The head of a pin would appear about 47 feet wide if ex- amined under this instrument. It's an electron probe microanalyzer—the first to be used industrially in this country. U. S. Steel research teams use it to get a better look at the microstructure of new types of steel. In this Want to see way, they gather more information about the factors affect- ing steel quality and performance. Research like this is only the start of the big job at U. S. a pinhead — Steel. We have to find more ore, mine it, ship it, make it into steel, market it (and market many by-products, too) and deliver it to our customers. The job calls for a lot of 47 feet wide? good people—metallurgists, physicists, chemists, geologists, all kinds of engineers—people with your training. Look into the possibility of a career with United States Steel. Write for our booklet, "Paths of Opportunity." United States Steel, Personnel Division, Room 1662, 525 William Perm Place, Pittsburgh 30, Pa. USS is a registered trademark Chemistry stands at the threshold of a new age of discovery It has been said that more significant scientific advances have taken place in the last fifty years than in all the centuries that have gone before. One fact is indisputably clear. The use of applied science in American industry today is progressing at a rate so fantastic it staggers the imagination of the boldest visionary! This is particularly evident in the vast, highly diversi- fied field of industrial chemistry. Here, products, ma- terials and processes that were unknown a few years ago are in wholesale use today. The accomplishments of chemical research are being felt in every area of human endeavor. The prospect of further advancement in the immediate future appears limited only by man's imagination and his desire for improvement. Our society stands at the threshold of a new age of discovery that offers an infinitely better way of life as its reward. A host of courageous, creative industrial chemists will help lead the way. See for yourself. This interesting, informative booklet, "Op- portunities for College Trained People with The Dow Chemi- cal Company" can help you make an all-important decision about your future. Write our Director of College Relations for the booklet and the date a Dow representative will visit your campus. Because engineering is a profession at GM- your talents can take you to the top Commencement literally means a beginning—although And the fact that 14 of our 33 Vice-Presidents—23 of it marks the end of your undergraduate clays. our 42 Division General Managers—are engineers is an Perhaps one of your classmates — or you, yourself — indication of the advancement opportunities for engi- has decided to start a career with General Motors. neering graduates at GM. It's a wise choice for many reasons but particularly General Motors is made up of 35 Divisions with 126 for this one: plants in 71 cities and 19 states. Many of the young Engineering is a profession at GM. And the engineers men who join us today will hold top positions with those who work on our hundreds of products are respected Divisions and plants 10 to 15 years from now. One ot as professional men. those men could well be your classmate—or you. To a young engineer that fact is a key consideration. • • • For professional recognition carries with it many bene- GM positions now available in these fields: fits. The freedom to give your imagination free rein. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING • ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING The opportunity to pioneer significant developments INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING • METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING in the engineering art. The chance to become a key AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING • CERAMIC ENGINEERING executive in a great corporation. MATHEMATICS • INDUSTRIAL DESIGN PHYSICS • CHEMISTRY The fact that more than 179 of our engineers and scientists received more than 164 patents in a recent four-month period is one measure of the intellectual freedom engineers have at GM. and I know..." "Not too long ago I was in the same situation you fellows are in now. Senior year and the hig de- cisions. What am 1 going to do with my education? What am 1 going to do for a living? "Well, 1 talked to a number of people and did as much letter writing and looking around as I could. The way 1 figured it, 1 wanted op-portunity... a fair chance to put my capabilities to work and to be recognized for what I could do. Of course, 1 wanted to be well paid, too. It all seemed to add up to the aircraft industry... and to me it still does. "In the space of just a few years I've worked on quite a few projects, important projects that some day may mean a great deal to this country. They sure meant a lot to me. And I wasn't standing still either. My salary and my responsibilities have in- creased with each promotion. That means lots of challenges, new and tough problems that we have to solve, but that's the way I like it. So, if you- want some advice from this "old grad," choose the aircraft industry. It's the wisest choice, I'm in the business and I know." probably no other industry in America has grown" so fast and advanced so far in a short time as has the aircraft industry. And yet there is no limit to how far man's inventiveness and imagination can push the boundaries. Radical new concepts that would have been unthought of just a few years ago are the drawing-board problems of today. Truly aviation is still in the pioneering stage, and one of the leaders is Northrop Aircraft, which has been making successful contributions to our nation's defense for over 18 years. Projects such as 'he Snark SM-62, world's first intercontinental guided missile, have identified Northrop as a suc- cessful pioneer. And new aircraft such as the super- sonic, twin-jet T-38 advanced trainer are maintain- ing this reputation. Let us tell you more about what Northrop can °ffer you. Write now, regardless of your class, to Manager of Engineering Industrial Relations, Northrop Division, Northrop Aircraft, Inc., 1034 East Broadway, Hawthorne, California. Work with the G A S industry... the nation's sixth largest The Gas industry—the sixth largest in the nation—has a total investment of over 315 billion. Last year the industry set a new all-time record in number of cus- tomers, volume of Gas sold, and dollar revenue. In fact, Gas contributed 25% ot the total energy needs of the nation as compared with 11.3% in 1940. The Gas industry is a major force in the growth development and economic health of this country. There are many opportunities for you in the Gas industry. The industry needs engineers, and does not over-hire. You won't be regimented. There's always room for advancement. With utility companies and with manufacturers of Gas equip- ment, there's a future for you as an engineer. Call your nearest Gas Utility- They'll be glad to talk with you about your opportunity in the Gas industry. American Gas Association. Recently AiResearch engineers were typical of many encountered at orientation program is available to called upon to develop an accessory AiResearch in aircraft, missile, aid you in selecting your field of power motor for aircraft and mis- nuclear and electronic fields. Specif- interest. This permits you to survey siles which would operate at ically, you'll find them in system the project, laboratory and adminis- + 1000°F. . . . a temperature area electronics; computers and flight trative aspects of engineering at where present-day hydraulic and instruments; gas turbine engines and Garrett. Also, with company finan- electrical devices fail. turbine motors; cryogenic and cial assistance, you can continue Their answer was this cam piston nuclear systems; pneumatic valves; your education at outstanding uni- air motor, pictured above in a spe- servo control units and air motors; versities located nearby. cially built transparent shell. Operat- industrial turbochargers; air condi- Project work is conducted by small ln g on hot air or gas, its efficiency tioning and pressurization; and heat groups where individual effort is actually increases as temperatures transfer. more quickly recognized and oppor- rise. Upon your employment, in addi- tunities for learning and advance- tion to direct assignments, a 9-month ment are enhanced. This problem and its solution are of michigon state university VOLUME 11 NO. 4 MAY, 1958 EDITOR 12 Flying High A ) t h e a B u H e r FRANK W. BRUTT 14 Metallurgy from Adam to Atom . . . Dr. D. D. McGrady ASSOCIATE EDITOR LARRY PAULET 17 Big Doings Engineering Exposition Fran Weihl ASSISTANT EDITOR CHARLES PUMA 20 Fallout. Facts About Effects Carol Frazier M A N A G I N G EDITOR 22 High Voltage Finishing Carl A. Helquist WARD FREDERICKS 24 Local Goes National Herb Harman NEWS EDITOR NORM DILL 26 New Developments Edited by Norm Dill BUSINESS MANAGER 38 Index to Advertisers FRAN WEIHL FRONTISPIECE: This machine is used for handling radioactive ma- PROMOTION MANAGER terials under 18 feet of water and operates on its SIGMA PHI DELTA own railroad track. It will be installed this year in HERB HARMAN the world's first industry-owned nuclear materials CHAIRMAN testing reactor at Waltz Mill, Pa. (Courtesy of Westinghouse) CIRCULATION MANAGER RODGER FAUL Cover: Air Force Jet Flying the Jet Stream CLUBS & SOCIETIES MEMBER ENGINEERING COLLEGE MAGAZINES ASSOCIATED JOHN TALBOT Published four times yearly by the students of the COLLEGE OF ENGINEER- ING, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, East Lansing, Michigan. The office is on the third floor of the Student Services Building, Phone ED 2-1511, Ex- tension 2614. Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in East STAFF Lansing, Michigan, under the act of March 3, 1879. Address Mail to: BURT MOORE P. O. Box 468, East Lansing, Michigan. MAGGIE McNAMARA Publishers representative ADVISORS Littell-Murray-Barnhill, Inc. PAUL G. GRAY 369 Lexington Avenue, New York 605 W. Michigan Avenue, Chicago D. D. McGRADY Subscription rate by mail $1.00 per year. Single copies 25 cents. 