Gulf of Mexico is site of newest oil "boom" OIL WELL SUPPLY COMPANY PLAYS IMPORTANT ROLE IN PROJECT • "More than 4 billion barrels"—that's what one person has estimated as the amount of oil in one 30 mile strip in the Gulf of Mexico—scene of one of the biggest oil exploration projects in history. More than 20 million dollars has been spent by several companies in leasing properties on this newest oil province. Oil Well Supply Company- a subsidiary of United States Steel Corp- oration-is supplying many of the oil companies with complete drilling rigs, including rotary drilling units, slush pumps, derricks, swivels, blocks, rotary feed controls and other important parts of rigs. Since 1862, when it was founded, "Oilwell" has been one of the lead- ing suppliers of oilfield equipment. Not only has it pioneered many improvements in equipment, but it has introduced many new types of machinery and equipment. This pioneering of more efficient and more economical equipment is a most significant phase of "Oilwell's" progress. For back of all the de- velopment work are the objectives to drill cheaper and to produce more economically from any depth. SMALL WONDER! Wood stands, like those creasing significance to the farmer, home above that are exposed to damp, rainy builder and industrialist. The chemical weather and snow, rate high on the termite PENTAchlorophenol is also used in the pres- menu. In fact, it's safe to assume, all wood ervation of hemp, jute, and other cellulosic is considered fair game by termites. products that are often exposed to severe climatic conditions. Dow produces PENTAchlorophenol to pro- tect wood from the termite menace, as well This is but one of more than 500 essential a s from decay due to excessive moisture. chemicals Dow produces. It has, however, Wood protected with "PENTA" lasts years one characteristic common to all Dow longer than untreated wood! "Wherever products. That is its high, uniform quality— wood is used, consider the advantages of a characteristic that has made the name PENTA-protected lumber" is a phrase of in- Dow a standard in the chemical industry. N o b o d y can buy a length of cast iron pipe cast iron pipe installed today will live up to or exceed unless it has passed the Hydrostatic Test at the foundry. service records such as that of the 130-year-old pipe Every full length of cast iron pipe is subjected to this shown. test under water pressures considerably higher than Cast iron pipe is the standard material for water rated working pressures. It must pass the test or go and gas mains and is widely used in sewage works to the scrap pile. construction. Send for booklet, "Facts About Cast The Hydrostatic Test is the final one of a series of Iron Pipe." Address Dept. C , Cast Iron Pipe Research routine tests made by pipe manufacturers to assure Association, T. F. Wolfe, Engineer, 122 So. Michigan that the quality of the pipe meets or exceeds the re- Ave., Chicago 3, Illinois. quirements of standard specifications for cast iron pressure pipe. Few engineers realize the extent of the inspections, analyses and tests involved in the quality-control of cast iron pipe. Production controls start almost liter- ally from the ground up with the inspection, analysis and checking of raw materials —continue with con- stant control of cupola operation and analysis of the melt—and end with inspections and a series of accept- ance and routine tests of the finished product. Members of the Cast Iron Pipe Research Associa- tion have established and attained scientific standards resulting in a superior product. These standards, as well as the physical and metallurgical controls by which they are maintained, provide assurance that you stand there talking about Roebling wire cloth and screening. Well I tell you Roebling makes electrical wire and cable. I've bought them since before you were born!" • • • • Of course both engineers are right. At its four big plants in and near Trenton, New Jersey, Roebling makes an extremely wide variety of wire and wire products . . . develops new types and achieves quality standards of highest effi- ciency and service economy to industry. ROUND - FLAT-SHAPED WIRE. Every inch of Roebling high carbon wire is just like every other inch in gauge and temper, grain structure and finish. That means fewer rejects, fewer stop- pages . . . production speed and lowered costs... It's available now! WIRE ROPE. Roebling wire rope is a standard specification in many industrial fields. Among the large variety of types, Roebling Preformed "Blue Center" Steel Wire Rope is outstanding for easy handling, operating efficiency and economical service cost. ELECTRICAL W I R E - C A B L E - MAGNET WIRE. With 65 stand- ard types to choose from, there's a Roebling Electrical Wire or Cable for all transmission, distribution and service requirements . . . For high-speed winding you'll find Roevar Magnet Wire is tops. WOVEN WIRE FABRIC. Roebling industrial Screens range from finely woven Filter Cloths (including highly corrosion-resistant types) to largest Aggregate Screens. Roeflat Screen, a new development, has 75% more wearing surface . . . gives up to 90% more wear. Whatever career you are studying for, when you get on the job you will find one or more types of Roebling products serving there, de- pendably and at low cost. John A. Roebling's Sons Company, Trenton 2, New Jersey. When Does An Engineer Finish Exams? The answer, of course, is never—not as long as he continues to be an engineer. As an engineer, every problem put to you, in school and out, will always test your professional skill and ingenuity. The next step, then, is to make sure you'll always pass. Today you're passing those exams with the information you're getting out of books, lectures and the laboratory. Tomorrow, when you are out on the job the lectures and the laboratory will be gone. But your engin books will always be there, and to them you will add tha business and technical magazines devoted to your special branch of work. Many of the books you are using now and will use throughout your career bear the McGraw-Hill imprint, for McGraw-Hill is the world's leading publisher of technical and scientific works. Pick up the writings of an authority in your branch of engineering and there's a gpod chance they were published by McGraw-Hill, for McGraw-Hill books are the works of the leaders in technology and science. In the McGraw-Hill magazine covering the industry you're preparing for, y o u will find the news and reports on current developments in your profession that every engineer and businessman needs to.keep posted. Editors of McGraw-Hill magazines, for example, travel over 2 miles a year to probe for the facts and news they bring their readers. For the exam you'll always have to pass- keep yourself posted with McGraw-Hill books and magazines. Soon it will be possible for you to step into get an even, soft light through the entire In 98 years of glass-making Corning has your home or office and turn on a light room—as well as light channeled directly developed glass into one of the most versa- that s different from any you've ever used downward through the clear squares to the tile engineering materials there is. There are before. objects you need to sec closely. more than 50,000 glass formulas on tile at Corning, and the number is growing con- From a panel in the ceiling will come This new glass is made by mixing small tinually as new developments such as this even, glareless rays to shine on your desk, amounts of rare metals in with the sand photo-sensitive glass come out of the labo- your chair, your table—but never with un- before it is melted to form glass. These ma- ratory. comfortable brightness, never in your eyes. terials make the whole sheet of glass photo- sensitive—through and through—so that That's a good thing for you to remember. The light itself will come from electric For some day, when you've picked the bulbs or tubes like those you use now. But any desired design (such as the one men- tioned) may be formed inside the glass by business you want to work in, one of these it will behave far differently because it will glass developments—or one now in the re- shine through a ' s -inch sheet of a new kind a special process. search stage—may be just the material of glass—Fota-lite—a recent development In fact, similar photo-sensitive glass is cur- you'll be looking for to improve a product of Corning Glass Works. rently being used to print photographs in or a process. Formed inside this sheet is a crisscross glass—pictures that can last for thousands pattern of strips of white class extending of years. through the full thickness of the glass. The Use of Fota-litc for indoor lighting is its squares enclosed by the white strips are first industrial application. Many other ap- crystal clear. plications—such as its use in instrument Light from the bulb above—shining panels for cars, in street lighting, and in il- through this patterned glass at slantwise luminated signs—arc being thoroughly ex- angles—is diffused and causes no glare.You plored. Pictures could convey a clear idea of the buildings of Standard Oil's new research engineers of high professional compe- laboratory at Whiting, Indiana. We tence. We have created an intellectual could also photograph the many new climate which stimulates these men to types of equipment for up-to-date pe- do their finest work. troleum research that are housed in the But no photograph could show the laboratory, one of the largest projects basic idea that motivates Standard Oil of its kind in the world. research. It is simply this: our respon- Or we could photograph the men who sibility to the public and to ourselves work here, many of whom have out- makes it imperative that we keep mov- standing reputations in their fields. For ing steadily forward. The new Whiting many years, Standard Oil has looked laboratory is but one evidence of Stand- for and has welcomed researchers and ard Oil's intention to remain in the front rank of industrial research. Table of Contents articles • Soil Science 12 Bill Saia, Hank Darlington Metal—Inside Out - - 14 Sheldon T. Smith Health Physics - - - - - - - - - 1 7 John R. Gregor St. P a t r i c k W a s an E n g i n e e r - - - - 18 features • W e Present 9 Retirements - - - - - - - - - - 1 0 Once Upon a Moon 13 Societies - - - - 16 Engineering Exposition - - - - - - 19 Campus News - - - - - - - - - 28 Side T r a c k e d 40 The Cover This Issue: By Ronald Randall, Graduate Art Student Frontispiece: Courtesy of General Motors The Spartan Engineer is published by the students of the School of Engineering, Michigan State College. Editorial and Business offices, Room 512, Electrical Engineering Building, P. O. Box 468, East Lansing, Michigan. Price per issue, 25 cents. WE PRESENT Within five years of the time Professor Cade sur veyed the oil lands of Texas, he had been in nearly all of our forty-eight states; had surveyed the harbor for the Copper River Railroad in Alaska during the gold rush: and had worked in the Panama Canal Zone. Along more conventional lines, Professor Cade taught at Purdue for one year after his graduation from Michigan Agricultural College. It was there that he became interested in statistics, which he says has many applications to engineering. By use of statistics he has devised a chart which predicts the enrollment of Michigan State College to a surpris- W I T H T H I S ISSUE we present another Michigan ingly close degree, especially when the effect of the Agricultural College graduate. Professor C. Mar- unforeseen G. I. Bill is considered. shall Cade graduated with the Aggies in 1907 as a After leaving the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Pro- mechanical engineer. His sheepskin was handed to fessor Cade returned to Michigan State College in him by President Theodore Roosevelt. 