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).
Report discussing production methods, toolings, and the sourcing of parts and sub-assemblies.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 118\1\ scan0360 | |
| Date | 2nd December 1943 | |
| -2- (c) I have not yet had the opportunity to inspect the Press Tools built by Motor Panels for the B.V. production, but having seen the jigs etc. stored at Shardlow, the thought of trying to produce upwards of 5,000 sets of parts from tools of this type rather worries me. These tools, as far as I can judge, do involve a considerable amount of handwork. I hope this statement is not too sceptical, but from personal experience, I find that the more handwork the greater the variation especially, as applied to thin gauge steel metal parts. If variation does creep into this product, the problem of supplying fittings, glass, windscreens, etc. to accommodate such differences, means a collosal amount of work and either a stores capacity of prodigeous dimensions, or small quantity ordering. I need hardly add that anything but large quantity order puts up the price of bought out parts. 2. Rover products have frequently been mentioned as a typical basis on which to model our own plans. Unless memory is playing me false the Rover products are assembled at their own plant from sub-assemblies manufactured and supplied by the P.S.Co. At least it was so in 1936 when I was at Oxford. An arrangement of this kind would permit some variation for special bodies as mentioned by Mr. Ward. I believe, Rovers were using several common unit assemblies for different body models. They are of course all "Hall marked" with the same characteristics. Not a bad feature providing that the principal design is right. (a) I would suggest, that whatever parts, sub assemblies, etc. are made outside, be produced as complete units ready to be applied to the main assembly without handwork on the panels at that stage. I don't think I am biased in expressing an opinion that P.S. Co. are probably the best firm in this country to supply parts of that type. If you are agreeable I propose to contact P.S.Co. with a view to getting a general estimate and unit prices on a pre-war basis. I could open preliminary investigations with a small scale sketch and feel confident of obtaining useful data combined with my own local knowledge of their practice. (b) The late E.A.G. and myself spent considerable time and thought in arriving at the type of fittings which it was proposed to fit to Myth. Up to the present time I believe they are the best of their kind. I suggest | ||