DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 113 



to the training given by the use of tools and machinery. For that 

 reason I consider the most important problem that we have in con- 

 nection with the shops is to develop the system of management that 

 I have referred to from time to time. Briefly, this system would involve 

 the installation of whatever means will be necessary to carry on the 

 work of the four shops on a businesslike basis. I believe the best way 

 to tackle this problem is to conduct the shops as nearly like a manu- 

 facturing plant as is consistent with conditions. My idea would be 

 to have all underclassmen carry on their work as outlined by the system 

 that would be installed. Proper orders should be issued for the pro- 

 duction of patterns, castings and machine work. Eecords should show 

 the amount of time used by the student to do his work, the work should 

 be inspected and passed upon finally by some instructor in charge, and 

 the final results should be known, i, e., how many pieces are spoiled 

 and lost from various reasons. The underclassmen would 'carry on 

 the work under this sj^stem without knowing how the system was run. 

 They would simply follow instructions given them. In the senior year 

 a large portion of the time assigned to mechanical engineers would be 

 devoted to helping carry on the system. In that way they would become 

 familiar with the working of the sj'stem from both sides, i. e., they 

 would know how it works out by having worked under it as underclass- 

 men, and they would know how the system was conducted and carried 

 on by helping to do so in the senior year. 



The development of a system of this kind must necessarily be slow. 

 At the Univfirsity of Illinois, where funds were unlimited. Professor 

 C. E. Richards told me that it had taken them four years. In various 

 factories where the Taylor system and other systems have been installed 

 in actual cases the time runs from three to five years. 



It is difficult to impress upon the average man the vast importance 

 of proper shop management and how it will bring about increased pro- 

 duction and decreased cost. 



Many college men do not like to take up the shop end of engineering 

 work when they leave college, but the shop end offers more ojjportunities 

 for advancement and compensation than the engineering office in a 

 manufacturing establishment. Many of our recent graduates have gone 

 directly into the shop in production work. With proper training in 

 shop management given them in our shops many more would take up 

 this line of work. 



PATTERN SHOP. 



The equipment in the pattern shop is fairly complete. We need a 

 surfacer, a power mortiser, a swing saw and a dust collecting system. 



It would be very desirable to give advanced work in pattern making, 

 especially in metal patterns. Metal patterns are made largely of brass 

 and aluminum. Due to the high price of these metals it is out of the 

 question with our limited funds. 



FORGE SHOP. 



So far as the requirements for regular class work are concerned, the 

 equipment is complete. However, it is extremely desirable to emphasize 

 manufacturing forging methods. It is probably out of the question to 

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