1913 for an advanced degree in civil engineering. He first went to work as a heating and ventilating This was followed by teaching civil engineering and engineer, and received the assignment of mapping part-time study for a master of arts degree in eco- the location of all the machines in Henry Ford's nomics and mathematics. factory, preparatory to installing a blower system. Upon completion of this advanced work, Professor Ford's factory was so small at that time that the Cade continued teaching civil engineering, but enjoyed job was finished in two hours. practical engineering work too much to drop it A short time later Professor Cade decided that altogether. He was for several years Assistant City surveying was more to his liking so he took a job Engineer of Lansing and later consulting engineer with the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. for the Michigan Department of Conservation. T w o Do you know how far it is across Texas? Professor of his projects nearby, are the Wolf Lake Fishery and Cade says it is 625 miles, and he ought to know— Hatchery, which is one of the largest fisheries in the he walked from Fort Worth to El Paso making the country. official survey himself. The job took from April One of his recent achievements was his work for until the following February to complete. For con- the Michigan Joint Survey Commission. Professor venience, the group followed a railroad carrying their Cade and Mr. Eddy, state geologist, were appointed equipment on a handcar, which Professor Cade re- by the governor to represent Michigan in the estab- marks was practically as bad as walking. The men lishment of a boundary in Lake Michigan between camped where they had finished surveying for the Wisconsin and Michigan, and between Minnesota, day, until one day they ran into a Texas sandstorm. Wisconsin, and Michigan in Lake Superior. These The sand was blowing so fiercely visibility was boundaries are located by reference to the stars, and limited to about thirty feet. Luckily, the men came according to Professor Cade find one of their principle upon an old ghost town and holed up in the rail- use in cases of law. In the event that a crime was road station for a full day before the wind slowed committed aboard ship on Lake Michigan it would down enough to make travel possible again. be necessary to determine in which state the crime In west Texas. Professor Cade's party surveyed had actually occurred so that the proper laws might through seemingly useless areas, where shortly after be applied. •arge quantities of oil were discovered. "If I had only Although Michigan State College does not have known some geology!", reflects Professor Cade. a summer camp for surveying instruction, through "Join the Coast and Geodetic Survey and see the the years Professor Cade has given many student world" would seem to be good advice for young engineers the opportunity for experience on summer engineers with a yearning for travel and adventure. jobs with him. Evansville, Indiana, and Mt. Carmel, Illinois. This involved building a 1500 foot bridge over the Wabash River, where he again served as resident engineer. Following his tenure with the railroad Prof. Allen was in the order named: a construction engineer with the Zenas Crane Co.; an instructor and assistant professor at Pennsylvania State College: professor and head of department of Pennsylvania College, and in 1918-19 designer and later material expediter for the construction of a shell loading plant lor the Atlantic Loading Company. In 1919, Prof. Allen became an assistant professor and in 1 925 professor and head of the Civil Engineer- ing Department at Michigan State College. While in this position, he served as a member and six years as president of the Michigan Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Surveyors. He was, also, for fourteen years city engineer of East Lansing and a member and one time president of the East ONE OF THE most congested waiting rooms on Lansing School Board. capus is located outside Prof, Allen's office, with the reason for the congestion fairly obvious. It is, While most everybody who has had an oppor- of course. Prof. Allen's practice of making himself tunity to observe, is struck with the changes wrought available sad establishing himself at a friend, advisor at Michigan State College during the past thirty and teacher to every civil engineering student who years, Prof. Allen is impressed with the things that desires his help. This element of friendship is not haven't changed. For instance, he notes couples still restricted to his office, hut is noted in the classroom, stroll hand in hand, the same bustle exists at gradua- in the balls, and On the Street—wherever the nattely tion time, and every fall the same rumor describes a dressed professor has an opportunity to present his fine football season ahead. friendly, unruffled personality. Professor Allen's own words best describe the Chester Lawrence Allen was born in Boston, Mas- sachusetts, in 1884. A graduate of Massachusetts satisfaction he has found while teaching at Michigan Institute of Technology, where he received his B.S., State College. While discussing his forthcoming re- Prof. Allen received an honorary C.E. from Lafayette tirement he stated, "For thirty years I have watched College and an M.S. from Pennsylvania College in the engineers of M.S.C., come and go, starting as 1917. Previous to his graduate work, however, he freshmen, going through four years of training and received a great deal of experience in private industry. then continuing the practice of the profession all over First in 1903. he served as a resident engineer for the world. Some of the students now in school are the C.C.C. and St. L. Ry. when it tied Gary. Indiana sons of men whom I started on their career years (U. S. Steel was just building the city) in with the ago. I have spent the best years of my life at State coal fields of Harrisburg. Illinois. and now I will soon retire. What a satisfaction it is to have had some part in the education of 7500 Another project the professor remembers while working with the C.C.C. and St. L. Ry. was the alumni. What a privilege to have been associated construction of thirty miles of railroad between with so many fine young men and to have helped them if only a little." 10 professor is also a member ol the Michigan Engineer ing Society, the Engineering Society of Detroit, director of the Lansing Branch ol the Michigan Auto Club, and chairman ol the Easy Lansing Board ol Appeals. Prof. Cory was eligible for retirement in 1948 b u t w a s p e r s u a d e d t o r e m a i n o n a c t i v e d u t y a s .i l u l l professor in order to assist with the heavy teaching load and with the organization ol the expansion pro- gram required by the occupation of the new Electrical Engineering Building. Incidentally, he contributed a great deal toward the realization of the new building and is pleased that he could spend one year in it after 36 years in Room 1 3, Olds Hall. Prof. Cory is a firm believer in the objectives and ideals of Michigan State College under the present leadership and believes it will continually gain in stature. M.S.C. he says reminds him of his old school, the University of New Hampshire, where the same wholesome democratic spirit exists between stu- dents and faculty. Hundreds of his former students SOFT SPOKEN and well liked Prof. Cory has finally will agree that he has helped set this course and, in found it necessary after 3 7 years at Michigan State addition, has always been a fair, able and conscien College to be relieved of his teaching duties in order tious teacher. to devote his full time to the duties required of him as national president of Tau Beta Pi. During his 37 years hundreds of students and members of the faculty have come to know him as a tireless worker, anxious to get things accomplished, but in the role of an organizer and prime mover behind the scenes. In this light his election to the presidency of Tau Beta Pi is a high tribute to his ability and previous endeavours. Merton Maine Cory was born in Nashau, New Hampshire, in 1882. In 1908 he received his B.S. from the University of New Hampshire and later his M.S. from the University of Michigan. Following his graduation Prof. Cory spent two years with the General Electric Corporation, where he conducted tests on small motors and generators, arc lamps, meters and instruments, railway motors, transformers, turbines and turbine generators. Prof. Cory came to Michigan State College from the Com- mercial Engineering Department of the Milwaukee Electric Company, where he had made a study of changing from private plant operation to public utility operations. Besides being President of Tau Beta Pi, Prof. Cory As any of his former classes will testify Prof. Foltz 's past Chairman of the Michigan Section A1EE. has always stressed the importance of principles in and a fellow of the organization. He is listed in engineering. What they may not know, unless they 'Who's Who in Engineering" and "Who's Who in entered into a private conversation with him, is that Michigan." For a number of years, as a member of his examination of and reliance upon principles has the Graduation Committee, he has had charge of caused him to be a keen inquirer of philosophical the commencement procession and has been a member questions. Before he realizes it. a student in conver- °f the Calendar and Farmers' Week Committees. He sation with Prof Foltz is sincerely counsidering and is also past president of the Lansing Engineers Club voicing an opinion on the trends of ethics in modern and the Michigan State College Faculty Club. The Continued on page 33 11 SOIL SCIENCE AGRICULTURE OFFERS MANY COMPLEX device measures the intensity of solar radiation or PROBLEMS for the engineer. One of the most energy received from the sun. Essentially, it consists common, and at the same time complex of these of a small thermopile enclosed in an evacuated glass problems, is one of whose existance very few are bulb and mounted on the roof of the building. The aware. This is the disposition of the rain and snow thermopile element, which consist of concentric black that fall on the earth. Attempts have been made at and white rings, converts the sun's rays into electric various times and places to follow rainfall from the energy by utilization of the Seebeck effect. The lime of its reception from the atmosphere, through voltage output of the thermopile is directly propor- the earth. and back to the atmosphere, but never on tional to the solar radiation. Thus, a properly cali- the Kale and to the degree of refinement as followed brated voltage-measuring device would give a direct here at Michigan State. The Michigan Agricultural reading of the solar intensity. The measuring device Experiment Station in cooperation with the Soil utilized in this installation is a Leeds 8 Northrup Conservation Service of the United States Department Micromax, automatic recording potentiometer. This of Agriculture has one of the most elaborate hydro- instrument makes a direct plot of solar intensity with logic research stations in the world. Here, hydrology, respect to time. that "science treating of water," is studied in con- junction with the program of research in soil and Soil Temperature Recorder water conservation. Another instrument located in this building is an Field Installations automatic soil temperature recorder. This instrument makes a continuous record of temperature at each of The field installations for this study are located sixteen resistors. These resistors are distributed one in three natural watersheds, or small valleys. These in the air and fifteen at different levels in the ground watersheds have very similar characteristics including down to 33 inches. The resistance of these resistors slope, direction of slope, area, soil type, and general is effected by the temperature, and each is connected configuration. One watershed has as cover an oak- through a stepping relay to a Wheatstone bridge hickory stand of hardwood. The other two water- sheds are cultivated similar to cultivation practices which in turn is recorded by another Micromax re- in common use in Michigan. Thus, three major types corder. The stepping relay selects resistor elements of cover, which are very similar to those found at approximately 50-second intervals, and the tem- throughout the state, are primary basises of compari- perature of this resistor is recorded by the recorder son between these watersheds. Cultivated watersheds before the next resistor is selected. One of the fifteen "A" and "B" lie side by side on the college farm Continued on page 34 just south of WKAR's new transmitting station. They are 1.4 and 1.9 acres in extent, respectively. The wooded watershed is located at Rose Lake Wild Life Experiment Station, ten miles northeast of Lan- sing, and consists of 1.6 acres. Complex Recording Instruments Seldom outside of large, precisely controlled indus- trial installations does one find such a complete aray of accurate recording instruments as are ultilized in this project. At the cultivated watersheds as many of the instruments as possible are located in a small building between the two watersheds. Many of these instruments record information from relatively dis- tant points, by remote control. Among the unusual instruments to be found here is a pyrheliometer. This ONCE UPON A MOON