7 There's a Metal Problem in your future that Inco can help you solve You may have to take this kind of ment, you will have to select the with Inco Alloys, send for "Standard quiz again. You may be designing a proper material to meet given service Alloys." Write The International machine which requires a metal that conditions. Over the years, Inco De- Nickel Company, Inc., Dept. 00, New resists corrosion . . . or wear . . . or velopment and Research has success- York 5, N. Y. high temperatures. Or one that meets fully solved many metal problems, some destructive combination of con- and has compiled a wealth of infor- ditions. mation to help you. When you start to design equip- For more on special problems solved STRAIGHT TALK TO ENGINEERS from Donald W. Douglas, Jr. President, Douglas Aircraft Co., Inc. Here at Douglas we're involved in a greatly result in great benefits not only to our own nation accelerated missile and space program. This but to all mankind. requires one of the most intensive engineering If you're interested in tackling these problems and research efforts in our history. with us... in giving your best in an all-out drive The problems are great ones as we move into to solve them... we're interested in you! the new dimension of unmanned and manned Please write to Mr. C. C. La Vene space vehicles. They require specialists in almost Douglas Aircraft Company, Box 6102-J every engineering field. But their solution will Santa Monica, California Here's What Condenser Engineering at Ingersoll-Rand can mean to you... Steam condensation plays a vital role in fers exceptional opportunities for accom- every steam power plant, or wherever con- plishment. densing steam turbines are used throughout Ingersoll-Rand is also a recognized leader industry. Linking the turbine exhaust to the in the design and manufacture of the special- steam generator, the condenser completes ized industrial equipment shown at the right the steam-water cycle—conserves boiler-feed — all requiring a high order of engineering. water and lowers the turbine exhaust pres- If you are looking for a leadership career sure to improve efficiency. Although basically with long range job security and excellent simple in construction and operation, the opportunities for advancement, you'll find it steam condenser is one of the most highly at Ingersoll-Rand. For further details, contact engineered of all I-R products — every unit your placement office, or write to Ingersoll- designed for its specific application. Hence Rand, 11 Broadway, New York 4. condenser engineering at Ingersoll-Rand of- Where Engineers Can Move Ahead Faster America's Railroads offer young engineers a particularly fast track to an interesting and challenging future. The reasons are clear. Our railroads are putting through an enormous program of automation and modernization. They are vital to America's economy and defense. And their need for you is very great. Their present management teams are looking forward to future successors. Retirement rates are currently high; and replacements are brought up from within. If you'd like to consider the unusual opportunities and rewards open to engineers of all types in railroading, see your placement officer or write us at 30 Church Street, New York 7, N. Y. We know you will like working with America's railroads. We've been doing it ourselves for many years-in supplying this great industry with Kerite quality insulated wire and cable. FLYING HIGH The jet stream, an aid to airborne economy, is becoming a new weather-forecasting factor. . . L AST year ;i pilot flew from California to Massa- chusetts with the aid of the Northern Hemisphere's jet stream in three hours and forty-seven minutes. down and meeting masses of warm air from the tropics. The two masses of air compress a layer of neutral air between them with such force that the This jet stream first became known in 1922 by meteor- neutral air is squirted out like toothpaste from a new ologists when weather balloons, released in England, tube. This force results in tremendous air velocities. landed four hours later near Leipzig, Germany, 570 The rotation of the earth also adds to the velocity miles away. At that time not too much was thought of the stream. It has been found that the stronger the about this phenomena, and it was decided that it jet stream, the thicker the entire stream. In most sec- had just happened by chance. Then near the end of tions it is 300 miles wide. World War II, pilots on bombing missions over Japan would relate to their commanding officers that they The stream we are most concerned with starts couldn't hit their targets because of headwinds so west of the Himalayas. It splits up and heads north strong that the planes could make little or no head- to Japan, where it attains speeds up to 450 miles per way. The pilots claimed they would be almost over hour at an altitude of 35,000 feet. It continues, though the targets at altitudes of 25,000 to 30,000 feet with at a slower pace, across the Pacific, over the Cali- the throttles wide open and the planes would stop fornia-Oregon coast, then accelerates again due to completely. At first no one believed them, but, as pressure over the Cascade-Sierra Nevada slopes. It more and more reports of the same nature came in, completes its merry-go-round by streaking over the investigations began. Rockies, across the mid-western plains to the east coast, over the Atlantic and Europe and finally back The scientists started probing and found that to the Himalayas. there are four main ribbons of high speed winds that encircle the globe. Three of them flow from west to Airline operators became aware of the economies east and one flows from east to west. These jet streams of operation if they could utilize the air stream. The flow in waves like a shaken rope around the middle aid of the tail winds on east-bound flights, and latitudes of the earth. The one that flows from east absence of head winds on west-bound flights would to west travels across Southeast Asia and Africa. The reduce fuel consumption and flight time. For these other three supposedly travel in the northern hemis- reasons dependable stream tracking was imperative. phere. There are four cloud formations which indicate Until a few years ago, it was believed that the these paths: jet stream had speeds from 75 to 300 miles per hour. This was disproved when a balloon sent up from 1. Cirrus streamers, white feathery wisps with Philadelphia was clocked at 392 miles per hour. Re- tufted trails, seen moving at high speeds and cently, the winds have ranged up to 450 miles per high altitudes. hour. 2. High cirrocumulus, small white rounded clouds The altitude of the jet stream varies considerably. in patches often scattered at random, but Reports have varied from 15,000 feet to 50,000 feet. sometimes shifting rapidly to cirrus streamers The stream that flows around the northern hemisphere with delicate wave patterns. starts to rise from lower altitudes in March, and con- 3. Altocumulus-fleecy, nearly stationary forma- tinues rising until mid-October when it begins to tions with lens-shaped clouds, piled layer upon descend again. This makes it difficult for the meteor- layer at middly altitudes. ologists to know exactly when and where the jet stream will be when they want to study it. 4. Billowing altocumulus clouds which often ex- tend from horizon to horizon, with parallel These jet streams are thought to be caused by waves running at right angles to the direction masses of cold air from the polar regions coming of air flow. 12 Spartan Engineer Althea Butler, the student author of this article is a junior from Wyandotte, Mich., majoring in Chemistry. Miss Butler is Vice President and Pledge Trainer of her Sorority, Delta Delta Delta. She has also been a member of Student Government, Wolverine Staff, J-Hop Com- mittee, and Swedish Gymnastics Team. Other telltale signs include gustiness at ground stream and on the east by an intermittently built-up level; persistent cool, crisp air; generally blue skies, mountain of air off Labrador. The new jet stream with visibility unlimited; precipitation often limited tends to pull the hurricanes due north along the to sporadic sprinkles of rain or snow, and rapid east coast of the U. S., instead of them veering cast changes in cloud cover from one tenth of the sky to and dissipating their fury in the Atlantic. This theory nine tenths and back again in less than an hour. tends to account for the expectantly wanner winters, since it pulls up warm air from the tropics along There are also three criteria used to determine the Atlantic seaboard. whether the jet stream is near. The erratic behavior of the jet stream (for in- 1. At least three of the four basic cloud types stance, last year the jet stream followed a varied must be present. path—in the spring it shifted far to the south and 2. The high clouds must be moving at jet stream brought cold air in from the north—by August it was velocities. well to the north, crossing Southern Canada) is be- lieved to be the explanation for the relationship hv- 3. The clouds must exhibit a coherent pattern tween the typhoons in the Pacific, the hurricanes in extending for a considerable distance along the the Atlantic, and the presence of tuna in the North axis of the jet stream. Sea. This is so, as the jet stream affects ground weather in that it changes the pattern of lower-air Generally the feathery cirrus clouds stretch from movements. A jet stream can cause lower air to rise. horizon to horizon along the path of the jet stream, As this air rises, it expands, cools, and its moisture immediately to the south of the core. To the north condenses in the form of rainfall. °f the core the air is usually clear and the sky is dark blue. Vertical air movements also result in shifts of air that cause horizontal air movements on the earth's Another theory on finding the jet stream is that surface. These horizontal air movements reveal them- the path they follow may be outlined by fast-twin- selves in low-pressure areas, storms and cyclones. kling stars. The higher and faster the winds, the faster Generally, the air is moist if the jet stream is ap- the stars twinkle. proaching and dry after it has passed high overhead. There are indications from other scientists that As was mentioned before, there is a southern radio stars twinkle, and that this twinkling is also counterpart to the jet stream in the northern hemis- related to the speed and altitude of winds on the phere. It, too, is apparently caused by encounters e arth. Radio stars are radiation sources which, in- between air masses of different temperatures. The visible to the eye or telescope, can be heard on cer- South American jet stream travels at an altitude of tain types of radio receivers. 