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).
Production delays and tooling for connecting rods from supplier Hardy Spicers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 132\2\ scan0262 | |
| Date | 24th April 1940 | |
| To Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Les.11/B.24.4.40. Connecting Rods - Hardy Spicers. Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer}9/ML.22.4.40. As mentioned to you recently, we see little chance of obtaining during the next 6 weeks, the 18 Coined Connecting Rod forgings which have been on order from Hardy Spicers since the 14th December last, this being due to the fact that two new hammers which have been put into their plant approximately six weeks ago, have as yet not been made satisfactory for production. In consequence, items which they were intending to produce on these hammers have been held up and there is considerable work to be done as soon as the hammers are satisfactory, including supplies of our Vulture Rocker forgings. It is hoped any day now that the hammers will be satisfactory. With regard to the B.40 Connecting Rod, we presume you mean the Connecting Rod to RE.122/3 for which we have already received a production quotation, this being 2/0d each for quantities of 6,000 and part cost of tools at £94. 0. 0d. From our recent conversation I understood that you required us to proceed immediately with the tools for the B.40 Connecting Rod as it was considered that Hardy Spicers had capacity in their die sinking shop. Since then we have now instructed a complete set of forging and coining dies of Merlin Rockers. Will you please let me know whether you still require the dies to be produced for the B.40 Connecting Rod in view of the fact that there is bound to be a delay before we can see sample Connecting Rods of the dies which are in existence, or whether you will be satisfied at the result which we shall receive from coined rockers for Merlin. I should like to emphasize that when you state in your note that you would like to see half-a-dozen forgings out of the existing dies, there is bound to be considerable development work required before this forging is satisfactory and it is felt that it may be unsatisfactory to pay for development work to be carried out on a type of Connecting Rod which we are not proposing to use on production. We are obtaining further particulars from Hardy Spicers with regards to the approximate date on which they could deliver the 18 Connecting Rods on order, the price of these samples and the price for re-sinking the dies to our connecting rod which is coined to final size. Les.{Ivan A. Leslie} | ||