RAY B I G G E T T AND I have been friends for as and turned on the main power switch to the equip long as I can remember. We played together when ment. we were kids, until we were old enough to fight: Ray's laboratory is on the sixth, and top floor of and then we fought together. I guess Ray and I have the Electrical Engineering building, in fact, it is the so much in common, we could write each other's only laboratory on that floor. At 9:30 in the eve- biographies without doing very much research. But ning, the building is decidedly deserted from the when Ray came to me with this story, this incredible fourth floor up. At 5 o'clock the next morning, the account of an impossible experience . . . I think I day janitor opened the main entrances, switched on must have hurt Ray's feelings. I say this, because I the hall lights, and began making his routine inspec- want you to know that the first time I heard it, tion of the lavatories. As he reached the stairway to I didn't believe it anymore than you will when you the fifth floor, he noticed a peculiar blue haze beyond read it: but after you live with it for a while . . . the turn of the bannister: suspecting a fire, he ran Ray Biggett is an instructor in the Electrical up the steps to investigate. Engineering department of our school: Ray made At approximately 6:15, it was discovered that the a machine. He's always been a truly capable student top two floors of the Electrical Engineering building —the sort of fellow who sits in the first row, and had vanished . . . absolutely, and inexplicably van- gets whispered about in the last row—so it's not ished! At 6:20, when the body of the day janitor unusual that Ray made a machine. But the machine was discovered lying at the bottom of the stairway Ray made was unusual. You see, Ray made a study to the fifth floor, he was still frozen from the waist up, his eyes and flesh peculiarly cracked, as if he had of analog machines . . . gadgets which solve general been pushed into a refrigerator as cold as the space physical problems by converting them to analagous between galaxies. . . . It was suspected that the blue electrical circuits. For example, in a mechanical prob- haze at the turn of the stairs was in some way re- lem, the mass parameter is represented by an induc- sponsible for the ghastly accident, and the stairway tance, elasticity by capacitance, and friction losses by was promptly roped off. At 7:00, the building resistance. The method is compact, relatively cheap, superintendent received a call from the engineer on and the results are tolerably accurate. This is the duty at the power generating plant, who reported kind of machine Ray built, but he built it with a that his recording apparatus indicated a decidedly twist. In no previous machine had there been a pro- abnormal drain of current, which had been traced vision for introducing time as a lumped parameter: to the electrical engineering building. A check of the time was simply introduced at random, entirely dif- meters in the main electric control room definitely ferent from the manner in which other parameters identified the source of the power drain as being the were applied. Ray felt this was an oversight, and set fifth and sixth floors of the Electrical Engineering about devising a method by which the time factor building! There had been such a tremendous surge could be controlled as explicitly as the other dimen- of power at one instant, that all switches and breakers sions of the problem. He succeeded, by means of a in the circuit had been welded shut, and it was fantastically intricate circuit which makes moon radar decided that the equipment be left untouched until look like a pocket flashlight. He built it. not hap- a thorough investigation could be made of the entire hazardly, but following careful analytical methods macabre affair. requiring subtle, relativistic mathematics. When his Ray's disappearance was noticed at 9:00, when machine was completed, Ray could predict the nature he failed to show up for his first class. At the end °f every response that it could possibly make to a of the third day, Ray had run up a hell of a light bill! Physical problem. So, he fed his machine a test His resurrection occurred precisely at 11:30 A.M. Problem,—that of a freely falling object under the of the fourth day. and simultaneously, the Electrical influence of gravity. After all the proper connections Engineering building regained the dignity of its top had been made, Ray switched the lights off in order two floors, and the abnormal power drain ceased. t0 see the response on the monitor scope more clearly, Continued on page 38 METAL—INSIDE OUT SHELDON T. SMITH, Met.E. '48 DID YOU EVER LOOK CLOSELY at a piece of metal? Yes, it's hard, it's probably shiny, it just looks . . . well . . . metallic! To the average person this is enough to see. In order to understand more fully what there is to be seen we must consult the man who brought this hard, shiny substance into the world, the metallurgist. Let us look at this piece of metal over the shoulder of our new helper. First our metallurgist friend prepares a specimen. This preparation starts with the choice of the most significant section or area of the metal to be examined. By means of a hacksaw or abrasive cut-off wheel this portion is removed from the sample. At all times means of a microscope reveals little more than a bright mirror-like surface. Next the metallurgist etches this nicely polished surface. Etching is merely the process of revealing structural details of the metal by the preferential at- tack of a chemical reagent. The choice of the reagent, therefore, depends upon the chemical and physical condition of the metal and the degree of contrast that is needed for emphasis. Typical of the many etching reagents are such things as two percent nitric acid in ethyl alcohol, ten percent sodium hydroxide solution, and five percent oxalic acid solution. Usually the polished metal surface is in contact with the etch- ing reagent for only a short time, perhaps a few seconds. With the aid of a modified type of compound microscope our metallurgist now examines the etched surface and finds that a great change in the appearance of the surface has occurred. By means of photography it is possible to make an accurate and permanent record of what the eye sees. Such a picture, called a photomicrograph, is taken through the microscope and clearly reveals details and fineness of microstruc- extreme care is taken to prevent heating the metal at the cut surface because such heating might cause ture that are much too small to see with the unaided internal changes. The surface is moothed by grinding eye. This science, which correlates the microstructure with a series of increasingly fine abrasive papers fol- of metals and alloys with engineering properties, is lowed by a final polish, usually on a soft cloth with called metallography. either levigated alumina, rouge, or some other equally In the particular case of a pure metal it is possible fine finishing powder. Our surface, as a result of to see the large grains that make up the surface and careful work, is now sufficiently smooth, flat, and interior of the specimen. At the beginning of solidi- free from scratches so that it is truly representative fication of a molten metal around certain tiny nuclei, of the chemical and physical condition of the metal. the atoms of the metal take on a specific geometric Observation of this polished surface by eye or by arrangement. This pattern is called a space lattice and is frequently based on the cubic system. Although at first there are only a few atoms arranged in this basic manner, there is a tendency as crystallization continues for more rapid growth in some directions than in others. Since this crystallization occurs in three dimensions along mutually perpendicular axes, the result is a "pine-tree" pattern that the metallurgist calls dendritic. A typical dendrite is shown in Figure 1. As these dendrites continue to grow and expand they eventually will run into each other forming grain boundaries. Figure 2 shows these intersections. The size and number of grains depends upon the number of nuclei present in the molten metal. If there are many such nudeation centers the crystals will be unable to expand very far and the result will be the formation of many small-sized grains. On the other hand, few nuclei will result in a small num- ber of relatively large grains. Thus each grain may be oriented differently from its neighbor. This helps to explain the difference in the rate of chemical at- tack which shows up in the photomicrograph in Figure 3 as light and dark grains. is evident. We didn't even see these grains when we first glanced at our specimen—remember? In order to show a further definite application of metallographic technique let us now examine a com- mon wood screw. By means of a macrograph of an unetched longitudinal section we can obtain a clear over-all picture of the sample at a low magnification of about 5 diameters as shown in Figure 5. After etching, a tiny section of one of the threads, when magnified some 100 times under the microscope, will be revealed as in Figure 3. Because good machin- ability is essential in screw stock the question arises as to why this particular metal can be machined easily. Perhaps the greatest single factor readily observable is the presence throughout the microstruc- ture of a number of non-metallic inclusions. It has been found that sulfides. particularly manganese sul- fide, have a definitely beneficial effect upon cutting qualities. Of course there are many other things to be considered when machining screw stock. In fact, Consideration of these grains reveals many strange occurrences. Figure 4 shows the phenomenon known as grain growth. Ordinarily this does not occur dur- ln g the reheating of cast metals which have not been cold worked after casting, except in ferrous materials which recrystallize during heating through the trans- formation range. Also in certain heat treating opera- tions performed on steel, it may be desired to cause diffusion without the possible grain growth that is likely to occur under these conditions. Realizing all tr) is. the importance of the metallographic approach THE SOCIETIES Pi M u E p s i l o n was turned in this spring. This report includes all activities of the club members and the club. At a recent meeting of PM's, Dr. B. M. The biggest project of the Ag.E.'s this year has Stewart gave a talk on the right triangles been the ASAE Student Journal. It contains articles inscribed in conic sections. T h e new officers in the field of Ag.E. from schools in the U. S. and .is listed in the photograph were introduced Canada. The journal is published by the school that to the society al this meeting. is host for the national meeting of the Parent Society of the ASAE. That meeting will be held at M.S.C. this year and at that time the journal will be distri- buted to all the student branches of the ASAE attend- ing the meeting June 18-23. Much credit for the publication of the journal should go to Editor Glenn Peterson, Assistant Editor Henry Hase and to the staff. The club will be host to all the members of the student branches attending the convention here in June. Pi Mu Epsilon Math Honorary Officers left to right. Edward J. Seligman, President: Dr. John Hill. Faculty Advitor; Bernard Yimc, Trtasurtr. Officers not present: Stonily Hoskins. Via President, and Terence DeBlock, Secretary. Sometime in May Theodore R. Reiff. Sr. Math major from New York, will present a talk on Dimensional Analysis." In addition, the society wishes to announce that Math Colloquims are held every Tuesday afternoon in room 105 Morrill Hall beginning at 3:00 P.M. Faculty members present A. S. A. E. talks on particular problems, fields, and application Back row, left to right: Don Schurr, Engineering Council Repre- of Mathematics. sentative: Winton Hath, Treasurer; Jack Hansen, Scribe. Front row, left to right: Carl Libby, secretary; Allen Gillette, President; Norman Greziak, Vice-President. American Society of Agriculture Engineers The current activities of the club is the prepara- T he recent election of this new slate of officers found the student branch of the ASAE's. a progressive and greatly expanded organization due to the untiring efforts of the pre- tion of the Ag.E. equipment and demonstrations for the Engineering Exposition and Engineering Field Day. vious officers. The club membership has kept abreast of the increasing size of the Agricultural Engineering American Institute of Chemical Engineers Department and boasts a membership