36,000 feet, and at a velocity slightly slower than the In 1955 Jerome Namias theorized that the jet one in North America. Its core sometimes reaches stream might be responsible for the new lanes of a width of 180 miles, which is quite a bit narrower hurricanes witnessed in the last few years. A recur- than the other. The South American jet stream also ring weather funnel has shaped up since the mid- (Continued on Page 34) l9 30's, formed on the west by the wandering jet 13 May, 1958 METALLURGY from Adam to Atom M ETALLURGY has been mankind's stepping stone to new horizons ever since the first cave man picked up a piece of meteorite and noticed that it ence of the metallic state. A major effort is presently underway to correlate the atomic structure and ar- rangement of metals and alloys with their chemical was unlike the stones he was using for tools and and physical properties, nature, and behaviour. weapons. Our cave man could not chip or break the iron-nickel alloy of his meteorite fragment, but he The science of metallurgy undergirds all other could pound and form it into some shape he needed. areas of engineering. For example, the civil engineer improves the design of his bridges and buildings and There is ample evidence that metal was used in the mechanical engineer reduces the dead weight Egypt at least as early as 4,000 B.C. and in India by of his transportation equipment because of the metal- 2,000 B.C. Man and metals have been allied through lurgical development of a new series of low-alloy, the ages. high-strength structural steels. The electrical engineer Metallurgy is one of the oldest branches of engi- interested in light-weight, rugged, compact communi- neering and historically it has been of such outstand- cations equipment has been greatly assisted by the ing importance that the great eras of history have metallurgical development of high purity germanium been named in accordance with metallurgical de- and silicon metal for transistor tubes. Newer types velopments. We have, thus, the Bronze Age, the Iron of corrosion-resistant, high-strength stainless steels are Age, and now the Age of Alloys. widely used by chemical engineers in the construc- tion of petroleum refineries and chemical plants in The science of metals has evolved largely in the which high temperatures and pressures are en- past 50 years. A particularly rapid development of the countered. scientific aspects of metals and alloys has occurred during the past decade. Every phase of life today is dependent upon metals whether it be transportation by sea, land, or Modern metallurgy includes not only the science air; communication by telephone, radio, or television; of extracting metals from their ores but also the sci- or food processing by canning, quick freezing, or dehydration. Metals are unique among materials for they are, at present, the only materials that possess both the properties of high strength and plasticity. In recent years the metallurgist has been faced with a host of new challenges. Engineering design is now frequently limited by the metals at hand. Metals and alloys are often the critical limitation in the performance of an engineering design. Dr. Cyril Smith, Director of the Institute for the Study ot Metals, has said, "The design of gas turbines, rocket motors, and nuclear power plants are all crucially dependent on the development of better materials. Spartan Engineer Throughout most of history, the important figures in in a huge carbon steel, stainless-clad cylinder 33 feet metallurgy have been those who, through improved high, 9 feet across, with walls 8 1/2 inches thick. This chemical processes or handling methods, have cheap- vessel is the largest that American industry has ever ened and expanded production. In the future, the made, and the plate, clad with 1/4 inch of stainless steel, important figures will be those who permit the de- the thickest ever rolled in this country. velopment of better and better properties." The construction of the reactor vessel was such The development of nuclear energy has put the a tremendous undertaking that conventional methods spotlight on uranium, plutonium, beryllium, zirco- of machining, welding, and heat-treating had to be nium, niobium, hafnium, and titanium. Material re- abandoned. More than two years of painstaking effort quirements for new jet engines, supersonic aircraft, went into its fabrication. Some parts of the vessel and guided missiles have accelerated the develop- went into the heat-treating furnaces 15 times. ment of molybdenum, vanadium, and complex alloys The nuclear core proper, only 6 feet long and 6 of iron, nickel, cobalt, chromium, tungsten, and colum- feet in diameter, weighs 58 tons. It is composed of bium in the search for metals to operate at high stress 165 pounds of highly enriched uranium "seed" sur- for long periods even though red hot. rounded by 14 tons of natural uranium. Core ma- As an example of the severe requirements placed terials must not only withstand potentially destructive on materials, consider the recently completed com- radiation conditions but also must not capture or mercial atomic power plant at Shippingport, Pennsyl- absorb too many flying neutrons—else the chain re- vania on the Ohio River. This 60,000 kilowatt plant action be slowed or stopped. Here, then, was the is America's first big atomic power station for civilian dilemma: The metals that were impervious to radia- use. The reactor, which is a pressurized water type, tion effects also absorbed neutrons too readily. was built at a cost of $72,000,000 and was success- The search for a suitable core material finally fully completed only after five years of inconceivably narrowed down to the metal zirconium, then relatively frustrating, frequently heartbreaking work to develop unknown. Zirconium was destined to become a major special metals and equipment. Materials and devices "wonder" metal of the Atomic Age. It not only with- for such a power plant must be ultra-reliable for long stood the high temperatures needed for good thermal Periods with a minimum of human attention. They efficiency, and resisted corrosion, but also had a very must be reliable despite high temperatures, high pres- low affinity for absorbing neutrons. sures, severe corrosion attack and the effects of nuclear radiation. In order to meet these unpre- By way of contrast it should be pointed out that cedented requirements, scientists and engineers have not all reactor materials should be transparent to neu- Pioneered different, higher standards of metallurgy trons. In fact a very high neutron absorption is wanted and fabrication. for the control rods that are lowered into the core to control the speed of the reaction or to shut it down The reactor pressure vessel in which uranium atoms (Continued on Page 36) split in a continuous chain reaction to create heat rests 15 May, 1958 BIG DOINGS MAY 9-10... by Fran Weihl, E.E., '59 The 1958 Engineering Exposition Features Exhibits, Auto Race, Engineering Queen and Dance. O NE of MSU's greatest displays of engineering talent, applications, and practical know-how will be featured at the tenth annual Engineering Exposi- tion, May 9 and 10. Sponsored by the Engineering College and super- vised by the Engineering Council, the engineering students will be competing for awards granted for technical ingenuity. Immediately following last year's Exposition the Engineering Council commenced their plans for a bigger and better exhibition than ever before. One main improvement that was unanimously approved was making student exhibits the primary feature. The Exposition culminates a year of achievement for the Engineering Council. One of the featured student exhibits that will be on display is a supposedly unbeatable tic-tac-toe machine that will match wits with visitors. Everyone attending may observe a colorful golf ball discrimina- tor in action, automatically washing, drying and sort- ing various colors and sizes. Profound displays by organizations and individuals will be of great inter- est to non-technical as well as technical observers. All of the student exhibitors will be competing tor the six-inch slide rules that will be awarded to the out- standing exhibit. (Continued on Next Page) May, 1958 JETS (Junior Engineering Training) Clubs from Michigan high schools will also have many exhibits on display. Industrial exhibits will feature IBM, DuPont, John Bean and other products as well as a complete array of old vintage autos from the Vintage Motor Car Club of Lansing. These displays may be seen Friday afternoon and all day Saturday at Olds Hall, Electrical Engineering, and the Agriculture Engineering buildings. Since 1954 the auto race has been the main cen- ter of attraction on Saturday afternoon. Starting at 1:00 p.m., cars sponsored by Triangle, ASME Ag. Engineers, Chi Epsilon, Technicians, SAE, IRE. Chemical Engineers and Civil Engineers will attempt to finish the forty one-half mile laps around Kedzie. Hay bales and board obstacles will be placed m the road to make the race more difficult. The climax of the Exposition will be the May Hop, "Blue Moon," an all-university semi-formal dance Saturday night at Kellogg Center. Besides dancing to the music of Tiny Piper, awards will be presented to the winning exhibitors of the Exposition during intermission. During this time the Engineering Queen will be crowned, the prizes for the best student ex- hibits and the Dean's trophy for the most outstanding department exhibits willbe awarded, the outstanding senior engineer will be honored, trophies will be awarded to the winner of the auto race, and new members of the Kinights of St. Patrick will be tapped. Don', miss the 1958 Engineering Exposion. FALLOUT - - - FACTS ABOUT EFFECTS Hazardous nuclear weapon—testing threatens the health and safety of all earth inhabitants .. . T ills entire tree world is currently perched on the precarious fence between defense and de- struction. It is not only the United States that is First to be considered are the immediate hazards of radioactivity to those now living, and second, the long-term genetic hazards to millions still unborn. faced with the problem of imperiling its population The immediate radiation effects range from skin with the effects of radiation hazards produced