation must again cleaned. This cleaning done continuous pickler, scrubber, washer and dryer, arranged two decks hold space requirements down minimum, and designed eliminate the human element much possible (photo 9). also incorporates the principle scrubbing the reagent, previously noted. Throughout all the various rolling and cleaning operations the metal checked every step for gage, grain structure and hardness. now ready cut size slit width, specified customer, and given final inspection for surface imper- fections, gage, grain size, and other physical properties such tensile strength, elongation, etc. The metal then ready for packing and shipping customer. The degree mechanization at- tained this mill may fairly con- sidered revolutionary compared previous brass production practice. Understanding the functions the different units they perform orderly sequence, gives appreciation what this mechanization means promoting smooth, continuous produc- tion, eliminating heavy manual toil, and simplifying the problem vision and control. | | | Auto Industry Paragon Modernization two pictures were taken the Buick machine ing changes efficiency wrought through the installa- shop, one showing was years ago and the tion modern equipment with more efficient means other today. Both are models their time. The change ower transmission, improvement lighting and appearance has been accompanied correspond- chinery arrangement. - THE IRON AGE, March re”. 4 special tellurium lead coil ex- emplifies the value alloy additions. Pipe in. 1.D. and 11/16 in. wall, and turns are made 14-in. center center diameter. This assembly's supports are cast the coil one piece Perth Amboy plant National Lead Co. the manufacturer who con- stantly faced the problem finding the metal use for his product, the variety alloys available, the range choice offered and the conflicting and overlapping claims the producers non-ferrous metals and alloys is, say the least, perplexing. The need for “the right metal the right place” has always been pres- ent. Seventeen years ago, study non-ferrous foundries,* was evi- dent that the most frequently asked question was, “What metal alloy shall use for this Years ago this question was not hard de- cide since the choice was much more limited—commercial alloys were com- paratively few. sure, the re- sults were often far from satisfactory because the then existing materials had severe limitations. Today, the quest for better materials meet the more exacting demands specialized service, the manufacturer presented with multitude materials choose from. The results obtainable and the service rendered the best these, for any particular job, are far ad- 38—THE IRON AGE, March 1939 The Right Metal the Right Place ° ° ADOLPH BREGMAN Consulting Engineer, New York ° vance anything the past. But the very fact increased numbers tion confusing the manufacturer faced with the need for selection. Within the metal working industries are scores different types users and producers non-ferrous metal products. Among metal goods manu- facturers, for example, are makers caskets and burial vaults, clocks and time recorders, electrical goods, hard- ware, kitchen utensils, lamps and light- ing fixtures, musical radio, phonograph telephone equipment, toys and metal novelties, valves, pipe fittings, plumbing goods, and miscellaneous metal goods. The list could extended half hun- dred. Among machinery builders are fully many, all catering different industries, such dairies, laundries, electrical roads, pulp and paper, refrigeration, sugar, textiles, and on. each these classes, the prob- lem the right metal the right place paramount—and different. The diversity and specialization properties now needed may judged ° from the many tests which metal products are subjected: Resistance corrosion and chemicals; withstand- ing high temperatures, low tempera- ture and repeated and rapid changes temperature; coefficient expan- sion; electrical resistivity; how ex- tremes temperature affect these properties; workability; machineabil- ity; ability take and hold surface coatings—non-metallic hot dipped bearing qualities; resistance shock; and course the “old reliable” tests— tensile strength, yield strength, elonga- tion, hardness, etc. permutations and combinations, the number alloys theoretically pos- sible from even few half dozen basic, commercial metals beyond practical count; and, fact, the num- ber alloys listed having been actually made used seems ap- proach estimated 5000, the un- derstandable bewilderment manufacturer who searching for the “one best material.” spite this seeming complexity, the problem is, most cases, readily soluble. the first place non-ferrous | | | q q 3 7 | ; ’ | | | | | | metals are used, and large, spite their higher first cost, because they have distinctive properties and serve spe- cial purpose better than any other ma- terial. Those non-ferrous metals which form the basis the major constituent the alloys commercial and industrial use are few number: copper, lead, zinc, tin, aluminum, nickel and latterly, magnesium (and, course, the precious metals