of better than 50% of those enrolled. Otto Hall, in charge of the Engineering and Architecture Section of the State Department of Con- Representatives from industry engaged in produc- tion and related to fields of Agricultural Engineering, servation, spoke to the Chem. E.'s meeting March 2, including machinery, farm buildings, drainage, and on the profession of engineering. Mr. Hall outlined chemistry, have been guests at the regular meetings. the history of registration for engineers, and clarified The finest report to the Farm Equipment Institute Michigan laws pertaining to registration. Continued on page 38 HEALTH PHYSICS In 1936, the American Advisory Committee on X-ray and radium protection adopted a daily exposure limit of one hundred milliroentgens per day. This BY JOHN R. GREGOR, Ch.E. SR. limit has been used almost completely throughout atomic project sites. Effects on Tissues Now let us consider some of the possible effects Health physics, the new branch of radiology of exposure to radiation and a few of the possible devoted to the protection of personnel, is still in the results of overexposure. experimental and evolution stage. However, it Because most biological tissues contain large quan- already has a remarkable service record which has tities of water and may even be considered as dilute been achieved through continuous vigilance and solutions of organic and inorganic material, the careful coordination of analysis and control. changes that take place in water following exposure to radiation should be considered. The ionization of the water molecule results in the ejection of an THE D E V E L O P M E N T OF A T O M I C ENERGY electron with splitting of the molecules into a into peacetime applications has introduced many hydrogen ion and a hydroxyl radical . . . thus: problems. One that is of major importance is the FLO > H+ -f- OH~. In addition, the production effect of radiation particles upon the human body. of some H 2 and O 2 gases leads to the production of In order to understand this problem more fully a HL>O2. The oxidation of inorganic ions by OH new branch of radiology has been conceived by the radicals or their reduction by H ions explain most of Atomic Energy Commission . . . health physics. The the reactions which have been observed in this con- purpose of this group is not only to detect and nection. evaluate radiation hazards encountered in the labora- tories, but they must also be aware of the presence Effect on the Skin of dangerous radioactive waste materials which are The skin consists essentially of two layers—the a result of the research being done. Because active epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the horny waste material, both liquid and solid, cannot be dis- layer forming a protective cover, whereas the dermis carded in the normal manner, considerable effort is contains blood vessels, nerve cells, and hair follicles. necessary to prevent its accidental disposal to city sewers, public waterways, and general public disposal Penetrating radiation will produce changes in the systems. Furthermore, the control of radioactive dermis resulting in irritation, damage, or destruction gases and airborne particles must be rigidly main- to the vital cells of the skin. If excessive, exposure tained to prevent their inadvertant travel to other can result in ulcerations leading to cancer. Parts of the laboratory or to the outside atmosphere. Constant exposure to radiation has been known Thus, the responsibility of the health physics groups to effect the blood stream also. It appears in the form extends not only throughout the laboratory but to of a lowering or a complete loss of the white blood the surrounding community as well. cells from the peripheral blood. For this reason, blood counts on all laboratory technicians are taken Units of Measurement at frequent intervals. As in all fields of science involving measurements, The changes resulting from damage to genes are health physicists employ units designed to measure generally spoken of as mutations, and the majority the amount of radiant energy absorbed per unit of them are harmful. Because of this, every precaution volume of matter. Basic among these units is the is taken to prevent the occurrence of this process. Until roentgen. This unit has been defined as the amount more is known about the process strict adherence °f X, or gamma radiation whose emission per .0013 to radiation exposure limits is about the only pro- grams of air produces, in the air, ions carrying a tection available. charge of one electrostatic unit of either sign. The science of health physics is by no means com- pletely covered in this article, which is intended only Concurrent with this unit (which is designed for to acquaint the reader with some of the problems air only) are the rep, which is that dose of any ioniz- involved in the Atomic Research program. The field •ng radiation which produces an energy absorption of health physics is new, rapidly developing, and of 83 ergs per cubic centimeter per tissue, and the r very important. Moreover, this new field has infinite em, that dose of any radiation producing a biological possibilities for expansion just as the whole science effect in man equivalent to that produced by one of Atomic Energy. roentgen of gamma radiation. ST. PATRICK WAS AN ENGINEER IN THE SPRING a young man's fancy often turns the students afterwards. The result was that finally to thoughts of love, but if the young man is an some genius thought up the idea of having fireworks engineering student his thoughts also turn to the instead of dynamite, and having it about ten o'clock universal benefactor of all engineers, whose birthday instead of midnight. Thereafter the neighbors and occurs on the seventeenth of March. the Dean slept better and the whole affair took on For Saint Patrick was an engineer. He was the a more respectable and wholesome aspect and the original engineer, and any engineering student with public came over wholeheartedly to our side. a spark of gratitude in his breast must of necessity The Day was always a Friday. In the later years, pause in his work to do honor to his patron saint. however, it really began with an All-Engineers ban- The fact that Saint Patrick really was an engineer quet the night before, in an atmosphere of jollity has been attested to by engineering students so and good will, at which Sain Patrick and the Dean universally and for so long a time that there can be were toasted, faculty take-offs were nearly always no doubt about it. It is not even open to question. good-natured, and the speech of the evening was Because, even if I were such a heretic as to dis- mostly a matter of being told how good and im- believe all the evidence, I have seen him with my portant engineers are; all in strict truth, of course. own eyes. I have not only seen him, but he graciously After the banquet came the fireworks exhibit, with tapped me on the shoulder and knighted me while I bombs, pinwheels and all the rest, and nearly always kneeled and Kissed the Blarny Stone. The original an arrangement on a frame, which, when lighted, Blarny Stone. I mean, which he brought all the spelled Engineers. There was no further activity that way from Ireland just for that occasion. Of that night. No organized activity, that is. also, there can be no shadow of doubt. Engineers Day itself was always a holiday for all It seems well at this time to enlighten those few engineering students. It was the Big Day, with an among us who may be unaware of the facts in the case, and to set them right as to some of the things engineering convocation in the morning which was which are done by some engineers in their efforts to a serious affair, with always a speech by some out- honor their Founder. standing engineering alumnus, and the first appearance of St. Patrick and his Queen and attendants. The The University of Missouri and a number of other midwestern universities have such celebrations Saint and Queen entered the auditorium just before in the late Winter or Spring, but my broadest experi- time to begin the program, marched down the isle, ence with them was from 1926 to 1942 at the Uni- and sat on the stage with armed guards on each side versity of Arkansas. There the thing varied a little while the address was being delivered. After that, from year to year, always getting a little better, and while the Seniors knelt and kissed the Blarny Stone always graced by the attendance of St. Patrick him- (THE Blarny Stone, that is), the Saint tapped each self with his Queen and attendants. one on the shoulder and dubbed him Knight of Saint There was a time when The Day was ushered in Patrick. These ceremonies generally lasted until at midnight by explosions of dynamite, the louder noon. By that time the Engineers Day Edition of the the better. There must be nothing sissy about any- College paper was on the campus. thing the engineers did. That was a night when Dean The paper that day was always printed on green Gladson did not sleep very well. The dynamite may paper in honor of Saint Patrick. It divulged for the not have kept him awake but telephone calls from first time the identity of St. Patrick's Queen and his the neighbors did. The dean's answer was always attendants, contained the names of all senior engi- the same: "How do you know it was done by the neers, and items of interest about as many of them as engineering students?" Of course there was no possible. answer to that one because nobody ever saw anybody The afternoon of The Day was given over to actually do any shooting. But if the Dean was non- Engineers Day exhibits. With students in charge, commital when answering the neighbors, he was every piece of apparatus in all the laboratories was very much to the point when laying down the law to running, besides models, tricks, and any other ex- Continued on page 31 FIRST ANNUAL ENGINEERING EXPOSITION Last fall we heard a rumor, which by winter had been confirmed, and now, after these many weeks of planning, the First Annual M.S.C. Engineering Exposition is a reality. This first year the exposition is appropriately marking the dedication of the new Electrical Engineering building, and engineering displays and activities are staged in commemoration of this event. All laboratories are open for continuous inspection and each department of the engineering school is especially devoted to the entertainment and interest of its visitors. Guided tours of the campus and its various facilities are organized at the registration room in Olds Hall. There will be movies and lectures covering various aspects of engineering, and members of the faculty will be available to act as counselors for prospective All visiting high school students are invited to dine as a group in the Union Cafeteria Friday night. A program of short speeches is planned for the occasion featuring our eminent Dean Miller and Professor C. L. Allen. The 1949 intra-squad football game highlights the activi- ties of Saturday afternoon, and for any of those who arrive on Friday and wish to stay over, campus housing may be arranged for at the registration desk in Olds Hall. THE FIRST ANNUAL MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE ENGINEERING CONVENTION Program of Events FRIDAY, MAY 13 1:00, 5:00, 7:10-10 P.M. Registration—Olds Hall Tours of Laboratories, Exhibits, Demonstrations: Olds Hall, Ag'r. Engineering, Electrical Engi- neering Building Wood Shop, Power Plant, Electric Generating Room, Forge Shop, Chemical Engineering Building, Foundry, Machine Shop. Continuous Movies, Olds Hall and Auditorium "Prospecting for Petroleum" LOCATION OF EXHIBITS "Freedom Rides on Rubber" BY BUILDINGS "High Pressure Die Casting" "The Building of a Tire" OLDS HALL "The Micro TIMER" Mechanical Engineering "Science Spins a Yarn" Power Laboratory FRIDAY, 6:45 P.M. Machines in operation: Informal Dinner, Union Cafeteria—everyone 1. Large 120 H.P. Nordberg steam engine. welcome The cylinder of this machine is 1 2" by "Welcome," by Dean of Engineering, Lorin G. 30". It is double acting, developing Miller normal horse power at 120 R.P.M. Speech by Prof. C. L. Allen Operating steam pressure is 100 pounds SATURDAY, MAY 14 per square inch. 9:00-12:00 A.M. 2. Steam driven two stage Sullivan air com- Registration pressor unit. Operating at 130 R.P.M., Tours of Labs, Demonstrations, and Exhibits this compressor will furnish 180 cu. feet/ Continuous Movies min. of cooled air. 2:00 P.M. 3. Single cylinder, two cycle Fairbanks- Annual Spring Intra-Squad Football Game, Mack- Morse diesel engine. Normal operating lin Stadium speed is 300 R.P.M., developing 40 H.P. Machines on display: INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING EXHIBITS II 1. 