168 



A'ational litsources I'lanning Board 



Most of llie maiiufacliircMs of alloying: metals publish 

 moiitiily niagnziiics wliicli alToid prompt and wide 

 (iissemiiialion of data of value to metallurgists in the 

 iron and steel industry. Most important, however, 

 are the handbooks published by the manufacturers of 

 alloying metals and b}' some of the steel companies. 

 These books arc unique in advertising, because they 

 are important sources of valuable data obtained by 

 research. The role of these publications in the Ameii- 

 can iron and steel industry is stated accurateh' by 



Gillctt: '« 



The ultimate purpose of handbooks of this tj'pe is to sell 

 steel, and specifically the steels made by, or using the elements 

 sold by, the firm that prepares the book. Po.'^sibly there comes 

 in also the a-speet of self-protection against complaints that 

 would be avoided by more understanding of fundamentals and 

 hence, more intelligent use by the purchaser. At any rate, the 

 dissemination of sound technical information is considered so 

 important that such handbooks have ceased to be mere catalogs 

 and reiterations of the virtues of "Three Star Double Extra" 

 brand, and contain not only data but discussions of metallurgical 

 principles that are often far from being kindergarten subjects. 

 These di.scussions must be brief, clear and correct, for the 

 presti((.e of the firm is involved. Few text books are written 

 with the care for correct phraseology that one meets in these 

 books. Consequently, the student as well as the practicing 

 metallurgist values them highly — and they deserve to be highly 

 valued. 



Research for New Markets by the 

 Manufacturers of Alloying Metals 



As noted in a previous section (p. 164), approximately 

 50 percent of the money appropriated for research by 

 the iron and steel industry of the United States is 

 spent for developing new products and new uses and 

 markets for old products; during the past 20 years, 

 practically all the money appropriated for research by 

 the manufacturers of alloying metals has been spent 

 for this purpose. 



Almost immediately after it was discovered that 

 nickel and chromium increase the strength, hardness, 

 and resistance to impact of carbon steels, steel contain- 

 ing these two metals was used for armor plate and 

 ordnance and caused a revolution in ofTensive and 

 defensive naval warfare in the first decade of this 

 century. The expanding armament programs of all 

 nations, which culminated in the First World War, 

 demanded such large quantities of these alloying 

 metals, especially nickel, that the primary object of 

 practically all research before 1920 was to increase 

 production and to reduce cost. 



Nickel production increased from 10,000 short tons 

 in 1900 to 50,000 short tons in 1917, about half of which 

 went into armament. With the end of the war came 

 the collapse, and world ])roduetion of nickel ilropped to 



about 10,000 tons, the 1900 level. It became painfully 

 apparent about 1920 that no permanent benefit would 

 be derived, either by the manufacturers of the alloying 

 metals or by the steel industry as a wliole, from metals 

 whose most important application was armament. As 

 a result, extensive research was begun to find new and 

 peacetime uses for these metals. That this research 

 has been successful is apparent from a study of the 

 statistics of production of alloy steels in the United 

 States during the period (1920-35) when practically 

 no armament was made. In 1920 alloy-steel produc- 

 tion was 1.5 million tons, in 1937 it was 3.2 million tons, 

 which went into automobiles, railway rolling stock, 

 ship-building, oil-refining equipment, power-generating 

 machinery, tools, agricultural equipment, architectural 

 trim and building construction, electric-heating appli- 

 ances, and many other products. 



Between 1920 and 1937, The International Nickel 

 Company alone spent approximately $18,750,000 in 

 development and research to create peacetime uses for 

 nickel." During that time, the yearly production of 

 nickel increased from 10,000 to 125,000 short tons, of 

 which only 3 to 5 percent was used in steel for arma- 

 ments between 1920 and 1935. Even in 1937, when 

 Europe had begun to rearm on a large scale, less than 

 8 percent of the world's supply of nickel was used in 

 armaments.^" Research by The International Nickel 

 Company and by manufacturers of other alloying 

 metals has developed peacetime uses for their products 

 to the point that complete world disarmament would 

 not cause a ripple in their yearly production; it would, 

 in fact, even be welcomed because, as Stanley pointed 

 out,^' "organization for war has had a depressive rather 

 than a stimulating effect on total nickel consumption, 

 since the loss which results from the dislocation of 

 normal industrial routine is in no sense compensated 

 for by the tonnage consumed in armaments." 



Economic Significance of Research 



in the American Iron and Steel Industry 



The principal advances, especially in processes and 

 materials, that have resulted from research in the 

 American iron and steel industry have been discussed 

 briefly in previous sections and have been outlined in 

 greater detail elsewhere in this book;" hence, only a 

 brief summary is necessary here. 



As already indicated, the first and most important 

 accomplishment is the improvement in quality with no 



n Gillctt, n. W. D. S. S. carlllo; steels. MelaU and Alloyt, 10, MA 186 (March 

 1939). 



" Stanley, R. C. Address tn shareholders. The Inlernational Nickel Co., March 

 29. 1938. 



'• I'mprietary nickel alloys. Chemical Aqc. Mdallurtical Stdlon, S8, 8 (February 

 5. \'j:«). 



" Stanley, KoIhti C. The nickel indmlry In 10.TS. .-l/timinum and NunFerrniis 

 Rtcim, i. «-6 (1938-39). 



n Olllett, H. W. Metallurrical research as a national resource. This volumr, 

 pp. a-fS-SOS. 



