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).
Negative impact of a chilling operation during piston heat treatment on engine life.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 86\2\ scan0149 | |
| Date | 14th November 1933 | |
| X23C To By.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c.c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} c.c. to Hi. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}16/KT.14.11.33. HEAT TREATMENT OF PISTONS. We have now proved conclusively to our own satisfaction that the heat treatment of pistons which incorporated a chilling operation was the cause of the failure of the engine at 5000 miles on the last 10,000 miles test. Our results show that this heat treatment reduces the life of the pistons on the test bed from 15 hours to about 4 hours, and from 20,000 miles on the road to about 5000 miles. It has taken us a little while to be certain on this point, because we have been mixing different designs of pistons with different types of heat treatment. We are very anxious to know whether you can find any reason why this heat treatment should produce disastrous results, and we should be glad to know of any conclusions you form on the fatigue tests you are at present making. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||