25 KW Cummins diesel motor-generator Located in front of Power Laboratory unit. 1. Scale model of Olds Hall of Engineering 2. International Harvester "Ready Power" and immediate surrounding area, including motor generator unit. Stores building. Maintenance shops, Power 3. LeRoy gasoline motor generator unit. Plant, Woodshop, Forge building, and 4. Torry Turbo generator. Wells Hall. 5. Russell steam engine. 2. Model of Power Laboratory. Miscellaneous displays: 3. Cutaway model of the Foundry. 1. Various gauges and instruments used in 4. Scale model of Machine Shop. Machines testing these machines. and equipment all to scale. Models of this 2. Student built air compressor with cut- type used to assist in plant layout—either away models laying out a new plant or changing an 3. Refrigeration unit. existing plant. 4. Industrial management exhibit. 5. Kymograph—an instrument used in motion 5. Materials testing laboratory display. study research. Will measure time in Don't miss the magic ball! lOO.OOOths of a minute. Continued on page 22 EXHIBITS Continued from page 20 6. Practo-chron—used to assist in teaching of stop-watch reading and techniques. Instru- ment is automatically controlled, and auto- matically records data. Used in time study training. 7. Diagramatic chart of most efficient work area, Used in time and motion study classes. 8. Model of Abrasive Tumbler. Used to clean and polish small items. Especially adopted to small brass and metal jewelry, and small plastic novelties. 0. Miscellaneous equipment used in Industrial Engineering courses, time study, plant lay- out materials handling, motion study, pro- duction control, etc. All material made by students to be located in front portion of Power Laboratory. ov.t the grain structure of the metal specimen. 7. Principles of Photography Jay Fowler, Cambridge, Wis. Room 410 Photography provides a means of obtain- ing a permanent record of something observ- ed. It combines both physical and chemical processes. It is a physical process in that light is gathered from the object being photo- graphed and recombined to form an accurate image of that object. Chemistry plays the pr.rt of converting this light energy into a permanent record. 8. Optical Pyrometers John Richards, Lansing Room 412 PROBLEM — You are designing a diathermy unit. Included An optical pyrometer is a small, portable in the electrical circuit are variable elements which must be instrument for measuring the temperature of adjusted during operation. The control knobs must be red hot bodies. The instrument operates by located where they will be convenient to the operator. The comparing the color of the heated body to variable elements themselves must be located in the cabinet the color of a small heated resistance wire where they will be easy to mount, to wire and to service. located in the lens of the instrument. This How would you do it? comparison is performed visually. The THE SIMPLE ANSWER — Use an S.S.Whlte remote control operator adjusts the current flowing through type flexible shaft to couple each variable element to its the wire until its color matches that of the control knob. This simple arrangement makes It possible body; a direct reading scale then gives the to place the elements and their controls anywhere you want temperature of the body on which the instru- them. And you will find, too, that operation with these ment is sighted. shafts Is as smooth and sensitive as a direct connection, because S.S.White remote control flexible shafts are de- 9. Macroetching and Examination signed and built especially for this type of duty. Jim Corey, Lansing Room 410 Macro examination is a convenient method for detecting any dangerous and undesirable non-uniformities in a metal or alloy, result- ing from its chemical composition or mechani- cal working it received. It consists of obtain- ing a suitable, representative sample of the metal polishing it roughly and etching (cor- roding the surface) heavily with an acid, fol- lowed by the visual examination of the piece. Any defects appear greatly magnified as cavities or cracks and may be readily detected. 10. The Metallurgical Camera Don Alverson, Jackson Room 410 One of the main purposes of a camera in the field of metallurgy is to record the internal structure of metals and alloys. This micro- structure plays an important part in the study of metals and it is desirable to have a record of them, where many different metals and alloys are handled. The metallurgical camera, called a metal- lograph, consists of three distinct parts, a microscope, an ordinary bellows camera, and a special lighting system. The microscope, which is really the heart of the system, func- tions in two ways. It directs light on to the specimen and then magnifies the returning light. Since light is necessary for photo- graphy, the metallograph provides a power- ful lighting system. Light from the lamp- as well as the finished compressors. house is directed through the microscope and 3. T w o air compressors will be given away as on to the surface of the specimen. This light prizes. One is to be awarded Friday and one will either be absorbed or reflected depending on Saturday. The winning visitor need not upon the condition of the surface of the speci- he present at the drawing to win. The only men. The light that is reflected back from the requirement for a chance to try for one is that specimen passes through the optical system of the visitor sign his name and address on a card the microscope and the image is recorded by when he visits the machine shop exhibits. the camera. Different magnifications are pos- T w o drawings will take place, and the time sible by using various lenses in the microscope of each drawing will be posted in the machine and by adjustment of the bellows on the shop each day. camera. The maximum magnification is 4. All of the machine shop is not used in the roughly two thousand diameters. production of air compressors. Since the FORGE AND FOUNDRY machine shop maintains its own machines, Mechanical Engineering some "toolroom" type machines are used for unusual jobs that may come up from time to 1. Forge laboratory will be operated by students Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Ex- time. If one of the machines are used in pro- hibitions of hand forging, gas welding, arc duction breaks down, men and machines are welding, and flame cutting will be demon- available to repair the damage immediately and strated, production resumes. 2. Heat Treat Laboratory. Gas and electrical A U T O M O T I V E LABORATORY heat treating equipment is displayed. Friday Mechanical Engineering afternoon students will be heat treating steel Engines on Display: and preparing specimens for physical testing. 1. Hudson, 1947, 6-cylinder 3. Physical Testing Laboratory. Brinell and 2. Olds, 1948, 8-cylinder Rockwell Lardner testing machines will be used 3. Pontiac, 1948, 8-cylinder in taking hardness readings; an important 4. Pontiac, 1942, 8-cylinder physical test for metals. 5. Pontiac, 1942, 6-cylinder 4. Chemical Laboratory. A display of equipment The above engines are on display in assembled for chemical analysis of metals and alloys. condition. This laboratory is used for research. Dynamometers: 5. Foundry Laboratory. Students will be casting 1. Ford V-8 used to determine the characteris- pistons for air compressor in permanent molds. tics of the engine such as Brake Horsepower, There will be a limited supply of souvenior Fuel Consumption, Torque, etc. castings. Also to be seen are a 24-inch cupola, 2. Chevrolet 6—same as above. a Detroit electric arc furnace, and two gas-fired The Ford exhibit will be in operation during crucible furnaces for non-ferrous melting. the open house. 6. Sand Test Laboratory. Equipment for testing Cutaway Chassis: foundry molding and core sand. We have a cutaway model of a DeSoto showing MACHINE SHOP all the parts of a modern car including engine, Mechanical Engineering ^ gears and rear end. The machine shop, under the supervision of Pro- Cutaway model of a Timkin 2-speed heavy duty fessor Vanderslice, is mainly devoted to the pro- rear axle. duction of air compressors. Classes will meet here A large Hercules-Diesel engine Friday 3-6 and 6:30-9:30; Saturday 8-11 A.M. A display of many of the new cars of today just 1. Air compressors are made in the M.S.C. outside the automotive lab. Among the new cars machine shop, now converted to factory pro- will be seen a 1901 Oldsmobile. duction and methods. All operations of turn- WOOD SHOP ing, milling, and grinding are carried on by Mechanical Engineering students. Junior class members of the group Classes will be in the Wood Shop Friday 12-6 and act as supervisors and coordinate the work of Saturday 8-11 A.M. the sophomores. The juniors also act in a 1- Patterns made by students in their regular capacity as inspectors in final and sub-assembly. classes in the wood shop are displayed on tables 2. Parts of unassembled compressors will be and may be examined by spectators. Special placed on tables near the aisles spectators will Patterns, and those of an unusually intricate use. Visitors are urged to examine the parts, nature are shown in lighted display cases. Continued on page 26 24 OF THE BASIC INDUSTRY Get a Close-up Of YOUR CHOICE; by R. S. FLESHIEM Manager Electrical Department ALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING CO. (Graduate Training Course—1904) HEN YOU GET into daily working W contact with an industry, you may find it offers specialized opportunites that you hadn't known about before. That's why it's not always possible—or wise— to pick your final spot in i n d u s t r y u n t i l you've had some all a r o u n d first-hand experience. I want to suggest a good way to eel a close-up of the industries that appeal to you. Naturally, I can talk with most assur- ance about the electric power industry. But the same principles apply to others. When I got my engineering degree from the University of Michigan, the electric power industry was a fast-grow- ing youngster. I decided to go to Allis- Chalmcrs, where I joined the company's first Graduate Training Course in 1904. 1 was sent to Cincinnati and started in the Today we have Graduate Training to the graduate engineer. That includes old Bullock Electric Mfg. Co. plant that Course engineers applying their ability electric power, mining and ore reduc- Allis-Chalmers had purchased that same and training to the problems of machine tion, cement making, public works, year. Bullock, incidentally, started in design—research and development— steam turbines, pulp and wood process- 1884—one of the real old-timers in the manufacturing and production—sales— ing. It also includes the full range of electric industry. It was the start of the application engineering. Here we're activities within each industry: design, present Allis-Chalmers Electrical working with electric power generation, manufacturing, sales, research, applica- Department. control and utilization—with advanced tion, advertising. industrial uses of electronics—with re- Graduate students help plan their own Opportunities Are Increasing search in D. C. transmission. We're in courses at Allis-Chalmers, and they move The industry was growing fast at the turn intimate touch with the electric power around a good deal. It's possible for a of the century, but it's growing even industries—with transportation—with man to come here with the idea of de- faster now. Opportunities were never steel, metal working and other big power signing electrical equipment—later be- greater—or more varied. users. And I know that the field is just as come interested in manufacturing—and broad in the other major industry depart- finally find his greatest satisfaction and ments here at Allis-Chalmers. success in sales work. Men move from department to department, getting a What Industry Interests You? practical working knowledge of each. I firmly believe that Graduate Training And—the departments get to know the Course engineers have a unique oppor- men. Opportunities present themselves tunity at Allis-Chalmers. They have the according to ability. opportunity here to explore thoroughly not one, but many basic industries if At the completion of the Graduate they choose. This company produces the Training Course, you've had a close-up world's widest range of major industrial of many industries. You're ready to take equipment, and every department is open your place in the work of your choice. metal so that ash trays may be produced in EXHIBITS the forming press while the spectator is pres- Continued from page 24 ent. If the visitors desire these ash trays, they 2. The pattern and core set up for an engine will be available at a nominal fee. block is a display by itself. All cores and the OLD POWER P L A N T boxes from which the cores are made will be Mechanical Engineering arranged in the sequence they would occur in The exposition visitors are welcome in both if the block actually were in production. the old power plant and the new South Campus J, The wood shop is equipped with a complete building. In each a tour of the facilities and equip- line of modern, efficient power tools. Some of ment will be conducted and all interesting opera- the new ones which have been added recently tions pointed out. Senior Power Engineering stu- are a jig saw with a 36" square table, and a dents are on hand to act as guides and answer all spindle sander. A saw filing machine will be questions. Transportation between plants will demonstrated. It is used to keep the many saws be provided. in the wood shop in first class condition. