ON STANDARDLSATION IN BRITISH ENUINEEKIISO PRACTICE. 845 



ing of rolls, is warranted ; but in the vast majority of cases an engineer 

 can equally well use standard sizes without in any way cramping or im- 

 pairing his design. 



In the case of steel, standard sizes are undoubtedly very valuable to 

 trade, as they avoid the necessity of cutting new rolls ; they can be rolled 

 to stock, thus obviating any interruption in process of manufacture and 

 minimising delay in delivery. As a practical illustration the testimony 

 of a large steelmaker in Scotland may be cited, who states that since 

 the introduction of standard sizes his firm has been able to break up some 

 hundreds of tons of rolls, and also that by no means the least advantage 

 gained is that in his works the process of manufacture is now no longer 

 constantly interrupted as it used to be, by the frequent changing of the 

 lolls to jiroduce in smaller quantities the many special sizes asked for, 

 without any corresponding advantage to tlie consumer. 



Another definite illustration of the advantages of standardisation 

 occurred in connection with the construction of the tramways of a large 

 Midland city. An order for the rails (to be made in conformity with the 

 British Standard Specification) was, in the first instance, placed with a 

 Continental firm. From want of expedition and punctuality in making 

 deliveries, and from failure to comply with the stipulated tests, &c., the 

 Corpoi'ation and their contractors were placed in a position of considerable 

 difficulty by the constructional work being brought to a standstill. This 

 caused them to approach a British firm, who, having the ' standard ' rolls 

 already cut, undertook to make a delivery within a few days, with the 

 result that the Continental order was cancelled and transferred to the 

 British firm. 



Altogether orders have already been received for nearly 100,000 tons 

 of these standard rails, probably representing a value of over half a 

 million of money. Practically all the British firms of tramway-rail 

 makers are now equipped with sets of rolls for the standard sections, and 

 they are thus enabled to deliver such rails at very short notice, instead of 

 the general experience heretofore of having to spend several weeks in the 

 preparation of new rolls. This is not only a great advantage to the pur- 

 chaser, but also a considerable saving in expenditure to the maker, as the 

 cutting of a set of rolls usually costs about 200/. 



The best interests of the community at large must certainly be served 

 when articles of acknowledged and universally used sizes can be produced 

 with the minimum amount of expenditure and with the least possible delay 

 in delivery. 



Apart from its general influence on the expansion of trade, it is esti- 

 mated that thei'e will be a saving of some millions sterling to British 

 manufacturers in reduction of co.st of production by the standardisation 

 of iron and steel sections alone. 



Mention may be made of the work accomplished by the Sectional 

 Committee on Screw Threads and Limit Gauges, which have confirmed 

 the shape and form of threads originally devised by Sir Joseph Whit- 

 worth, and have added to his series of somewhat coarse pitches a finer 

 series of pitches suitable for parts of machinery subject to vibration, &c., 

 and more calculated to meet the recent advances in engineering practice. 

 They have further embodied in their findings the series of fine threads 

 decided upon by the Committee of Section G appointed by the British 

 Association some years ago. 



It will be a satisfaction to this Meeting to realise that the wofk first 



