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).
Substitution of steel with aluminium for weight-saving in car parts, particularly axles.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154a\1\ scan0274 | |
| Date | 7th March 1940 | |
| 1312 To Ev.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} from Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} c. Jnr.{Charles L. Jenner} Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}23/MH.{M. Huckerby}7.3.40. As you know, we are taking an increasing interest in light alloys because Devereux says that aluminium will be 6d. a lb. after the War. In view of this fact, we have been getting together a table comparing the relative properties of aluminium and magnesium alloys with those of low carbon steels. There are certain ways in which one can substitute aluminium for steel on a car without completely re-designing the part. These normally consist of increasing the gauge without changing the shape. FJH.{Fred J. Hardy - Chief Dev. Engineer} has worked out one or two examples of what happens in such cases and the results are somewhat illuminating. It will be observed that no weight can be saved by using aluminium for a frame and simply increasing the gauge. The shape must be altered. On the other hand, an axle tube, where the dimensions can easily be altered, gives a big saving. I think that the next axle design which we do for passenger vehicles will be an all-aluminium version of the Senior axle. This would seem to be more valuable than designing a conventional type of steel Junior axle which would most improbably be fabricated by Rolls-Royce at a price which would compete with the Salisbury. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} | ||