116 NAUTICAL CHART MANUAL 



III 

 Research and Development 



The objectives of Research and Development activities in the Nautical Chart Division 

 are basically two-fold: analysis and report on problems for decision-making where such prob- 

 lems require more data collecting and analysis than can be accomplished by means of produc- 

 tion management; information gathering and reporting on developing technologies or cultural 

 trends which may affect the chart program in time by causing new demands. 



Work is generally carried on in the form of a Research Project as approved by the Chief of 

 the Division and monthly reports are submitted on the progress of such work. The ultimate 

 end of all such projects is to produce an organized body of information or record of experience 

 which will have educational value to those directly interested in the type of problem studied 

 and which will add to the fund of knowledge for general or public use. 



IV 

 Electronic Computing 



The Nautical Chart Division is able to call upon two of tjie three computers in the Bureau 

 for aid in solving complex problems and for data retrieval. 



The Electronic Computing Division of the Office of Physical Sciences retains general con- 

 trol over the two main computers used in the Bureau — IBM 650 and IBM 1620. A third 

 computer — a Clary (medium size) — is in the Photogrammetry Division for its exclusive use. 



The Nautical Chart Division uses the two main computers at present for three general 

 problems : 



L Computation of local and State Plane coordinates and Grid Systems 



2. Computation of Loran Curves 



3. Collection of cost accounting and production management data for charts produced in 



the Nautical Chart Division 



