January 1, 1913.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



185 



FACTORY MANAGEMENT METHODS. (Abstract.) 

 By J. C. Jnrgcnsen. 

 TTHE interest manifested lately in "scientific management" for 

 ■*• factories has produced a large number of efficiency engi- 

 neers, whose efforts are looked on with some skepticism by many 

 manufacturers. Where they have failed, however, it has usually 

 been owing to their method rather than to the principles involved. 

 It is extremely difficult to lay down hard and fast rules for the 

 efficient management of a factory. Even when the plant is thor- 

 oughly analyzed and investigated, the system must be fitted to 

 each case. Whether the factory manager can himself apply it, de- 

 pends upon his talent for investigation and administration. The 

 liuman factor is the most serious problem he is called on to solve. 

 Each employe, whatever his position, sliould have his duties thor- 

 oughly delined, and must be chosen with careful reference to them. 



All orders for work emanating from the manager's office should 

 be carefully planned and explicitly worded. Clearness should be 

 insured by a system of checking before the final issue of the 

 order. The indelinite order is the father of every bad habit in 

 foremen and workmen, and leads to disorganization of plant and 

 factory. 



It is an important function of factory management to encourage 

 general industrial education and vocational training, many expe- 

 rienced men being found willing to act as teachers of the young 

 men in the service of the company. 



Organization is a matter of fundamental importance, and the 

 successful factory manager has some simple method or system for 

 determining the responsibilities and authorities of all his subordi- 

 nates. On his solution of these daily problems depends the suc- 

 cess or failure of his management. The factory manager must 

 know what he wants to accomplish and, having decided on the 

 method to be used, must stick to it. Changes of plan and spas- 

 modic efforts never lead to results. Repeated changes in methods 

 create misunderstandings, insubordination and intrigues, while 

 organization, although it cannot entirely prevent such conditions, 

 will greatly minimize them. 



The organization in which each department head is selected to 

 perform the duties for which he is best fitted, has the elements of 

 a perfectly co-ordinated factory, but to insure practical co-opera- 

 tion between the vario.us heads, a supreme authority must be 

 provided, in the form of the owner, a firm management com- 

 mittee, or the factory manager. The absence of such an authority 

 leads to indecision and general disorder; divided authority 

 always causing shirking of responsibility. A thoroughly com- 

 petent assistant is recognized as the acting work manager when 

 his superior is absent. 



After an expert organizer has had an opportunity to analyze 

 the nature of the business and to classify the work, a series of 

 organization charts should be drawn up by him, showing graphi- 

 cally the departmental relationship, as well as the extent of 

 departmental responsibility. 



The cost system is another essential in factory management ; 

 showing plainly the well operated and improving departments and 

 those badly run. It creates a more determined and careful man- 

 agement, but does not stop at executive organization; gauging the 

 value and efficiency of every operative, every machine, and every 

 operation. With proper use it can become not only historical, but 

 prophetic. When this can be done the cost system is established. 

 Its proper employment by an energetic factory manager enables 

 him to analyze any part of the plant ; at the same time setting 

 standards of mill expenses and unit costs. 



While the sales price of the product cannot be controlled by the 

 factory, the cost of production can ; the latter being the one vital 

 element in the industrial world to-day. Even if incomplete, a 

 cost system will be of use to the management. As every penny 

 spent in the mill is part of the cost of the product, it is the 

 function of the cost system to determine daily where each indi- 

 vidual expenditure shall be charged. 



A practicable system is best established by finding departmental 

 totals for material, labor and mill expenses ; then going 

 after details. To begin with details and go up to totals is wrong. 

 When the totals have been proven with the accountant's books, 

 the factory manager can divide them as required ; each cost item 

 being checked with the total. Thus the modern factory 

 manager, in his light for better managment and methods, must 

 install a practical expense control system. 



PROBLEMS IN VACUUM DRYING. {Abstract.) 



By J . I'. Devtne. 

 'T'HE author's connection with the rubber industry dates from 

 ■^ ten years back, when he sought to interest manufacturers in 

 this country in a new method of drying rubber. He found that 

 they were satisfied with the then existing method, and did not 

 hesitate to express their opinion that any shortening of the dry- 

 ing process would sacrifice the quality of the rubber and jeopard- 

 ize standards established during the course of years. 



At the outset of his investigations, the author found that little, 

 if any, advancement or improvement had been made up to that 

 time. His opinion was thus confirmed of the value of the Pass- 

 burg Vacuum Drying Process (originated and designed by Emil 

 Passburg and William Strohn of Berlin), for economically and 

 thoroughly removing moisture, particularly for the removal of 

 the final traces, as is necessary with rubber and rubber com- 

 pounding materials. 



This new process was introduced in Germany by Messrs. Pass- 

 burg and Strohn and in this country by the author, and has 

 proved of great benefit to the rubber industry. 



For years rubber was dried by any convenient method, not in- 

 volving capital expenditure, such as a boiler room. Subsequent 

 improvements included the adoption of drying lofts, where the 

 sheeted rubber was hung on racks, the heat being distributed 

 by coils, or hot air circulated by fans or blowers. Little regard 

 was paid to the temperature or duration of the drying process. 

 The fallacy of the claims sometimes made in favor of these old 

 systems is proved by the use of the vacuum apparatus, and by 

 the superior quality of the rubber dried by that system. 



The improvements introduced from time to time only served 

 to reduce the effects of high temperatures, with a consequent 

 prolongation of the drying period. Heat and oxygen, however, 

 are the two insidious enemies of rubber, always present in hot 

 air drying. They are eliminated by the vacuum apparatus. 



Another objection to the hot air system of drying is the con- 

 traction of the rubber and the hardening of the surface, which 

 prevents the elimination of the last moisture within the rubber, 

 except by a prolongation of the drying period. The vacuum 

 process and apparatus alone afford the proper conditions for the 

 rapid, uniform and thorough drying of rubber at a low tempera- 

 lure and without oxidation, independently of climatic conditions. 



Wliile under atmospheric conditions, rapid boiling can only 

 take place at 100° C. or 212° F., and the drying time is extended 

 as the temperature decreases — under vacuum, the boiling point 

 is greatly decreased as the barometric reading is approached. 

 Thus at a vacuum of 29", water boils at 25° C. or 77° F. Rubber 

 dried in the vacuum chamber, while the first free water is being 

 removed, need not be heated practically above the boiling point 

 of water at that particular vacuum. The supply of the heating 

 medium — steam or hot water — is regulated and is entirely shut off 

 before the final drying. The last traces of moisture are there- 

 fore drawn off by the latent heat in the dryer, accelerated by the 

 high vacuum. In a properly constructed vacuum chamber, with 

 the condenser and pump properly balanced, the application of 

 well known physical laws absolutely prevents any over-heating 

 if reasonable care be taken in its operation. 



By reason of the absence of oxygen, oxidation cannot take 

 place. The rubber not being overheated, nor impaired by oxida- 



