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).
The feasibility and methods for producing sheet-steel car bodies in moderate quantities, referencing developments in the aircraft industry.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 170\3\ img203 | |
| Date | 25th July 1939 guessed | |
| ⑤ Steel construction R.R. could never afford the huge cost of body dies borne by the production models of American cars. The cost would be out of all proportion to the output. But I am sure that the efficient and economical production of sheet steel structures in moderate quantities of fifty to five hundred of a type, is within the grasp of the industry today, if the experience of workers in this line could be pooled. The demand for military aircraft in just such quantities is leading to rapid developments of in "Semi-production" sheet metal work. wooden dies faced with metal, rubber-faced female dies, trimming methods cheaper than trimming dies, and the use of hydraulic presses, are showing signs that this particular branch of sheet metal working is developing fast. Undoubtedly if R.R. wanted to build sheet-steel bodies immediately a vast amount of information is available already. N.H. Manning alone has years of experience in just this line of small production work. | ||