by burns and radiation sickness, to stress, premature nuclear weapon tests, but every other nation is in- aging, and premature death. These non-genetic effects volved in this fight for freedom and struggle for apply only to the individual receiving the radiation survival as well. and not to his descendants. The increase in the incidence of non-genetic effects is, of course, pro- The question we must now ask ourselves is that portional to the increase in doses of radiation the of a lesser of evils. Can we, as a nation, withstand individual receives. The contention is, however, that the effects of the radioactive materials that are radiation is only one cause for some of these non- (lumped into the atmosphere each time a weapon is genetic effects, and the existence of other causes tested, or must we ignore the dependency for defense makes a definite proportional relationship almost im- the free world has upon the United States so that we possible to prove. may avoid at all costs the consequences of strewing radioactive debris in our own backyards? Ours is Turning now to the long-term hazards, may ir- the dilemma of the undecided gambler. It is this radiation of the genetic materials of the reproductive quandary that forces us to weigh the two alternatives cells, genes or chromosomes, will damage the cells thoroughly and thoughtfully and to trust that, when regardless of how minute the dose. This damage we finally place our bets, we have chosen wisely. prevails in the form of a chromosome break. Chromo- To do this, we must first familiarize ourselves with somes are considered the carriers of heredity and the nature as well as the cause and the effects of normally one chromosome break in 100 cells occurs. radioactive fallout. This is known as the spontaneous breakage rate. How- ever, if this breakage rate increases due to the effects It should be understood that during the course of radiation, a significant number of heredity defects of his life, man involuntarily subjects himself to cer- in our future generations can be expected. The actual tain amounts of radiation that occur in naturally ex- amount of radioactive material required to produce isting materials as well as in the cosmic rays from this defect is questionable, but many scientists have outer space. In addition to this normal dose of radio- agreed that there is no "safe" dosage. active materials, there exists some non-weapon man- made sources of radiation such as radium, radioactive There is no such thing as a nuclear weapon that waste products, and X-ray machines. does not produce some radioactive materials. There are two principal nuclear processes associated with Man's natural life-time exposure to radiation from the energy production of the explosion. The first strontium-90, an H-Bomb radiation product that col- process is that of fission, which is the splitting of the lects in the bones of man, is greater than that en- atomic nucleus into fission products, neutrons and countered from external fallout. These two sources energy. The individual species of fission products of radiation, natural and external, present two biologi- are sources of much radiation. The other process is cal problems to the human race. that of fusion which is the combining of the atomic 20 Carole Frazier, senior from Des Plaines, Illinois. Graduating in Institution Administration. Will start an administrative internship with Eastman Kodak in Roch- ester, New York in July. Activities in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional functions. nuclei into new nuclei, neutrons, and energy. It fol- Even though strontium 90 is considered as a non- lows then, that the part of the explosion energy yield local fallout product, the strontium 90 units from the that results from fission or from fusion processes is local fallout of a one megaton attack could amount directly related to the quantity of radioactive fission to 100 to 300 times the number of strontium units products produced or fusion products produced. considered permissible in the human bone. This level would be one microcurie of strontium per 90 grams Neutrons are always produced in the explosion of calcium or an average concentration of 100 stron- and they induce radioactivity into surrounding ma- tium units. The seriousness of such an attack From terials, but the radioactivity induced from these local fallout alone is apparent neutrons released as fission products is considered to be more dangerous to mankind. There are certain The non-local fallout is considered the more de- characteristics of nuclear weapon explosions that de- layed and widely distributed particles. There seems termine the nature and the amount of the fallout to be a nonuniform distribution of this more wide resulting. These are: the size of the explosion, ex- spread fallout. Local weather directly Influences the pressed as megatons of T.N.T. explosion equivalent, distribution of the non-local fallout to the ground, percentage of total energy resulting from fission pro- For example, rain is one means by which radioactive cesses, the type of detonation (high in the air, under particles are removed from the atmosphere to the water, etc.), and the nature of the surface material earth. From 50 to 70 per cent of the total non-local where the explosion took place, such as water, rock, fallout is expected to deposit in the ocean, since the sand, or coral. oceans cover about 71 per cent of the earth's surface. The question of the uniformity of this non-local fall- Two types of fallout result from nuclear explo- out is an important one. It is imperative that we sions, local and non-local. The local fallout materials know the whereabouts of the fallout in the air and are the larger particles of matter originally thrown where it will come down, both for the sake of avoid- U P into the air by the explosion. These particles fall- ing radiation hazards and for forecasts of future out within a few hundred miles radius within a few amounts of radiation at ground level resulting from days. The immediate effect on man is that of high future testing. level radiation from beta and gamma rays, and iso- topes such as iodine 131, cesium 137, and strontium The non-local fallout products enter into the 90 which may be taken into the body along with earth's processes in a manner consistent with their foods. These effects further produce the acute and individual chemical natures. For example, the stron- chronic symptoms of the non-genetic nature as well tium 90 particles falling to the earth may be present as some of the long term genetic hazards. in upper layers of soil and taken up this way by plants, or it may be directly deposited on the surface The local fallout from megaton size explosions of plants. Either way, the chemical is taken into man's can cover thousands of miles. One megaton equals body through eating these contaminated plants. Once the explosive force of 1,000,000 tons of T.N.T. In in the body, the strontium 90 seeks the bone and addition, it may be stated that multiweapon attacks behaves in a manner similar to calcium. However, of 200 to 300 bombs of megaton size could blanket the body discriminates between the two chemicals one half or more of the United States with lethal (Continued on Page 34) radiation levels from local fallout alone. 21 operator using a specially designed gun. This method of paint application is still in wide use today with very little change, even though with the most skilled operators, it is almost impossible to obtain a coat of consistently uniform thickness and quality. However, to reduce this human factor, automatic spraying sys- tems have been developed. In spray painting a large percentage of material isn't deposited on the object being painted, but escapes as a fine mist into the surrounding air. This by Carl A. Helqulst, Ag. Engineering '59 mist, called over-spray, aside from being wasted paint, settles on walls, floors, equipment, men, as well as objects being painted. It is also a cause of fire, explo- sion, and health hazards. This necessitates ventilated spray booths to keep the air clean. Some of these booths are of a water wash type incorporating a cur- tain of continuously recirculated water. In this sys- tem all the fumes and over-spray must pass through the water. In large installations the over-spray is often re- claimed from the water and sent back to the paint HIGH VOLTAGE FINISHING The application of the electro-static principle is increasing the quality of products while reducing production costs T HOSE of you who notice that the gleaming finish on your new automobile won't stand too close an inspection, or who find thin spots in the paint after manufacturer for reprocessing. Even with the ventilat- ing systems the booths acquire a large build-up of over-spray and must be cleaned frequently. A dis- several polishings, take heart. Certain new painting advantage of ventilated spray booths in a cold climate processes may be the answer to both the consumer's is that such a large volume of air is exhausted that desire for better quality and appearance, and in- heating system capacities must be much greater. dustry's quest for greater manufacturing economies. Another method of paint application that has Considering modern technological advances in in- been used for many years is "dipping." The object dustry, which have brought us engineering marvels to be painted is dipped in a tank full of paint, and and the new so-called "glamour finishes," it is par- any excess paint is allowed to drain off. The nature adoxical that application methods for these finishes of the articles that can be painted in this manner are lag so far behind the other advances in industry. A limited mainly to shapes which allow good drain-off. recent giant stride—"electrostatic spraying "—shows Since the dip tank must accommodate the article to promise of bringing this phase into step with the rest be dipped, this requires a relatively large volume or of industry. paint. In the early days of the automobile industry, An offspring of the dipping method is called "flow- painting was done by hand with a brush. This meth- coating." Here the work passes through on a conveyei od, although considered almost an art, involved much and is drenched with paint pumped through hoses time and painstaking labor with resulting production or nozzles allowing the excess to drain off into a bottlenecks. During the