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 considerations and challenges of specifying chassis steels by their physical characteristics.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 142\4\ scan0193 | |
| Date | 12th November 1937 | |
| c. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} 1203 SPECIFYING CHASSIS STEELS BY PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS. Referring to the above proposal, there are certain points which demand consideration before we make the final move in the above direction :- (a). At present we use the steel Store for both aero and chassis with little discrimination, as the identity of the steels is the same and our methods of ordering and testing cover A.I.D. requirements in all but the paper procedure, but when we cease to hold the chassis within specification composition we will, I believe, be forced to store the steels separately. It is just possible under the scheme outlined in BY.1/G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} 12.11.37. we may not upset the A.I.D. to any real extent. (b). It is most desirable that we still obtain our supplies of material from Firths, a rumour we had reduced the quality of our steels which would certainly be the result of buying generally elsewhere, would cause us considerable trouble, our competitors would not fail to use such a rumour. (c). It is fairly certain that we will have to modify our heat treatment temperatures in order to obtain the physical tests required when the cast of steel is on the low side of the specification. (d). We have tried buying steels in the open market to physical tests, this was the position I found the firm in when I took control technically, at the commencement of the War, and the result was I had a very hectic time until with Hl. and Mr. Whitehead's help I got specifications settled. Every batch of steel we received, and forgings from same had to be checked by making trial heat treatments before the parts could be issued for heat treatment, and we were constantly re-heat treating batches where the steel was mixed. It would only require a few batches demanding re-heat treatment to more than swamp the economies aimed at. We bought at that time away from Firths because Nadin had quarrelled with them, and they refused to supply us, and although we picked the best steel firms, apart from Firths we were constantly in serious difficulties until | ||