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING EXHIBITS SHEET METAL SHOP The following unit operations will be on display Mechanical Engineering in the industrial laboratory: The sheet metal course is not being taught at 1. Distillation Column M.S.C. this term and no classes will be in atten- This unit separates mixtures of liquids dance. Eugene Szakatits, senior from Hammond, which have different boiling points. By use Indiana, will be in charge of demonstrating and of steam the liquids in the column are heated describing the machines. Some interesting machines and separated. are: 2. Absorption Column 1. Metal cutting saw, forming rolls, press brakes, The absorption column as used here absorbs metal slitting saw, and small spot welder. carbon dioxide in water, that is. the water 2. Effort is being made to obtain enough sheet picks up carbon dioxide as it goes through the column. 3. Filter Presses The filter press separates solid material from a mixture of solids and water. Three types of filter presses are on exhibit: the plate and frame, the Oliver press and the Sweetland press. 4. Evaporator The evaporator boils the water off from a mixture of water and some other material. This evaporator is known as a double effect evaporator because there are two chambers in which the boiling of the liquid takes place. 5. Dryer The dryer is used to remove water from a solid material. This type of dryer on exhibit is similiar to a large oven. 6. Crushing and Grinding This equipment is used to crush rock to a desired size. Three types of crushers arc on exhibit: the jaw mill, the rod mill and the roll mill. 7. Heat Exchangers The heat exchangers are used to heat water by means of hot steam. T w o types of heat exchangers are on display. 8. Fluid Flow This exhibit demonstrates the flow of water and air through pipes, valves and other equip- ment. Equipment on display in the fuels testing labora- tory. 407 O.H. Calorimeters buildings. Students build complete structures Calorimeters are devices used to determine including pouring concrete base, and then the heating value of city gas, coal, and other moving it out through the side door when fuels. By use of calorimeter tests the amount of finished, thus acquiring complete experience heat that a ton of coal or a 1000 cubic feet in building a small structure. of gas will deliver can be determined. 7. Metal Shop—Room 115—This room con- Lubricants and Motor Fuel Testing tains welding materials, machinery, metal The equipment displayed is used to determine shop, sheet metal working equipment, pipe the properties of motor oil, gasoline, and kero- fitting tools, and the like. This room is used sene. The tests will show how certain fuels and for training Farm Shop teachers principally, oils will operate under varying weather condi- and also for shop courses given to all Agricul- tions. ture and Agricultural Engineering students. AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING Classes will be in progress. There will be a shuttle bus carrying visitors to 8. Farm Structures Laboratory—Room 1 1 7— and from the Agricultural Engineering building This room contains models of farm struc- on South Campus. Board the bus in front of the tures, also samples of building materials, Chemical Engineering laboratory. floor, roof and siding samples. These mate- 1. Rural Electrification Laboratory—Room 102 rials are all used for visual education in the —Electric motors, electric water heaters and various courses, whether for Farm Structures farm freezers. or for the building of cold storage room. 2. Refrigeration Laboratory—Room 106— 9. Land Development Laboratory—Room 119 This room is used to house experimental —See portable irrigation pipes and spray equipment in farm freezers, quick freezing nozzles for distributing water over the land. apparatus, and various types of food pro- Over 500 installations of supplemental irri- cessing equipment. Accurate scientific tests gation are in Michigan now. See various of home freezers are now under way in this types of pumps in this room. laboratory. 10. Land Development and Pump Laboratory— 3. Food Engineering Laboratory—Room 106 Room 1 (basement)—Note large tanks for —Automatic steam boiler for use in food circulating water and for use in testing of processing plants, as automatic as your home pumps. See deep well pumps, also low head refrigerator: commercial type ammonia re- drainage pumps. frigeration machines: heat exchanger plates 11. Tourist and Resort Laboratory—Room 3 used in milk pasteurizers: temperature control (basement)—This laboratory is headquar- equipment capable of maintaining milk pas- ters for the research and extension work in teurizing temperature within plus or minus the Tourist and Resort activities of the col- one-quarter degree Fahrenheit. Stainless lege. It represents a $400,000,000 annual steel sanitary pipes and fittings used for con- business in Michigan. See the typical one- veying food products. Sanitary type stainless room cabin with furnishings, wall bed, com- steel pumps used for pumping food products. plete kitchen cabinet unit including refrigera- 4. Farm Machinery Laboratory—Room 107— tor, stove and sink, rustic furniture, typical All types of usual farm machinery, including wall section, heating equipment, special type grain combines, tractors, mowing machines, of chimney prefabricated, also shower. Fire hay balers, and plows. Ninety-five per cent prevention and safety exhibits, also land- of all this equipment is sent here on consign- scaping and cabin arrangements around a ment without cost to the college. Practically lake. all of the equipment shown here is of the 12. Rural Electrification and Farm Structures very latest design and style. Laboratory—Room 6 (basement)—This 5. Research Laboratory—Room 113—This room contains many labor-saving devices room is headquarters for departmental re- with actual furnished items such as can racks, search. It contains a machine shop and weld- milk cooler, water heater, and the like. The milking machine, model of a barn cleaner ing equipment for making up experimental (pushbutton-controlled) which cleans the apparatus. The Frost Prevention machine, barn in 2 \•'_> minutes as compared to 1 K> special sugar beet seed planter, fertilizer at- hours by hand. See example of concrete block tachments, experimental mixtures of concrete construction. with corn cobs to produce low cost building 13. Student Club Room—Room 7 (basement) material having better insulation properties, This is headquarters for the student were all developed in this laboratory. A.S.A.E. organization for lounging and read- 6- Wood Shop—Room 1 14—See woodwork- ing machinery, paint room, models of farm ing. Continued on page 30 May. 1949 27 CAMPUS NEWS PROFS ON THE RECEIVING END Mr. /.. G. Miller, is present at these refresher classes and he was overheard to say, "If my staff can do it. I can do it. too." A strange sight to students, imagine, a prof takin' notes. Upon The refresher classes are entirely the work of the C.E. depart- a clow inspection we see it is actually a refresher group of the ment under Prof. C. L. Allen. Assisting Mr. Allen are profs. Enginttring Faculty intereited in the current movement in the G. C. Blomquist. A. H. Leigh. L. V. Nothstine, and K. A. registration of Professional Engineers. As can he seen, our Dean. Campbell. REGISTRATION EXAMS 1 • to control and improve the quality and compe- tency of the members in the engineering field MANY SENIOR ENGINEERS have never been initiated .is to the full connotation of the title and so as to protect the safety and welfare of the the process involved in becoming a "Registered Pro- general public. fessional Engineer." This article is written with the 2. to prosecute members and non-members whose intention of answering some of the questions con- practices endanger humanity, and to protect cerning the registering of professional engineers. the public and profession against malpractice. Engineers are accustomed to refer to themselves as Every state has recognized the need for stamping members of a profession, as do doctors and lawyers. its approval upon the engineer who practices for the Engineers have also banded themselves into various public within its borders. Accordingly, each state has organizations of which the most important, and per- passed legislation to insure that these engineers be haps the ones having the most influence on their thoroughly trained, reliable, and competent. Most profession, are the chapters of Registered Professional states have agreements whereby there is an acceptance Engineers. of the legislation and the licenses of other states. This. As in law and medicine, there is a necessity for however, does not apply to all states. examining, accepting, and regulating a profession Knowing the purpose and the need for registration where the safety and welfare of the general public is of engineers, the student inquires. "How can I become involved. Thus, it is possible to see that the purpose a registered engineer?" of registering engineers is namely: According to the Registration Act for Architects. Professional Engineers, and Land Surveyors (Act 240, P. A. 1937 of Michigan) the qualifications and Mechanical Engineering Seminary procedure are as follows: The applicant must apply Something new has been added to the senior to the Registration Board of Examiners 5 weeks Mechanical Engineering Seminar. Instead of listen- before the examination date. With the application ing to each other, as in the first two terms, the Spring he must submit an up-to-date transcript of grades term is being devoted to the presentation of outstand- and a fee of fifteen dollars which will give him the ing engineers. Each guest speaker discusses .i problem privilege of taking the 3 parts of the examination of interest to engineering students. (any part twice if it is necessary). The applicant So far the group has heard James R. l.ongwell. must be a citizen of the United States of America, Plant Manager of the Carboloy Co., Detroit, who and 21 years of age. He must have had 8 years of spoke on "Cub Engineer to Plant Manager": Prof. professional experience, or be a graduate of an ac- G. C. Blomquist on "Engineering Registration": credited school of engineering with 4 years of experi- John R. Bangs, Director of Personnel and Industrial ence in an accepted professional field. No more than Relations of the Budd Co., on "Personality in 5 years experience will be given for academic training. Industry"; and W. A. Vander Eyk, of the Michigan If accepted by the board of examiners, the applicant Bell Telephone Co., on "Labor Problems." must pass a series of 3 examinations, given in 3 parts. Speakers to come include Philip J. Baker of Motor A graduating senior may take the first part of the Wheel Corp. on "Patents and the Engineer"; O. D. examination at any time. The sooner, the better. It Trieber, Consultant for Hercules Motor Co., on has been found that the student has the least difficulty "What the Graduate Engineer Can Expect from In- with part one of the examination if it is taken upon dustry"; Howard E. Blood, President of Norge Divi- or pending graduation. sion, on "Free Enterprise and the Engineering Gradu- The student isn't registered as yet. With no pre- ate"; and Senator Ralph E. Flanders of Vermont on vious professional experience, the student with a B.S. "The Engineer as a Public Servant." in engineering must wait 4 years before he is able to A few dates remain to be filled according to Prof. take the remaining two parts of the examination. James M. Apple who is planning the program. These 4 years must be spent in an acceptable profes- sional manner in the engineering field. Upon the suc- cessful completion of the series of examinations, the applicant will pay an additional ten dollar fee, and then receive his certificate of registration. Knowing the weaknesses in the present Registration Act for Professional Registered Engineers in Michi- gan, there is legislation pending before Michigan legislators which will more closely define the pro- fessional engineer and strengthen the position and Prestige of Michigan Professional Registered Engi- neers. Let it be said at this time that there are two unfortunate situations existing in professional engi- neering. That is, there is nothing that highlights the event of the cub engineer into the profession of his choice. There is no Hypocratic Oaths as is found in the medical profession. There is no ceremonial in- duction or universally accepted code of ethics that will serve to guide the engineer in his practice. How- ever, there are influences at work which are hoped to correct this in the future. Applications and information can be obtained by writing to: Executive Secretary, State Board of Regis- tration for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Land Surveyors. 