twenties the introduction of reservoir. An advantage of this system over dipping fast drying nitrocellulose lacquers brought about the is that a smaller volume of paint is tied up. This sys- use of spray painting, in which protective coatings tem is widely used in the automobile industry for are applied in a finely atomized mist or spray by an priming hoods, fenders and other automotive parts- 22 Spartan Engineer Carl Helquist started school at MSU in 1950, majoring in Ag. Economics. He entered the Army in 1954, and. after receiving his discharge, worked at the General Motors Proving Grounds. At present he is on a leave of absence to complete work for an Ag. Engineering degree. Until recently, methods of applying protective coating material and no paint reclaim problem. Some coatings in industry were restricted to conventional additional advantages of this method are: ( 1 ) auto- spraying, dipping, and flow-coating. In 1950 a new matic operation which means less labor is required, method of paint application was developed, based on (2) reduction of health hazards, and (3) reduction the attraction of electrostatically charged particles of maintenance and cleaning requirements. to a surface which is at an unlike polarity. There This system is finding wide acceptance in in- are several types of these systems in commercial use dustry, especially with manufacturers who have spe- today. cial painting problems. They may produce articles The earliest method developed uses a conventional of such a shape or size that conventional spraying spray gun mounted in a position so that it is not aimed methods result in an extremely high percentage of directly at the work. A grid or series of wires sus- over-spray, yet which aren't adapted to dipping or pended alongside of the work is charged at an elec- flow-coating methods. An example of this type ol trostatic potential of approximately 100,000 volts. The article might be a small electric motor. It is obvious object to be painted is grounded at an opposite polar- that dipping or flow-coating would result in paint ity. The atomized paint particles pick up a negative getting into unwanted places, yet because of its static charge as they pass through the electrostatic small size a great deal of the spray aimed at the field between the grid and the work and are attracted motor would get past and be wasted. An extreme in- to the work. stance of this type of over-spray can be seen if one visualizes a painter trying to spray a set ol bed On another system an electrostatically charged springs. Most of the spray would pass through the field is created at the ends of the gun. This, in turn, springs. charges the atomized paint which is directed towards the grounded work. Both of these systems use greatly One typical installation which illustrates the poten- reduced fluid and air pressures even further decreas- tialities of the electrostatic spraying system is in the plant of the Regina Corporation in Rahway, New ing over-spray. Jersey. They produce a floor polisher-scrubber and a A third system operates without the use of com- vacuum cleaner. The component parts of these ma- pressed air. A rotating bowl or disc replaces the con- chines are small and difficult to spray-paint without ventional spray gun. Paint, fed at a constant rate to a lot of waste. This company adopted an electrostatic- the bowl is spread out uniformly over the surface spray unit which uses a rotating disc. It was found of the bowl by rotational forces. This bowl or disc is that one unit accomplished the work of eight hand kept at a high electrostatic potential and the work sprayers, gave a more uniform coat, and, although moving past on a conveyer is grounded. The resulting production on some models was up fifteen percent, strong electrostatic field causes the paint to be pulled it used fifty percent less paint. Also, over-spray was from the edge of the bowl in the form of charged nne virtually eliminated, and there were fewer rejects. particles which are attracted to the grounded worK. Similarly, the International Business Machine Cor- Electrostatic spraying results in a smooth, even poration using the same type of system to paint elec- coat of consistently uniform thickness and quality, tric typewriters, found that, along with increased pro- and has the advantage of being able to "wrap-around duction, they could paint three times as many pieces or sprav around corners. The attraction of some par- per gallon of paint as they could with the former ticles is so great that they can reverse their direction hand spray method. Rejects were cut from a high of as much as 180 degrees. Also, in the last method thirty percent to a maximum of three percent. discussed, over-spray is almost completely eliminated. (Continued on Page 37) This means maximum efficiency in the use of the 23 May, 1958 LOCAL GOES NATIONAL by Herb Harman, E.E., '59 Sigma Phi, a local, social engineering fraternity, has b e e n i n s t a l l e d as the Omicron Chapter of Sigma Phi Delta Fra- ternity of Engineers . .. N ATIONAL officers and chapter representatives initiated the Sigma Phi group as the Omicron Chapter of the Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity of Engi- neers on Saturday, May 3, 1958, at Michigan State University. During the past year, the Sigma Phi members and their advisor, Lyle D. Oleson, Department of Applied -Mechanics, encountered and overcame many obstacles for recognition on the campus. On April 30, 1957, a group of engineering students met with Mr. Oleson for the purpose of later petitioning for a charter in Spartan Engineer the Sigma Phi Delta Professional Engineering Fratern- ity. After several such meetings in Mr. Oleson's home, the group met twice a month in Olds Hall of Engi- neering due to the large number of interested stu- dents. On February 26, 1958, the student congress at a regular session granted a temporary charter to the Sigma Phi Engineering group as a professional fra- ternity on the Michigan State University campus. Thus the road was cleared for sending in the petition for charter to Sigma Phi Delta. Included in the peti- tion for charter was a letter from Dean Ryder, Dean of Engineering, indicating his welcome of the pro- posed affiliation of the Sigma Phi Engineers with the national organization of Sigma Phi Delta. Sigma Phi Delta is an international fraternity of engineers founded at the University of Southern California on April 11, 1924. Restricted to engineering students, it is therefore a professional social fraternity. It is a relatively young fraternity, and is thus small insofar as number of chapters and total membership is concerned. Nevertheless, it is well organized, and its chapters are carefully supervised by the national officers and by faculty and alumni advisors. Sigma Phi Delta was organized to promote the advancement of the engineering profession and engi- neering education, to encourage excellence in scholar- ship, and to develop in its members the highest ideals of Christian manhood, good citizenship, and brother- hood. Fraternity activities are organized to promote the above aims, and include professional talks, industrial tours, research, educational movies, and related work. At the present time there are 21 charter members, several pledges, and four advisors. The officers are: Chief Engineer Schuyler Rogers Ass't Chief Engineer Neal Schroeder Secretary Gerald Trabbic Treasurer Gerald Wensloff The future plans of the fraternity are to petition for status as a professional social fraternity on cam- pus. Once this has been granted, the group will ac- quire a chapter house. During the past year, the Brothers of Omicror. Chapter have worked hard to attain their national affiliation. We certainly hope that they continue to work hard "to promote the advancement of the engi- neering education; to instill a greater spirit of co- operation among engineering students and organiza- tions." May, 1958 New Progress Toward Television-on-the- display screen is an important objective of modern electronics research. When such a screen is fully de- Wall Made by Westinghouse Scientists veloped, it will do such things as display radar pic- tures or other information in aircraft, show the ever- A new experimental television display screen— changing air traffic pattern around an airport, or bring brighter than any previously reported and no thicker television-on-the-wall to the average American living than a picture frame—has moved the idea of "tele- room. Recent progress in the development of bright vision-on-the-wall" a step closer to reality. and efficient electroluminescent phosphors leads us Developed by scientists at the Westinghouse Re- to believe that they offer the best approach to such a search Laboratories in Pittsburgh, Pa., the new dis- flat, efficient solid non-vacuum state display." play screen is an important step in efforts to replace Elf Screen Has Advantages the bulky, high-vacuum television picture tube with a flat, bright "solid state" display screen. Dr. Sack described the major disadvantages of the conventional cathode-ray picture tube as: incon- The new Westinghouse display is called an Elf venient size and shape, limited maximum brightness, screen, getting its name from two words: electro- and susceptibility to flicker of the displayed picture. luminescent and ferroelectric. It combines in a single structure an electroluminescent panel—man's newest "In a cathode-ray tube the picture is 'painted' on source of light—and a flexible, built-in storage and the phosphor-coated inner surface of the tube by a control structure' made of ferroelectric materials. beam of electrons which periodically sweeps across the phosphor surface, causing it to glow in accordance Display Screen Needed with information supplied by the beam," the scientist In describing the development, Dr. E. A. Sack, explained. "For television service, 30 such pictures, or manager of the dielectric devices section of the re- frames, are painted each second. Between frames, the search laboratories declared, "A satisfactory solid state phosphor should continue to glow long enough to retain a given image, thus displaying what looks like a continuous picture to the viewer. "Many military applications, however, require fewer than 30 frames per second, which brings on a serious problem of flicker of the picture. This fact, plus the low maximum brightness of the tube, has placed