Production experiment for wings and doors, including costs, processes, and labour considerations.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 111\1\ scan0170 | |
| Date | 15th November 1938 guessed | |
| -2- Having visited Motor Body Panels, and having assured ourselves and yourselves that they can produce the pressings to your satisfaction, and at the right price, the real part of this production experiment appears to lie in the mounting and finishing of the wing, and the assembling, painting and trimming of the door. If this work is done in the factory under existing rates and processes, it is more or less certain that the price figures quoted will not be achieved. It will be necessary for you to produce all the requisite assembly jigs, and to process the work on the new production basis. This applies to all sections, the assembly, mounting, painting and trimming. We suggest that you may have to instal a miniature experimental production section for this work to try out these experiments. We appreciate the Trade Union and Labour problems with which you will be faced, and would be glad to have your views on how these can be dealt with, in view of the fact that in the same works, small quantity and one-off production will be going on. We agree to your instructing the dies as stated, and the necessary jigs and fixtures. As the dies for four wings ( 2 front and 2 rear) will cost £250, we suppose those for a single front wing will cost approximately £85 and not more than the same sum will cover the door dies. The writer will take an early opportunity of discussing this matter with you in detail, but meanwhile will you please go ahead with dies and pressings. Yours faithfully, FOR ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED. CHIEF ENGINEER - CHASSIS. | ||
From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).