307 Cadillac Square Building, De troit 26, Michigan. It has been announced that the examinations will be given here at M.S.C. this June 17th and 18th. M.- Blomquist of the C.E. Department is available at his regular office hours for questions and advice. EXHIBITS Continued from page 27 This building is designed to serve agriculture, not only from the standpoint of training students but also for farmers, manufacturers and others who are interested in all types of farm machinery, farm structures, irrigation, processing, and the like. Every few days through the year, there are large delegations of from 20 to 300 people visiting here and learning or familiarizing themselves with the newest developments in all these different lines of work. This building was designed to be of service to all of the people of Michigan. 1. Induction Heating The heating of magnetic materials by radio frequency magnetic fields is demon- strated by a 1 kilowatt, 300,000 cycle/second vacuum tube oscillator. 2. Radiation of Radio Frequency Fields The presence of radiant energy is illus- trated by the lighting of a conventional fluorescent tube from the radio frequency fields produced by an R. F. Oscillator. 3. Transmission of Voice on a Light Beam A modulated light source and photocell illustrate that sound and voice waves can be transmitted from one point to another on a beam of light. 4. Electronic Welding A commercial, electronically controlled, spot welder demonstrates the use of Mercury- filled tubes for the accurate and precise con- trol of welding current in the welding of small metal parts. 5. Stroboscope The stroboscope is a flashing light source used to produce a stationary image of a mov- ing part so as to indicate its speed of motion. 6. Servomechanism A servomechanism is used to control the position of some object from a remote point: the only tie between these points being an electrical one. 7. Vacuum Tube Demonstration The action of the control grid of a vacuum tube on the flow of electrons within the tube is illustrated by bombarding a fluorescent plate which gives off visabal light when struck by an electron. 8- Electromagnetic Induction The presence of eddy-currents produced by electromagnetic fields is illustrated by heating a frying pan with no source of heat. 9. Photoelectric Counting The interruption of a light beam can be used to count these interruptions at very high rates of speed. 10. Electronic Motor Control were not so educational, but most of them were, and High vacuum and gas-filled tubes can be in spite of all the chest-thumping and letting off of used to accelerate motors, control their speed, steam, nevertheless they accomplished a great deal and stop the motor rapidly. by way of educating the public and quickening its 1 1. X-Ray interest in engineers and their usefulness. Many of A 1 50,000 volt, Industrial X-Ray machine the students devoted long hours of work to getting and its controls can be used for the detection up the exhibits; such, for instance, as those who made of flaws in metal parts. (Because of the dan- models of engines which ran under their own power, ger of excessive exposure to x-rays this those who made the Toonerville Trolley which actu- machine will not be turned on.) ally carried passengers across the campus on a track 12. Oscillograph which was laid the night before, and still others in The oscillograph is a device for transform- later years who operated a miniature steam locomo- ing electrical impulses into visual traces on tive which succeeded the Toonerville Trolley. All of a flourescent screen. these students gained a great deal of good experience 13. Precipitron in this work, and their satisfaction was a pride of The precipitron is an electrostatic air accomplishment which is its own reward. cleaner used to remove all foreign particles The crowning event of The Day was, of course, from the incoming air. the Engineers Ball that night, when Saint Patrick and his Queen were unmasked and joy was uncon- fined. Nobody was supposed to come to the Ball except Engineers and their friends. Of course it was ST. PATRICK usually impossible to keep a few tickets out of the hands of uninvited outsiders, but they were few WAS AN ENGINEER indeed, and their holders had better behave them- Continued from page 18 selves. Somebody always saw to it that there was hibits which the students had been able to think up plenty of stags. In that way no girl ever missed a for the occasion. Some of these were put on year dance. It worked the popular ones nearly to death after year and never failed to draw a crowd. Some but they loved it. RETIREMENTS Amcr. Assn. of Engineering Education. A.A.U.I'., Continued from page 11 and A.S.E.E. He was particularly instrumental in organizing the Lansing Engineers Club, of which be civilization or some other equally profound topic. wrs twice president, and he also wrs one of the It is to be noted, however, that teaching of engineer- organizers of the Michigan State College Chapters ing has always come first with Prof. Foltz rnd that of both the American Association of University his office has always been open to any stymied stu- Professors and the American Society of Engineering dent. Incidentally, it is probable that the stymied Education. student learned of the importance of basic principles The professor's avocations are reading, firearms while conversing with Prof. Foltz. (he is a member of the National Rifle Association) Leroy Stewart Foltz was born in Chandlerville, and occasional writing of poetry. He is also very Ohio, in 1889. He received his B.S.E.E. from the interested in the Fellowship League of Peoples University of Illinois and his M.S. from the Univer- Church. sity of California. His industrial experience began Prof. Foltz believes the student should attempt to as a draftsman with the Electric Wheel Company, maintain his physical, mental, moral and spiritual after which he worked ss an electrical engineer for well being if he seeks purpose in his career. In this the Maytag Company and following this, as an respect, he is rather skeptical of certain trends in mod- electrical engineer for the Illinois Traction Company. ern society which tend to soften any of these qualities The years 1913-14 found him as assistant pro- in the individual. The students in particular should fessor at Colorado State College. Next, he became not erect limitations (such as the eight hour day) on an associate professor at the University of California their efforts and rhould keep in mind a basic truth and then piofessor at Colorado State. In 1918, he which is, "Only the student can educate himself." became an associate professor at Michigan State Col- lege and professor in 1925. At this time he became Mr. Sangster Retires head of the Electrical Engineering department, and Prof. Sangster, fondly remembered by thousands served in that capacity until 1948. of alumni, is sure to be missed by all engineering stu- Prof. Foltz has taken an active interest in the dents when he retires this June. In any gathering of engineering students, a reference to the forge shop more enjoyable, more human, and forged lasting is certain to bring forth expressions of admiration friendships; features that he thinks should not be lor Mr. Sangster's remarkable "smithing" ability, completely disregarded. his slurp wit, and his sound knowledge of metal The Professor's hobbies are biking and writing. procewing, Nor does anyone fail to remember his He has contributed frequently to the American Iron smooth and efficient demonstrations accompanied by Smith and other technical journals. He also has instructions delivered in a calm and Scotch burred published poetry. His poem " T h e Campus" which voice, amid the glow of a "well built" fire and the dwells upon the beauty of the campus bears out his measured din of an educated hammer. contention that if he had it to do over again, he would most assuredly repeat those thirty years as a staff member of Michigan State College. SOIL SCIENCE Continued from page 12 resistors is a standard resistance which does not vary with temperature. The resistance of this element is constantly equivalent to that of a temperature of 32°: thus, there is a visual check every fifteen minutes as to the accuracy of the recorder. Provisions have also been made to measure the moisture variations in the first 60 inches of soil in each watershed. Marked changes in percentage of moisture at the different levels of the profile are found with variation in cover and cropping practices. The moisture sensing elements, "Bouyoucos blocks," were developed and perfected by Dr. G. J. Bouyoucos and other members of the staff here at Michigan State College. They consist of two electrodes insulated Bert Sangster was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, in from each other by a highly porous material, and are 188V After attending Gordon's College, now part buried in the soil at- different levels of the profile, of Aberdeen University, he served five years as a tool where they rapidly absorb moisture until they are in smith, a job involving tool hardening and heat treat equilibrium with the soil. When dry, the insulation work. In 1905 he came to America and worked in various steel mills which incidentally took him to of these elements is nearly perfect and constitutes a New York, Philadelphia, Birmingham. Chicago, and very high resistance between the electrodes when a various other steel producing cities. This enriching current is introduced into the circuit. However, the experience was interrupted when he volunteered in insulating properties and resistance of this material the Canadian Army during World War I. Upon are each markedly reduced by the absorption of soil his discharge from the service he joined the Buick moisture, so much and uniformly so, that a measure- Motor Car Company for which he worked until he ment of the resistance of one of these Bouyoucos became a member of the mechanical engineering blocks and the comparison of that resistance with a department of M.S.C. calibration chart will give a precise value for the amount of soil moisture present at that point. Resis- It is not surprising that his three sons have tance of these blocks scattered over the different water- attended Michigan State College. John and Bert, Jr., sheds is measured by remote control on an especially were members of the classes of '38 and '42, respec- tively, while George, a civil engineer, will graduate modified Wheatstone bridge. The resistance of this June. Bouyoucos blocks is also effected by variations in tem- perature; therefore, correction is made for the tem- The most noticeable change Mr. Sangster has perature of the soil at the location of each block at observed in the school during his thirty year tenure the time of reading. These temperatures are measured at Michigan State College, has been the decrease of on a portable potentiometer which is calibrated in the "Ra-Ra" spirit among the students. Although degrees Fahrenheit. These readings are also made by he believes a trend toward a more serious attitude has brought about higher academic standards, he is of remote control. Other precision instruments' located the opinion that the old school spirit made the school in this building are wind velocity, direction and total mileage recorders. 