limitations on its usefulness in a variety or situations. "The Elf screen overcomes the problems of low brightness and excess flicker by providing for con- tinuous—not interrupted—excitation of the screen. The built-in ferroelectric cells store and control the in- formation to be displayed. They distribute excitation to the screen in accordance with an applied electrical charge. Once this charge distribution is established, the screen is excited without interrupting throughout the complete frame, or picture. Then the charge dis- tribution is changed to form a new picture. The result is a picture of high average brightness and very low flicker." Present experimental models of the Elf screen are less than a quarter-inch thick and have a bright- (Continued on Page 28) Spartan Engineer KEITH LYNN, B.S.E.E., PURDUE, '52, INVITES YOU TO Spenda daywithme at work" "I'm an Equipment Engineer for Illinois Bell Telephone Company in Chicago. Speaking personally, I find Bell Telephone engineering darned interesting and very rewarding. But judge for yourself." "Well, that was today. Tomorrow will be different. As you can see, I take a job from the beginning and follow it through. Often I have a lot of jobs in various stages at the same time. I think most engineers would agree, that keeps work interesting." Keith Lynn is one of many young engineers who are finding rewarding careers in the Bell Telephone Companies. Find out about opportunities for you. Talk with the Bell interviewer when he visits your campus. And read the Bell Telephone booklet on file in your Placement Office. "Suppose that a thermonuclear device is to be NEW DEVELOPMENTS fired at Eniwetok. At another location, perhaps a (Continued from Page 26) thousand miles away, we have an associate who is to record some scientific data related to the explosion. ness three times that of a conventional television If he is to relate his data accurrately to the event, he screen. The contrast ratio between light and dark- must know exactly—to within a tiny fraction of a areas of the screen is as high as 2(X) to 1. second—the moment when the detonation begins. This world time clock will tell him." Images can be stored on the Elf screen for several minutes or, due to the flexibility of the ferroelectric Time signals are taken from WWV, the radio sta- storage and control, can be changed many times per tion operated by the U. S. Bureau of Standards. These second. The idea of using ferroelectrics for this pur- signals are extremely accurate at their point of origin, pose originated with Westinghouse research scientist, but in traveling great distances around the earth, Dr. P. M. G. Toulon. they develop inherent errors due to many variables: the speed of radio waves, atmospheric conditions There are no inherent limitations of the size of the which vary that speed, the so-called "bounce" or re- glowing Elf screen; in fact, with appropriate electro- flection between earth and sky and certain other con- luminescent panels, a display the size of a window ditions. The world time clock may be set so as to would be easier to construct than one the size of the compensate for these variations and obtain an "ap- usual television picture tube. proximate" time, correct to within a few hundredths Dr. Sack said that a practical form of the Elf of a second. Then comes the task of setting the time screen was still in its early stages of development, exactly, to a split-second. with commercial screens several years away. A prac- "This is done," went on Wilson, "by means of a tical screen, is fabricated by preparing a laminated differential gear and precision gear train, used in con- "sandwich" of electroluminescent and ferroelectric junction with a stroboscopic device. The dial has the layers which have been divided into the many separ- usual hour hand, minute hand and sweep second ate components required to produce a detailed pic- hand; but in addition it has a hand that registers ture. Coarse displays of this type have been made tenths of a second and a milli-second hand. This latter experimentally. hand records thousandths of a second, by virtue of Scanning Problems Not Yet Solved rotation at a speed of 10 revolutions per second around a dial divided into one hundred parts. "The one outstanding feature of the cathode-ray tube which will not be easy to duplicate is the ease "Obviously, no human being could possibly follow of scanning, or signal distribution, inherent in the such a motion with the eye. For that reason, we have tube," Dr. Sack declared. We now regard this as the a stroboscope which creates the familiar optical illu- major problem to be overcome in perfecting the Elf sion of making moving objects appear to stand still. solid state screen. Continuous excitation of the screen This is a special strobe, however. By means of special by means of a system of storage and control was the circuitry, its pulse which is at one-second intervals obvious first step toward a successful device. Now we can be changed so as to be brought into coincidence are attacking the problem of distribution of signal with the time-ticks from WWV in such a manner that information, which is done so capably by the scanning the instrument can be set precisely. Thereafter it acts beam in the cathode-ray tube. simply as a super-accurate stopwatch in timing "We cannot say how soon this phase of our work phenomena." will graduate from its early research stages. Ulti- While it may seem incomprehensible to the lay- mately, we feel sure the problem will be solved, and man that any event need be timed to such precise the Elf screen well may be the long-sought television- standards, the company stated that its engineers are on-the-wall display." working on versions of the clock which will be able to record in the microsecond range . . . millionths of World Time Clock Measures Time a second . . . "because there is an actual need for a world time clock which will offer this order of ac- Of any Phenomenon, Anywhere on Earth, curacy. The major problem that remains is the rapid To the Nearest Thousandth-Second and accurate setting of the clock to world time to microsecond accuracy. This is approaching solution BOSTON-A "world time clock" which measures in the study of very low frequency radio propagation. the exact moment of any event, anywhere on earth, to the nearest thousandth of a second, was described here today by Edgerton, Germeshausen & Grier, Inc. who developed it primarily for use in testing nuclear devices. Germanium Resistance Thermometer The clock was developed to help determine the A germanium resistance thermometer having high exact world time of nuclear detonations but EG&G sensitivity and exceptional stability in the temperature men have foreseen many other useful applications for range near absolute zero has been developed. Once it. Ernest F. Wilson, development engineer, explained: calibrated, this thermometer is reproducible to better 28 Spartan Engineer than a few ten thousandths of a degree at the boiling Requirements for the safe handling and transporta- point of helium (4.2°K) even after repeated cycling tion of large radioactive samples between the reactor from room temperature. Such characteristics indicate core and the "hot cells" of the facility led to the design that this thermometer might be useful for the accurate of the new machine. It will be capable of operating measurement of temperatures in outer space, when at all times under 18 feet of water which is used as mounted in a suitable space vehicle. protective shielding during transportation and storage. Continued emphasis on low-temperature research The machine is about 22 feet long, 6 feet wide has highlighted the need for a thermometer which and 8 feet high. It has been designed to handle ex- would indicate low temperatures accurately and re- perimental containers, or thimbles, 18 feet long and liably, and would not need continued recalibration. 2'A inches in diameter. The thimbles will be moved Such a device would be of great help in low-tem- about 100 feet by the machine along a small railroad perature calorimetric work. The germanium resistance track and then by remote control inserted through thermometer meets these specifications. the bottom of the reactor vessel into the core for test- ing. The heart of this thermometer is a very small "bridge" cut from a single crystal of arsenic-doped Experiments will include testing of various types germanium. Actual size of this bridge is about 0.025" of reactor materials, such as uranium oxide and alumi- x 0.020" x 0.210". Current and potential leads are num alloy, which may be suitable for reactor applica- attached to the bridge, and it is supported in a strain- tions. free manner in a platinum-glass enclosure containing a small amount of helium gas to aid in thermal con- The AtomFair, one of four major activities at the duction. The resistance is determined by measuring 1958 Nuclear Congress, is sponsored annually by the the potential drop when a small (approximately 10 Atomic Industrial Forum. microamperes) known current is passed through the bridge. Germanium can be doped with arsenic to produce a high and fairly constant temperature coefficient of NEW AVIATION FUELS resistance at temperatures near the boiling point of helium. For example, a typical thermometer had a Powerful new aviation fuels to deliver longer range resistance of about one ohm at room temperature, with smaller fuel loads will soon be in use in civilian 14 ohms at 10°K and 216 ohms at 2°K. Both the tem- and military aircraft according to a report delivered perature coefficient and the actual resistance vary in Dallas. Several types of fuel are now in production widely with minute changes in the amount of doping, and others are being considered and tested. making it possible to fabricate a thermometer having R. A. Wells, staff engineer for the Gulf Research any of a wide range of characteristics. Such a thermo- and Development Company, in a paper outlining the meter will retain its calibration despite repeated new types of fuel, noted that they cover the whole cycling from 300°K to 1°K. range of aircraft from conventional piston engines to To avoid excessive heating when measurements liquid-fueled rockets. are being made, the resistance of the thermometer A new high-energy gasoline additive, now in pro- should be kept as large as possible. However, for duction, will give piston engines