Industrial Research 



337 



lished standard products," and an optical company as 

 "the study of the performance of our product with the 

 goal in mind of using the results of such research in 

 supervising the redesign of the product." As an 

 example of it, a maker of agricultural machinery reports: 

 "Before any new machines (are released) or alterations 

 are placed on existing machines they are first sent to 

 what we term our dynamometer department (where 

 each machine undergoes) a very thorough test to 

 determine whether it has sufficient strength and whether 

 shaft bearings and shafts have sufficient capacity for 

 the work they are to perform." Another writes, 

 "Research on all phases of track-type tractor and 

 road-machinery design and performance (looks) toward 

 constructions that will reflect more effective utilization 

 of materials, increased life and versatility of machines, 

 reduction of the physical effort necessary for operation, 

 and greatly improved performance." A manufacturer 

 of railroad cars reports: "We have conducted a con- 

 siderable amount of test work on our car structures in 

 order to check analysis, and connections, deflections, 

 and similar features. There have also been compression 

 tests made on our car structures to loadings approxi- 

 mating 1 million pounds compression." A roller- 

 bearing maker writes: "Many of our investigations 

 deal with fatigue and we have a large laboratory for the 

 testing of full-size members in fatigue . . . Theorptical 

 as well as practical results are being derived from such 

 fatigue tests. An example of practical results obtained 

 is the revision of axle-design standards of the Associ- 

 ation of American Railroads." A maker of vacuum 

 cleaners reports: "The cleaner research laboratory 

 evaluates performance of complete macliines as to 

 efficiency and human-energy expenditure, carpet struc- 

 tures, and general problems of carpet wear and care; 

 the parts test laboratory determines the operating life 

 of elements, combinations, and complete structures 

 under controlled conditions of temperature, humidity, 

 light and oxygen exposure." And another firm reports : 

 "Life tests under varying conditions, strength tests 

 etc." of the parts of the delicate precision measuring 

 instruments that are their product. 



It is perhaps in the automobile, auto accessory, and 

 internal-combustion engine fields that performance and 

 endurance testing of both standard and new designs arc 

 most highly developed, and so familiar that none of the 

 many reported instances need be quoted here. Further- 

 more automobile builders have developed to a fine art 

 what can be called field testing of their product, as have 

 oil-well-equipment makers, oil refiners, locomotive 

 builders, makers of agricultural machinery, and many 

 others. One correspondent remarks: "I wonder if we 

 are not too inclined to label as fundamental research 

 (only) that work which is carried on in the laboratory. 

 When the laboratory worker removes his white smock 



and goes into the field and changes his micrometer 

 caliper for a yardstick, most people are inclined to think 

 that the fundamental nature of his work has changed, 

 even though he is just as truly searching for new facts 

 and new ways to put established facts to work." 

 Many examples of field testing could be cited if space 

 permitted, including the practice of many companies of 

 installing the first example of a new model or design in 

 their own shop or power plant for regular service under 

 observation. 



Only slightly different from field testing of samples of 

 one's product is "accumulating and correlating field 

 data regarding the behavior in practice of our rolling 

 mills and auxiliary machinery, from the standpoint of 

 power requirements, capacities, and durability"; or the 

 rule of a maker of hydraulic turbines that "tests con- 

 ducted in the (model testing) laboratory be checked in 

 the field as far as possible"; or the considerable field 

 research by a loom manufacturer, "to determine the 

 causes for troubles which appear in the field" which 

 was made the basis of a complete redesign of their 

 standard loom ; or the practice of a ball- and roller-bear- 

 ing maker, which has in its laboratory "what we con- 

 sider an important division known as the retiurned 

 goods department, from which data is obtained as to 

 the cause of failures in the field." 



Are Design and Development Research? 



The preceding section of this report inevitably brings 

 up the question of the distinction, if any, to be made 

 between ordinary design, development engineering, and 

 research. Those who have responded to the inquiry 

 for data vary greatly in their unconscious or conscious 

 reaction to this problem of definition. One man 

 writes, "The term research is applied to our laboratory 

 for reasons which are largely commercial." A great 

 many report without hesitation, as a part, or all, of 

 their research activities, work done in "laboratories 

 devoted to the design and development" of their 

 products. Others say explicitly, "Research and devel- 

 opment are conducted as joint activities." And some 

 mention among their research facilities an "experimental 

 department" which designs and builds new experimen- 

 tal machines and improvements on existing machines. 



Many correspondents explicitly state then- uncer- 

 tainty as between research and design. Thus: "The 

 distinction between research and engineering design is 

 not plainly marked. Much original data must be 

 obtained before a successful design can be made and the 

 designation as research is therefore appropriate"; 

 "Much of the work done in our technical division inter- 

 locks between design and research"; "The functions of 

 the (engineering and research) departments often over- 

 lap, and no sharp line can be drawn between them"; 

 "In solving these problems, it has been found expedient 



