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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).
Strategy and challenges of procuring fabricated parts from external suppliers.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 148\5\  scan0446
Date  23th September 1938
  
To RHC.{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}
c. HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}
c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}
c. By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}
c. Roy.{Sir Henry Royce}
c. Roy{Sir Henry Royce}/Ms.
c. RHC{R. H. Coverley - Production Engineer}/LK.{L. King}

BOUGHT OUT FABRICATED PARTS.

Various memos have been circulated regarding this subject, which includes Roy{Sir Henry Royce}/Les.9/B.8.9.38 and HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}1/Vs.{J. Vickers}10.9.38. We consider that the question of buying fabricated outside parts is as important as simplification of design or improvement in manufacturing technique if the objective of a £950 complete Rolls-Royce product is to be achieved. Everyone's co-operation is therefore needed if Leslie is to make a success of the job he has been given by Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}

In particular, he cannot get the best results unless he is assisted by the specialists who have previously dealt with outside forging and pressing firms.

Referring to HPS.{Horace Percy Smith - Experimental Factory Mgr}1/Vs.{J. Vickers}10.9.38, it is quite impossible to divorce experimental forgings from production forgings. To get the right results the buying of the piece starts when it is being drawn and continues until it is erected on the chassis. There are already numerous instances of the benefit which accrues when the parts are dealt with in this manner. An outstanding instance is that of the B.III frame which is going to replace the Wraith frame on the same size of car and will certainly be less than half the price of the Wraith frame. This result would have been quite impossible if the frame had not been considered from the cost angle step by step from the drawing board to the finished part. There are many other points which require attacking in the same manner.

We are still paying more than twice too much per pound for our crankshaft forgings.

If the new scheme for purchasing fabricated materials is going to be a success we are certain that Leslie will have to assume full responsibility for experimental forgings, and even for the first batch of production forgings. This means that he must be responsible to Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} for not delaying either the experimental programme or the production schedule. We think
  
  


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