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).
Letter from a supplier discussing the return of a large quantity of pistons and associated quality issues.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 87\2\ scan0079 | |
| Date | 20th September 1935 | |
| 2. Messrs. Rolls Royce Limited. 20/9/35. Total number of pistons returned 612. Returns as above 472. Returns attributable to L.P.Co. 140. Of these, returned at our request for adverse Laboratory report on castings 42. Balance 98. Of these, 53 delivered January/ February with oversize pins, due to misunderstanding re your tolerance in small end bush 53. Balance agreed with Mr. Clay as not complying with your own standard 45. In considering the 472, it should be borne in mind that the modifications rendering the return of these pistons necessary, are features which were not found necessary during the course of your Experimental work. It is, of course, extremely regrettable that we should have had to ask you to dismantle engines to find the 42 which were returned for metallurgical reasons, but we had no hesitation in taking this step, as we felt quite sure it was preferable to go to any length, rather than to have pistons about which there could be any conceivable doubt, find their way into customers' cars. From these figures you will see that even taking the 98 as being strictly chargeable to our Company, the percentage is 4.6 of our deliveries, whereas the actual quantity of our total deliveries which are clearly and admittedly not in conformity with standards of machining which you yourselves apply to your own works is 2.1%. Yours faithfully, FOR THE LIGHT PRODUCTION COMPANY LTD. M.B. Brooks. GENERAL MANAGER. | ||