more power per simplicity in measurements, a low resistance is desir- gallon, thereby enabling commercial flights to increase able. For a specific application, a compromise can either their paying cargo or their flying range. Despite be reached by controlling the doping of the germani- a higher cost for the fuel, Mr. Wells said airlines should realize a net saving in operating cost of ap- um crystal. proximately 3%, not even taking account of anticipated savings in engine overhaul cost. For jet planes pyrophoric fuels (liquids that ignite spontaneously in air) seems to produce much Westinghouse Displays Machine better overall results than any other type tested so For Handling Radioactive Materials far. Three types of pyrophoric fuels under examina- tion are triethyl aluminum (TEA), triethyl boron Picture on Page 6 (TEB), and trimethyl aluminum (TMA). They can be produced in large volume at reasonable prices, A unique machine for handling radioactive ma- said Mr. Wells, and permit the same amount of thrust terials under 18 feet of water and which operates on to be taken from a smaller, less complicated and its own small railroad track was shown for the first more reliable engine than do other fuels. A ram-jet engine that burns pyrophoric fuel has been designed time at the 1958 AtomFair in the International Amphi- for constant altitude target drone or missile applica- theatre in Chicago. tion. It weighs only 18 pounds and can develop a The machine will be installed this year in the volo'city one and a half times greater than the speed world's first industry-owned nuclear materials testing of sound. A $600 engine is possible compared with a reactor now under construction at Waltz Mill, Pa., (Continued on Page 30) about 30 miles from Pittsburgh. 29 May, 1958 electronic imaging tubes. Because of its extreme thin- NEW DEVELOPMENTS ness, electrons traveling through the tube can pene- (Continued from page 2.9) trate the sensitive layers without being interrupted by a supporting structure. price of up to $10,000 for a similar unit using con- Preparing an aluminum oxide film to serve this ventional fuels. purpose is not easy. To work at all, it must be ex- Another advantage of pyphoric fuels is that they tremely thin, but it must also be large enough to virtually eliminate "flameout," a condition in which serve as a miniature screen within the tube. While the the jet engine goes out in thin air, forcing the pilot films themselves have been known for several years, to drop to denser air to relight the jets. Mr. Wells only recently have they been made thin enough and also said that small amounts of these fuels added to large enough to be practical. hydro-carbon fuels have been found to improve burn- ing, reduce screech in rockets and allow more reliable In spite of their delicacy and exactness, the operation at higher altitudes. ultrathin films are prepared by simple techniques which require no unusually precise apparatus. Sadly enough for proponents of their use, said the engineer, pyrophoric fuels have some unfortunate A piece of aluminum foil, free of wrinkles, is characteristics. TEA and TEH arc extremely destruc- pressed flat. The aluminum oxide coating on one sur- tive to living tissue and cause deep burns and scar- face of the foil is removed by rubbing with a solution ring. They ignite spontaneously if accidentally ex- similar to common lye, exposing the aluminum metal posed to air and react violently or even explode in underneath. contact with water and hydrogen compounds. Mr. With the oxide on one side removed, the foil is Wells indicated that packaging these fuels could washed in distilled water, dried, and placed in an eliminate many problems, but that the Navy has not acid solution. The acid "eats" away all the aluminum looked kindly on materials that react with water. metal, leaving only the thin coating of oxide on the The most widely-publicized of all the high energy other side of the foil. This film is washed, dried and fuel programs was started in 1952 by the Navy, joined mounted on a round metal ring of the desired di- by the Air Force in 1955 and resulted in a major fuel ameter. technology breakthrough in the form of a new series Since the ordinary oxide coating on the surface of hydrogen-carbon-boron compounds retaining much of aluminum foil is usually too thin, the scientists of the high energy of borones but with more stability may first "build up" this coating before preparing the and less toxicity. Boron hydrides, as they are called, film. To do this they electrically deposit an additional have a high reactivity, which means that an aircraft oxide film of the foil in an acid solution. By control- can fly higher with less danger of flameout. ling the voltage a perfect coating of any desired thick- Although boron hydrides are 50 times more ex- ness can be prepared. pensive than petroleum-type fuels, they might be used The scientists estimate that their aluminum oxide economically enough in some military planes, espe- films are only from 25 to 50 molecules thick. The cially long-range bombers. These planes require serv- films are almost perfectly transparent and colorless, icing en route to a distant target. By removing the since their thickness is only about one twentieth of need for refueling, as these compounds might, it might the wave length of the light rays passing through be possible to eliminate costly bases, personnel and them. Yet, for their thickness, the films have tre- equipment. mendous strength; they support themselves over rela- tively large surface areas and withstand comparatively large external forces applied to them during their preparation and normal handling. The tensile strength of the films is estimated to be about equal to ordi- Millionth-of-an-lnch 'Rust' Films nary steel. Used in Westinghouse Research Another feature of the films is their unusual uni- Scientists are using aluminum foil-household formity. Measurements show that a film may vary in variety—in delicate scientific experiments and in the thickness over its entire surface by not more than a construction of experimental electronic tubes. single molecule. The measurements are made by inter- ference of light-the same effect which produces the However, the scientists do not employ the com- colors seen in thin films of oil and in soap bubbles. plete foil itself-only about one-thousandth of an inch in thickness. Instead, they discard about 99.9 percent In addition to films of aluminum oxide, the West- of it by chemically dissolving away all the aluminum inghouse scientists report equal success in making metal and saving the thin aluminum "rust" or oxide films of many other materials, including various metals which coats the foil to a depth of less than a millionth and their oxides. Besides being useful in electronic of an inch. devices, the films can be used in research on the basic properties of matter. They represent, essentially, two- The scientists use this film of aluminum oxide to dimensional solid matter-a solid having length and support the layers of sensitive material required in width but no thickness. 30 Spartan Engineer Leave New York at 10:00 A.M. Arrive Los Angeles 7:40 A.M. (Same Day) The X-15, which will fly man higher and faster than he's ever been, will actually glow red like the iron in a blacksmith's forge as it plunges back into the earth's blanket of air. Built of new stainless steel alloys to combat these high temperature conditions, the research vehicle is now being assembled at North American Aviation's Los Angeles, California, plant. It is expected to make its first flight from Edwards AFB early next year as a joint project of the Air Force, Navy and National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. In SKYLINE, a North American magazine re- leased to employees today, the X-15 was described as a "pencil-thin ship with wings like cleaver blades and which has stubs of control surfaces and a ventral fin." "The importance of the X-15 is not only in its role as the first manned craft to probe outer space," the magazine pointed out. "Manufacturing techniques now being worked out on the new metals will set the pattern for future families of airplanes." Chief Engineer Harrison Storms said solving heat problems is the key to the X-15 design. "Temperatures ranging down from about 1,000 degrees to 300 degrees below zero-that of its liquid oxygen-will be encoun- tered by the airplane," he declared. "The X-15 will get as hot as would a normal size bedroom with 80 home floor furnaces going full blast in it!" Storms said the speed of the X-15, which is better than one mile a second, would permit it to fly from New York to Los Angeles and land two and a third hours BEFORE it took off. The pilot could eat lunch and arrive on the West Coast in time for a late break- fast. Special controls will permit the pilot to keep the X-15 on course with wrist motion only because his arms will be pressed tightly into his seat by the tre- mendous "G" forces to be encountered. To keep the airplane in its proper altitude during its flight above the atmosphere, hydrogen peroxide jet streams in the nose and wingtips will be used for the first time. Acting just like jets of steam, they will push the plane in the opposite direction to their force. Because the flight path of the X-15 is expected to take it at least 100 miles high, there can be no explosions once it leaves the earth's atmosphere as there is not enough oxygen to support combustion. In the event of an emergency, the entire cockpit can be utilized as a built-in "escape capsule. This insulated area will protect the pilot from the scorching heat of extreme speed and should his cabin lose its pressure, a tailor-made "space" suit encloses a normal pressure and atmosphere environment. (Continued on Page 34) Men at work...on tomorrow! Young men like Dr. Wayne E. Smith are help- our catalysts are also proving useful in pre- ing to shape the future through research in the paring many other new products. exciting and challenging field of polymers in Dr. Smith received his B.A. in 1951 from the laboratories of Standard Oil. Tarkio College, Tarkio, Missouri, and his Ph.D. In just a few years time, petrochemicals in physical chemistry from the University of have mushroomed into a major industry—and Nebraska in 1955. He is married and has three there is still much pioneering work to be done. daughters. He is active in church