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 to Crossley Motors Ltd. requesting information about their technique for producing magnesium castings.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 142\4\ scan0028 | |
| Date | 1st July 1936 | |
| X120) Exptl. Dept. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}14/KW. 1st July, 1936. F.D. Wishart Esq., Messrs. Crossley Motors Ltd., Gorton, MANCHESTER. Dear Mr. Wishart, You will remember that some time ago we came over to Crossley Motors to discuss the overhead inlet side valve exhaust type of engine which you are manufacturing. At the time we were astonished to notice the amount of magnesium castings going through your factory, and these appeared to include even crankcases and other stressed parts. We ourselves have for some considerable time past been trying out magnesium castings and have really had considerable success with them. Our difficulty has, however, been to get outside manufacturers to produce such castings for us at a reasonable figure. High Duty Alloys, for instance, suggest that the magnesium castings you are using will not show anything like the saving in weight which we would expect from the specific gravities of the two materials; in other words that in order to get magnesium castings at a reasonable price, you throw away the majority of their weight-saving advantages. We can scarcely credit that this is true, and think that High Duty Alloys may be somewhat biased in view of the fact that they have not a very advanced technique for the production of magnesium. We should be very grateful to you if you could give us any information on this subject. Yours faithfully, FOR ROLLS-ROYCE LIMITED. | ||