used the arts). Used the same fashion but much lesser volume are cadmium and tungsten. The alloys may simple com- plex, but the major constituent the combination should something which fundamen- tally suited the conditions, resistant the attack, phy- sical chemical, which the product subjected. So, for ex- ample, high strength required, the major constituent the alloy should high strength material. For rust atmospheric corrosion, the major which itself rust resistant. For resistance specific chemical some material which has that property must generally used. Although any property may enhanced and de- veloped, some cases very high degree, other constituents alloy, the important clue most likely lie the original properties the major metal. (This the general rule, although there are some discon- certing exceptions. The requirements often call for combination properties. Perhaps combination strength and corro- sion resistance, perhaps strength and light weight, tion properties peratures. Then the choice may have mise, with the em- phasis laid the most pressing needs. With respect these stituents, basic non-ferrous metals, found that certain trends have apparent. Metals increasingly high purity are being pro- duced and have been found the utmost commercial importance. Probably the most famous example the revolutionary improvement the cles dealing with “The Right Metal the Right Place,” the objective being aid manufacturers se- lecting the non-ferrous metal alloy for their products. die casting industry effected high purity zinc. Another the interesting oxygen-free high conductivity copper. High purity aluminum also avail- able. From present indications, one the very broad avenues for the progress metal products certainly seems the greater use high purity metals. Another trend the use small additions the more costly and even “rare” metals. These materials have produced some extraordinary improve- ments alloys, seemingly far out proportion the small percentages used. old example the action would have been well-nigh impossible bend the arms this cast- ing into usable shape without having available the high purity zinc alloys today. > %§ manganese when added brass (about 60-40) form “manganese bronze.” conspicuous modern example beryllium which (under 2.5 per cent) has created wholly new copper alloy. Other metals with improve-. ments their credit and pos- sibilities ahead are calcium, cerium, chromium, cobalt, co- lumbium, indium, osmium, rho- dium, tellurium, titanium, vanadium and zirconium. Less expensive but very valuable and widely used alloy additions are nickel, antimony, bismuth and silicon. This trend has enormously increased the va- riety materials available, with the result that, although the broad principles are still relatively simple, the choice complicated the numerous variables introduced the “addition agents.” course, the commercial factor— cost—must kept under considera- any problem find that platinum- iridium alloy will the work, unless the product can command platinum- iridium return. must just con- stantly borne mind, however, that the word “cost” should never limi- ted the confines the word “price.” Cost not first cost but overall cost; cost over the whole life the part, piece machine. Cost also includes savings (or losses) operation, and some cases, even scrap salvage value. Later articles this series will take the individual non-ferrous metals and their alloys, terms the needs the metal work- ing and metal prod- ucts manufacturing industries which use them. These articles will scribe their appli- cations and uses the consuming in- dustries, the new and promising de- velopments which give them new uses, and the types service for which they are recommended. The demands these industries, their needs, lems will also come under consideration. 7 % A 4 )- ie 7 4 a a Vv P Al > = WwW | | | | | j : | | 2 | | | 4 4 | # | | 2 | a |e 4 | | | | 7 new soaking pits recent- installed the Amsler- Morton Co., Pittsburgh, the Edgar Thomson Works the Car- Steel Corp. constitute tangible factor quality control from raw materials the Edgar Thomson Works finished steel the giant new Irvin Works. The furnaces add estimated 1,800,000 gross tons the plant’s annual heating capacity, and this capacity, together with provi- sions for future addition heating units, minimize the soaking pits will become times heavy pro- duction. The pit and bloomer building, built order “from the ground up,” well lighted and ventilated. The fur- naces are individual construction but located rows two rec- tangular plan along the lean-to side the building. The ingot car track and charging tracks are opposite and parallel the lean-to. between the heating units may com- pared the action the stack the gas flow heating. And furthermore, practically all the control equipment located the main deck level. The furnace control panels are housed eight steel-and-glass enclosures the lean-to. The control houses pro- tect the instruments from dirt, simpli- their maintenance, and make them less accessible unauthorized persons, further protection for the sensitive regulating dev