ENGINEERING STANDARDISATION. 
Engineering Standardisation. 
By GERALD LIGHTFOOT, M.A. 
I'rom the very beginning of the movement to establish the Institute 
of Science and Industry it has been intended that the Institute should 
actively concern itself in the work of standardisation. Thus in the 
report of the original conference convened by the Prime Minister (the 
Right Honorable W. M. Hughes, P.C., K.C.) in January, 1916, when 
the scheme of work and organization of the Institute was first formu- 
lated, it was stated that—* The highly specialized intricate work of 
standardising electrical instruments and other scientific apparatus for 
use as sub-standards . . . . would also naturally fall within the 
functions of the Institute.” In a later report made by the Executive 
Committee of the Institute to the Government in July, 1917, the import- 
ance of standardising work was emphasized, and it was recommended 
that the laboratories to be established for research work should include 
one for testing and standardising purposes. 
Though no further steps for establishing such a laboratory can be 
taken until the Bill to establish the permanent Institute is passed, a 
large amount of information has been collected both from published 
documents and by personal interviews with experts regarding the work 
and organization of standardising institutions in other countries, and 
the probable requirements of Australia in connexion with this class of 
work has received close attention. The information collected shows 
that a vast amount of standardising work of the greatest value and 
importance to the engineering industry has been carried out in other 
countries, notably in Great Britain and the United States of America, 
and that organizations for engineering standardisation have recently 
been, or are now being, established in many parts of the world. 
The importance and extent of the progress made in the above direc- 
tion do not appear to be adequately or generally appreciated in this 
country. Several factors, including the keen commercial and industrial 
competition arising out of the war, the demands of labour for a higher 
standard of living, and the importance of stimulating industrial enter- 
prise make it now more important than ever that Australian industries 
should introduce modern order and system into all their methods of 
production. If this is to be accomplished individualistic methods must 
give way, where practicable, to co-ordination and collective effort. It 
is, in fact, co-operation that will give the highest value to individualistic 
effort. If through some representative and authoritative central body, 
producers and users of engineering materials will agree to accept 
standard specifications, the community interests of buyer and seller 
will be realized, the quality of the materials will be improved, and their 
cost diminished, while at the same time a highér degree of efficiency will 
be secured in the engineering and other industries. 
Perhaps the most notable step in the realization of engineering 
standardisation was taken in 1841, when Sir Joseph Whitworth intro- 
duced the standard serew-thread. When urging the necessity for 
standardisation he illustrated his argument by mentioning that candles 
and candle-sticks were in use in almost every house, and that nothing 
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