34 Recording Radiation Solar and sky radiation, as measured and recorded, is converted from milivolts of electrical energy to gram calories of heat energy per square centimeter by means of plainimetric analyses. Through the applica- Continued on page 36 Figure 2.-—INSTRUMENT PANEL. Lower left: Selector switches for moisture block temperature circuits. Lower center: Selector switches for moisture block circuits. Bottom right: Wheatstone Bridge for soil moisture determina- tion. Top center: Micromax recording potentiometer. Upper right: Micromax recording bridge. SOIL SCIENCE Continued from page 35 tion a plainimeter conversion table and a good calcu- lator, this conversion becomes routine. Solar radia- tion received at East Lansing is then compared graphically and statistically with that received at other stations over the country. It is interesting to note that radiation received at this station compares more favorably with that received with Fairbanks, Alaska, than at any other smoke-free station of record; but the fishing is better in Alaska. Through the use of the instruments which have already been described, it is possible to follow the day-to-day movement of moisture in the soil, thus, in a measure determining crop usage of the moisture and conversely, crop requirements of moisture. A refinement of this study, which will permit the auto- matic measurement of soil moisture at fifteen-minute intervals continuously, is planned for early installa- tion. An automatic conductivity register is being especially adapted for this purpose. Evaporation Losses One contributing factor to loss of soil moisture, other than that lost through percolation or plant use, is evaporation. Evaporation losses are related intimately to rate of, and total wind movement, as well as atmospheric humidity and solar radiation. Direction, velocity, and amount of wind are measured by a transmitting direction and velocity register and recorded by remote control in the instrument house. At the same time the total wind movement is re- corded in miles of wind. A mile of wind is defined as a wind blowing for one hour at a velocity of one mile per hour. Humidity is measured and recorded along with atmospheric temperatures by means of a hygro- thermograph. maximum, minimum, and current thermometers are used in conjunction with the hygro- tnermograph. Evaporation from a free water surface is measured very well. In the center foreground is the runoff and recorded by a "black-pan" evaporimeter. This is recorder with the pen registering at the .3 inch mark. a homemade device utilizing the weighing and record- Lower left is the flow through the calibrated type ing unit of a Ferguson type recording raingage, which 3-H flume. After measurement, this How is caught is calibrated to read to the nearest 1/100 inch of rain in the silt basin at the extreme lower left, and samples in an eight-inch cylinder. By keeping a continual taken therefrom. By means of analysis and expansion record of the weight of a cylinder having ten times of these samples, soil losses from the entire watershed this area evaporation loss to 1/1000 of an inch are can be computed. Under conditions of severe runoff obtained. stones as large as two inches in diameter have heen Precipitation at the watersheds is measured with deposited in the approach section to the flume. three different types of raingages. The Ferguson Final Evaluation weighing and recording raingage is used to record The overall relation of all this data to the ques the intensity of precipitation in inches per hour, time tion of soil and water losses and water movements of precipitation, and duration of precipitation. The is obvious, but the specific relation of each item to U. S. Weather Bureau standard nonrecording rain- the others is a matter for considerable conjecture. gage is used to give total precipitation, and compared The evaluation of the entire problem and its com- with a similar raingage mounted in an areo-dynamic- ponent parts presents an enormous problem. It is ally designed Nypher shield. here that an engineer realizes something of the scope Visible Water Loss of technical problems confronting agriculture, and it The instruments described up to now measure the is also here that one acquires an appreciation of precipitation and its invisible loss. The other instru- statistical analysis. Results of the research work ments on the project are designed to measure the carried on in this project are beginning to solidify. visible water losses. T o accomplish this, all surface Evidences are accumulating, and with time and more runoff from the watersheds is channeled through a data, the intimate relations of soil moisture, precipi- calibrated type 3-H wier, or flume. The water stage, tation, solar radiation, soil temperature, wind, and or depth of flow, is recorded on a dock-driven re- evaporation to runoff and erosion will be more nearly corder. Thus, time and depth of flow are known, evaluated. This evaluation should enable us to and with size of orfice, the volume of runoff can be develop more and better soil and water conservation computed. Figure 3 demonstrates this installation practices. METAL—INSIDE OUT Friday, April 29, and the mixed faculty-student Continued from page 14 picnic to be held at Grand Ledge the latter part of even the subject of inclusions in metal needs further May. The coming Engineering Exposition and research. Any abrasive inclusions obviously will A.S.C.E. banquet also received due consideration. shorten tool life and increase power requirements. Yes, machinability is a big problem but at least there is now a known method of approach and an accurate means of "seeing" into metals. 1 be science of metallography is just one phase of the larger field of metallurgical engineering. Most of the objects that are so common in our daily life are made of metal. We are accustomed to assuming thai they will function properly. Certainly all en- gineers as a group would greatly benefit from an understanding of the basic principles and concepts of metallurgy. Engineers can more intelligently and effectively use metals when they learn to see and understand the metal—inside out. ONCE UPON A MOON Continued from page IS Ray's recollections of his whereabouts during those three fantastic days are somewhat confused, but of one thing, he is certain: "1 tell you Sam. I was on the Moon I I can remember looking up in the sky. and seeing the Earth, as big and fat as a watermelon . . . I walked on the Moon, and there was air there, and a kind of strange life, and a lot of things which I can't dearly remember. . . . But Sam, I know I was on the Moon." Which was perfectly ridiculous, as everyone knows it has been fully three weeks since the Moon blew up . . . SOCITIES Continued from page 16 The April 6 meeting was restricted to a brief busi- ness session in order that members might attend the showing of the Burroughs Adding Machine Com- pany's film "In Balance." dealing with the necessity for profits in private enterprise. The annual banquet was held April 20 at the Hunt Food Shop. Speaker for the occasion was "Jack" Frost, of the State Stream control Commis- sion, who spoke to the chapter on the problems of industrial polution of streams throughout Michigan. At the conclusion of his talk Mr. Frost vividly em- phasized the extent of polution by showing aerial photographs of contamination in the Detroit River and vicinity. American Society of Civil Engineers The last meeting of the A.S.C.E., held on Thurs- day, April 21, was devoted principally to the busi- ness on hand. President Paul Spellman conducted a more or less open discussion of future events. The major topics brought to the floor were the coming dance, which is to be held in the Foresters' cabin on 38 How a group of American pioneers has held the price of Aluminum down Charles Martin Hall, founder of America's alumi- have accomplished most of the finding-out that num industry, had a special kind of gleam in his took fifty centuries, with the age-old metals. eye. Every one of us has it too. It's working in the mill and having it seem that He was bound and determined to find a way every shining sheet racing over the rolls is your own. to make aluminum cheaply. The schoolbooks all It's typing a letter in answer to a simple query, tell how he did it, where the world's greatest and having the deep-down feeling that you may scientists failed. be in at the birth of a new business, taking root Bluntly speaking, Charles Martin Hall set out in aluminum. to cut the world price of aluminum. We propose to keep on being pioneers in He was the first of the men and women of broadening the usefulness of aluminum. Alcoa Aluminum Company of America. He licked a Aluminum sold in 1939 for 20 cents a pound. process. We who followed him—engineers, chem- It sells today for 16 cents. ists, metallurgists, physicists, production experts We are pioneering with microscopes and calipers —have been at it ever since. and rolling mills. We'll stack them against axes But the gleam is the same. It's bumping elbows and squirrel rifles and spinning wheels, for a place in the research lab with men who, in fifty years, of importance in the history of our America. was appointed to investigate and determine basis for awarding prizes for the best show case in the new Physics Building. A fourth group will arrange a picnic for the S.P.S. on May 25. Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honorary Officers Front row, left to right: J. T. Anderson, Faculty Advisor: Jan-Erick Aarberg, Corresponding Secretary: Blaine Cadwell, Vice-President; Leroy Cenaw, President. Hack row, left to right: Glenn Ogletree, Engineering Council Representative; Marvin Bicknell, Recording Secretary; Dick Keinath, Cataloger; Edwin Bozian, Engineering Council Repre- sentative. INY AS IT IS, the little rectangle above is motion pictures, you can "pack" a plow, a plant, a T this page in black and white-as it appears on microfilm. Everything there, condensed to a whole process into a small can of film . . . travel it where you will, show it off "large as life" and much mere spot, but ready to be brought back full size more dramatically. with all its features intact. For photography can Only a suggestion . . . this . . . of what photog- reduce tremendously without losing a detail. raphy can do because it is able to condense. And Asa business or professional man, you can utilize because it has many other unique characteristics photography's reducing ability in any of many as well, photography is becoming an increasingly important trays. important tool all through science, business, and manufacturing. You can utilize it to save s p a c e . . . to speed Whenever you want to improve methods of reference. With Recordak microfilming, you can recording, measuring, testing, teaching, or count- "debulk" files 99? . . . keep the records at hand for less other functions, be sure to consider the un- quick viewing, full size, in a Recordak Reader. usual abilities and advantages of photography. You can utilize photography to make sales pres- Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester 4, N. Y. entations more complete, more resultful. With Near absolute zero, matter does strange things... AT 455 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, liquid of young General Electric scientists are directing their helium becomes .1 "supeefluid." That is, it loses investigations. its viscosity; if it were to he set in motion like stirred coffee spinning in a cup, part of it would theoretically So far their studies are in only the earliest stages. But continue to spin forever. already the facts of this nether world of temperature It also becomes a "super-wetting" agent, meaning have aroused enough interest that with the building that it will creep up the sides of a container and flow of a new Research Laboratory near Schenectady, a over the edge. $250,000 laboratory unit has been especially con- Other types of matter develop the property of structed to aid and amplify their work. "super-conductivity." Columbium-nitride, for ex- Through its emphasis on research and creative ample, loses all electrical resistance below 15 degrees thinking, through encouraging fertile minds to follow absolute. If an electric current were set in motion in a their own imaginative bent and by implementing their closed loop of this substance, it would in theory flow work with the best available facilities, General Elec- indefinitely. tric remains "a place where interesting things are These are some of the facts of cryogenics—the study happening," and stays in the forefront of scientific and of low-temperature phenomena—into which a group engineering development.