FLEXIBLE REPEATER MANUFACTURE 107 



trials over an extended period of time, only minor changes to facilitate 

 manufactm'e were made. Further, since some experience had been gained 

 by the Laboratories in producing repeaters for that installation, it was 

 decided to "pool" effort in preparing the manufacturing process informa- 

 tion, which is normally Western's responsibility. Close cooperation of 

 the two groups, therefore, has resulted in the production of repeaters 

 which are essentially replicas of those in the initial installation except 

 for the internal changes necessary to increase transmission capacity 

 from 24 to 36 channels. 



Other Western Electric Locations and Outside Suppliers 



During the development work on the Key West-Havana repeaters, 

 the Hawthorne Works of Western Electric had furnished the molyb- 

 denum-permalloy cores for certain inductors, the Tonawanda Plant 

 had furnished mandrelated resistance wire, and the Allentown Plant 

 had fabricated the glass seal subassemblies. Since the experience gained 

 in this development work was extremely valuable in producing the 

 additional material required for the Transatlantic system and since 

 the facilities for doing the work were largely available, these various 

 locations were asked to furnish similar material for the project. Although 

 the Kearny Crystal Shop had not been involved in the Key West-Havana 

 project, arrangements were made there to make the crystals for this 

 project, since facilities were available, along with considerable experience 

 in producing precision units. 



Subcontracted Operations 



While it was believed, initially, that all component parts for repeaters 

 should be manufactured by Western Electric, critical analysis indicated 

 that it was neither desirable nor economical in certain cases. One of the 

 outstanding examples in this category is the hardened and ground 

 chrome-molybdenum steel rings that constitute the strength members 

 in the repeater and sustain the pressures developed on the ocean bottom. 

 Purchasing the many large and varied machine tools and associated 

 heat treating equipment necessary to produce these parts would have 

 required a substantial capital expenditure and additional manufacturing 

 space. Arrangements, therefore, were made with a highly qualified and 

 well equipped supplier to produce the rings, using material furnished by 

 Western, which had been previously inspected and tested to \'ery strin- 

 gent requirements. 



