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).
Investigation into the brittle surface layer on nitro alloy steel and its potential for rear axle gears.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 154a\1\ scan0137 | |
| Date | 2nd February 1929 | |
| To Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} from Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} c. to BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer} RG.{Mr Rowledge} c. to E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} DA.{Bernard Day - Chassis Design} c. to Hl. ✓ 44469 Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn{Mr Robinson}2/LG4. 2. 29. NITRO ALLOY STEEL. Y4214 With reference to the question of the brittle surface layer which has been troubling us on the nitro alloy steel. It will be recollected that this layer was absent on the Hispano cylinder liner tested by Hl., who suggested that the bore had been ground to overcome the trouble. We saw the liners actually being ground in the Hispano works, and therefore wrote to Mons. Duval to ascertain finally whether this operation was undertaken to remove distortion, as we were verbally told when inspecting the production of these liners, or whether the characteristic of the steel was such that final grinding was imperative to prevent flaking. They replied as per attached translation and at the same time sent us a number of sample bars at our request to prove their point. These were only polished, a portion being left discoloured by the final nitrating process to prove that they had not been ground. We think that this information is rather useful, because it means that in a large number of cases nitriding will prove more economical than ordinary case-hardening and may finally cut out the trouble we have at present with distortion of rear axle gears. We have handed the sample bars to Hl. who will be making a report on them in due course. Hs{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}/Rn.{Mr Robinson} | ||