July 20, 1905] 



NA TURE 



281 



{in addition to the manager) of the chief chemical engineer, 

 the chief chemist who is director of the research labora- 

 tory, and such consulting chemists and engineers as the 

 company employs. The appointments in this council are 

 intended to cover the most varied field of theoretical and 

 technical chemistry, and the manager is permitted to con- 

 sult outside experts if the company has not the necessary 

 talent at hand. A corps of chemists on research laboratory 

 work, an abstractor of current chemical literature, patent 

 experts, and a small office force complete the department 

 staff. 



In the research laboratory a body of chemists, under the 

 supervision of the chief chemist, is employed on research 

 work connected with investigations in hand. A limited 

 number of men are permanently retained on pure research 

 work. 



The research laboratory reports weekly the progress on 

 all work in hand, and at the completion of each investiga- 

 tion sends in a statement of the steps taken, accompanied 

 Tjy the chief's recommendation as to further action. These 

 reports are passed upon by the chemical council at its 

 regular meetings. 



All the analyses required are made by the analytical 

 laboratory, which is specially equipped for turning out 

 ■quick and accurate estimations. Each works has its own 

 analytical laboratory, but there is a central laboratory for 

 the work of the head office. This laboratory critically ex- 

 amines and selects all analytical methods, which are 

 adopted as standards and furnished to all works labora- 

 tories. 



The work of the investigation department originates from 

 sources which may, in a general way, be divided into three 

 ■classes : — 



(o) The probability of reducing manufacturing costs. 



(V) A decision to produce well established products not j 

 previously manufactured bv the company. 



(c) New applications of science to industry. 



(<■.) The largest field is perhaps that of improving the 

 processes at present in use at the different works, and is 

 one which usually yields very profitable results. Aside 

 from the chronic aim of the operating department to secure 

 uniformly low costs, a decision to investigate a process 

 in use may result from a drop in the market price of a 

 product on account of trade conditions, or because the 

 process is technically unsatisfactory. There may be de- 

 veloped, therefore, new methods or important modifications 

 involving reconstruction or even new plants. 



(V) Consideration of the manufacture of products not 

 previously produced bv the companv is usually given as 

 a result of market conditions or special wants of customers. 

 Where a large consumption of a product of interest is de- 

 veloping, and the raw materials prove to be available, an 

 investigation may be undertaken wnth a view to the 

 selection of a process and the construction of a plant. 



(c) The third source of investigation originates in the 

 ■distinctly new processes so frequently offered to the world. 

 Such processes, whether for a product manufactured by the 

 company or of prospective interest, are always given the 

 attention which their merits seem to warrant. No one who 

 ■has a sensible process to offer is refused a hearing, and the 

 treatment accorded the inventor soon becomes public 

 opinion. As a rule, the inventor is retained to direct the 

 development of his process under the management of the 

 'department. 



As an investigation of a new manufacture includes a 

 thorough examination of both the commercial and technical 

 sides of the proposition, the commercial side, in which the 

 assistance of the manager of the sales department and 

 other commercial branches is invoked, calls for considera- 

 tion of the following : — • 



(i) Its relation to the interests of the company; (2) the 

 market ; (3) manufacturing costs ; (4) investment necessary ; 

 ^5) source of raw materials ; (6) transportation. 



On the technical side a study must be made of : — 



(i) The process ; (?) other processes ; (3) raw materials ; 

 '(4) quality of product required. 



These topics indicate the method of working out or 

 testing the practicability of the process. This phase of the 

 proposition is entirely a chemical and engineering one, and 

 calls for most of the work of the investigation staff. 



Jn the usual order of procedure, a proposal reaching 



NO. 1864, VOL. 72] 



the investigation department is subjected to a preliminary 

 consideration, and is entered for record if it is to be made 

 a subject for investigation. It is then submitted to the 

 chemical council, which decides on the method of investi- 

 gation to be pursued. A rt\s'wme of the literature is generally 

 made and a report obtained from foreign representatives 

 on the latest European developments. We may soon have 

 to add the Japanese. As the inquiry progresses, the 

 chemical council, which meets weekly, is kept informed 

 of the progress made. 



The thorough consideration given at this early stage 

 frequently prevents useless laboratory expense and much 

 loss of time. 



Where an investigation of a process in use is being 

 made, a member of the investigation department is sent 

 to each of the works using it, to study the methods and 

 management and analyse its defects. His reports thereon 

 are considered by the chemical council in the manner 

 indicated above. 



If the final result of the investigation of a new process 

 be favourable, an experimental plant may be recommended 

 and an appropriation asked for. This may be advisable 

 not only to assist in reaching a decision regarding the 

 wisdom of adopting the process, but also for furnishing 

 data for the designing of a manufacturing plant, if one be 

 ultimately decided upon. 



In the case of the adoption of a process and the designing 

 of a plant, the work of the investigation and construction 

 departments is very intimately connected. An investigation 

 covers the inquiry regarding the proper design of the ap- 

 paratus or plant, as well as the process /j«r se 



Investigations in connection with construction naturally 

 differ, to a certain extent, and include consideration of 

 methods for handling the raw material, the solids, liquids 

 and gases involved in the process ; furnacing, dissolving, 

 filtering, evaporating, crystallising, distilling, subliming, 

 drying, &c., and the packing and handling of the finished 

 product. 



The materials to be used in different parts of the con- 

 struction are determined if an investigation into that im- 

 portant side be necessary, whether wood, cast iron, steel, 

 lead, tin, aluminium, alloy, earthenware, porcelain, rubber, 

 cement. Sec. Any special data requested by the construction 

 department in carrying out its work are furnished by the 

 investigation department, such as the selection of fuel for 

 special work, boiler and engine tests, consumption of steam, 

 &c., and all chemical work. 



The benefits resulting from organisation in the con- 

 sideration of improvements and new processes are very 

 evident. The results of experiments in one instance are 

 applicable to others of distinctly different character. The 

 full use of them demands a central bureau and clearing 

 house of information. 



The conferences held so frequently are not permitted to 

 drag. Records are kept of all decisions, and even the local 

 heads of departments present are notified in writing. 



The routine work of the department consists in the 

 collection and filing for easy access of technical and com- 

 mercial data of all kinds connected with chemical manu- 

 facturing, for immediate and prospective use. Circulars 

 containing useful information applicable to the works, and 

 copies of research reports that may help operations, are 

 transmitted to superintendents. Records of failure are just 

 as important as those of success. Every encouragement is 

 given superintendents to confer freely on any modifica- 

 tions, developments, or conceptions which may occur to 

 them. The esprit de corps resulting naturally reaches the 

 junior men and foremen, so that a keen sense of re- 

 sponsibility and importance is felt throughout. 



The frequent visits of managers and superintendents to 

 the head office, and the periodic meetings of superin- 

 tendents which are called for conference and discussion 

 enable the responsible men to continue in perfect familiarity 

 w-ith the technical resources of the company. 



The research department would not be complete without 

 a laboratory plant, large enough to work out processes on 

 a small manufacturing scale. Such a plant should have 

 all the standard appliances, and be so arranged that the 

 results obtained in it are sufficient to form the basis for 

 the engineering work resulting in the experimental plant 

 to follow the successful investigation. 



