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).
Letter urging a colleague to adhere to rigorous 'development overload testing' protocols before launching new models into production.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 180\M6\ img021 | |
| Date | 8th February 1929 | |
| Letter enclosed for Mr Kenyoris & approval (Re I thoroughly testing & developing standard units) Arundel [Sideways top left]: Get these units on all up scaling [Sideways left margin]: copy to Mr Wards & Mr Hives. I think it would be good to do so. Dear Mr Pontis, are you not M.I.E.E. & M.I.M.E. Mr Halley is a little anxious that you propose making a fair large number of a certain current unit for some drawings on order, I hope you will make one of each size and give it a severe test before launching on a number, unless you are purchasing a well tried model you know has stood the test and following this result. As far as I remember I have not yet seen a design which is complete & undoubted sound as far as my judgment goes, which would still not be safe to start production upon until made experimentally & thoroughly tested. One of the English faults is that the designs are not proved by testing a specimen (which naturally in large work is not possible) and developing it by overload testing to destruction, which we at RR call development work, and is an essential feature of our life especially in aero engines. I particularly want you to do this in all your standard units, motors, brakes, cubs, transformers &c I beg of you to follow this practise no matter | ||