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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 regarding defective crankshafts and a method for detecting steel defects using nitric acid.

Identifier  ExFiles\Box 38\6\  Scan019
Date  26th July 1918
  
July 26. 1918.

Na{Mr Nadin}3/K26718.
Copy to Oy.

TO MR. BAILEY FROM Na.{Mr Nadin}

I have today received your cable b-b, re the defective crank-shafts which we have forwarded to you. I wish to advise you that these shafts have already been packed up and handed to the Express Company. In view of the fact that so much trouble has been taken, and as they will have to be paid for by ourselves both as regards material and labor, we believe it is advisable to let them go forward and that you should carefully inspect them when they arrive. We are of the opinion that these shafts are very different as regards defects, from what you imagine, and should be very pleased to hear from you on receipt.

As you are perhaps aware, we have had a great deal of trouble obtaining sound steel from which to forge the shafts and we have not yet obtained any steel which can be regarded as positively free from the trouble. It does appear that bars which are going to give trouble through cracks, can be picked out when the steel is rolled, by sawing off the end of the bar, polishing the cut surface and treating it with Nitric Acid having a specific gravity of approximately 1.1. The defects can be seen without recourse to the etching process but the very smallest defects are very readily shown up if treated with acid as described above.

R.R. 250 (T.400) S.(C.S.C.) 500 16-2-18 G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 1346
  
  


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