work and sports. Specifically, Dr. Smith is working on the Hundreds of other young men with scientific fundamental chemistry of catalysts—an area and technical backgrounds are building suc- in which Standard is a leader. From such basic cessful careers at Standard Oil. Their work is research will come new and useful products helping to make important contributions to for the future. Used in making polyethylene, petroleum progress. We'd like to send you this record! No matter what branch of engineering evaluate in terms of cold facts and figures. you're following—no matter which phase of A company's basic philosophy, for example engineering interests you most—we want ... its attitude and approach to its customers you to know SQUARE D and what we have to and to its working team. offer. Of special interest to you, we believe, The "Human Touch" record we want to is the "human touch" side of our Company. send you deals with some of those intangi- There are some things you simply can't bles —musically. We think you'll enjoy it. NEW DEVELOPMENTS globe are, (4) how the fallout will behave under the different geological and biological conditions that (Continued from Page 31) exist around the world, (5) how the fallout will dis- tribute itself in a human population, (6) whether a 'Gas Light' for Brussels Fair threshold for radiation damage exists or not, (7) and how to arrive at an acceptable maximum permissible concentration of radioactive isotopes in man. It should The combining of hydrogen and oxygen gases to be noted that indefinitely continued testing at some produce electricity will be among the scientific mar- constant rate does not necessarily mean an indefinitely vels to be demonstrated at the Brussels World's Fair. continued rise in radiation levels, for at some level A special exhibit of its fuel cell, which produces the rate of radioactive decay will equal the rate of electrical energy directly from the chemical energy production of radioactivity. This is known as an of gases, was assembled by National Carbon Com- equilibrium level for the constant test rate. pany, here at its research laboratories where develop- ment work on the unique power source is continuing. In spite of the evidence that indicates that further Further improvements have been made in the effi- nuclear weapon testing will constitute a definite ciency of the fuel cell since its announcement last hazard to our future generations, we must consider September, and more compact units are now being it as an alternative course of action. tested. By designing the hydrogen and oxygen elec- trodes, made of specially treated porous carbon, as concentric cylinders to nestle within each other, re- Bibliography searchers have produced a fuel cell that will operate on hydrogen gas and the oxygen in the air, eliminating 1. Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, Summary- the need lor a source of pure oxygen. Although this Analysis of Hearings May 27-29 and June 3-7, method of operation is still far from commercial use, 1957, "The Nature of Radioactive Fallout and Its it is an important milestone in the development of the Effects on Man," Washington, 1957. fuel cell into a commerical and industrial source of power. 2. Libby, Dr. W. F., Letter on Radiation Hazards from Weapons Tests, United States Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, April, 1957. FALLOUT 3. Murray, Thomas E., "Reliance on H-Bomb and Its Dangers," Life Magazine, May 6, 1957, p. 181. (Continued from Puge 21) 4. Simons, Howard, "First Human Cell Studies Show and only the calcium can be used in body metabo- Radiation Limit Off," Science Service Report, lism. The strontium 90 remains in the bones for a August 22, 1957. long time, continually emitting beta rays. These beta 5. Simons, Howard, "Bomb Tests May Cause Bone rays are detrimental to the calcium of the bones and a series of complex biological processes result which Cancer," Science Service Report, August 26, 1957. are ultimately harmful to the organism in varying 6. Simons, Howard, "Russian H-Bomb Test Bring degrees. World Closer to Peril," Science Service Report, The next question is what is considered the maxi- February 28, 1958. mum doses of these radioactive materials that the body can handle. It should be pointed out that no dose is considered absolutely safe, regardless of how small it is. There are, however, certain levels of radi- FLYING HIGH ation that can be tolerated. Just what these levels are have not yet been determined, but Dr. Curtice L. (Continued from Page 13) Newcombe of the Navy Radiological Defense Labora- tory in San Francisco has warned that 70,000,000 tons does quite a bit of meandering, traveling from Rio of radioactive material spread over the earth is a de Janeiro in the winter to Patagonia in the summer. theoretical "safe" limit. He further estimated that So a new factor has been added to weather fore- about 50,000,000 tons have been released in United casting. If this jet stream can be utilized effectively States tests to date, with no method for calculation of the number of tons that have been strewed aloft for long range forecasting it will be of great benefit to by Russian tests. a great many people. Farmers would like to know months ahead about the weather; to cut down on Forecasting the consequences of future weapon cattle herds, for example, if pastures are going to dry testing is difficult and uncertain for several reasons. up, or to arrange for irrigation for truck farms. City These points of uncertainty are: (1) what the future officials would appreciate specific warnings of severe testing pattern will be as well as the kind and loca- snows that clog traffic and of long droughts that tion of the testing, (2) what the degree of non- endanger water supplies. Industries would like to uniformity of fallout in the atmosphere really is, (3) lay plans around advance knowledge of abnormal what the storage times in different parts of the atmos- weather. phere and in different geographical regions of the (Continued on Page 36) 34 Spartan Engineer Elbowroom for a man of ideas By elbowroom, we mean room for you to grow. As a man engineers (chemical, mechanical, electrical). A new book. thinking about his career, you naturally want to join a "Allied Chemical and Your Future." tells where a man company that gives you the chance to develop and use of ideas can find elbowroom. Why not write for a copy? your talents to the fullest. The Allied interviewer can also answer your questions. To begin with. Allied makes more than 3,000 different Your placement office can tell you when he will next products . . . with new ones coming along every year. visit your campus. There's room for growth for chemists, chemistry majors, Allied Chemical,Dept.C-2.61 Broadway, New York 6. N.Y. ductility problems are severe when the percent of the FLYING HIGH hard phase is increased to such a level that strength (Continued from Page 34) requirements at high temperatures are met. It is often difficult, if not impossible, to form these cermets in a The benefits to the airlines will be tremendous conventional manner. Recently there has been success when this Forecasting is perfected. The planes will in producing micronsize particles of pure aluminum be able to cut down flying time by hours and cut fuel oxide that are spherical in shape. A definite increase COStS Up to 30'/. Already there are some automatic in ductility of cermet-like materials is observed when devices being used to find the jet stream and to keep spherical particles are used as the hard phase within the plane in the swiftest flowing part of it. The jet a metallic matrix. A large amount of scientific effort streams are now being studied with sounding balloons in the United States is being placed today on the that arc tracked by radar. Undoubtedly many other study of the nature of ceramics. The real break- methods will soon be found to study the jet streams. through in the science of materials will come with the development of ductile ceramics. As we know them presently, ceramics have excel- METALLURGY lent high strength characteristics, but tend to suffer from the shortcomings of low fracture resistance and (Continued from Page 15) a highly brittle nature. Very long single crystals of magnesium oxide, tested experimentally by Dr. E. R. completely. The metal, hafnium, was able to absorb Parker at the University of California, at Berkeley, neutrons readily and still maintain its structural have shown up to 20% ductility. strength under neutron bombardment. Because hafni- um was also a metallurgical unknown another inten- Dr. John H. Holloman, Director of Metallurgy sive research and development program had to be and Ceramics for the General Electric Company, started. The reactor used 32 hafnium rods for con- recently stated that advancement in the age of metal- trolling the atom splitting, or fissioning process. lurgy and a better utilization of metals will come about as there is developed an increased understand- Each of some 20,000 individual welds was X-rayed ing of the kinetics of transformation and how it con- to make sure the entire primary water system was trols alloy structure. The development of polymers impervious to leakage. Stainless steel has proved to will play an important role in the future. Along with be one of the workhorse materials of construction for this, the control of the location of atoms will lead to atomic power plants because of its relative economy, a better understanding of the properties of materials. high strength and corrosion resistance. Extremely pure Dr. Holloman predicted that the next age of metal- water circulates under 2,000 pounds per square inch lurgy will be the control of atomic structure and not pressure at a rate of 18,000 gallons per minute through microstructure and stated that of the total learning each of the four main coolant loops into heat ex- effort in the world of science only 4% is in the field changers. The temperature is 525°F. The large 18- of metallurgy. inch main coolant valves, which are made of stain- less steel with walls 3 inches thick, can take emerg- Within the past few years, very small crystals of ency overloads of 3,000 psi differential pressure. tin and iron that can undergo as much as 10% strain without permanent set have been isolated. The crys- Rear Admiral H. G. Rickover, Chief of Reactor Development for the U. S. Atomic Energy Com- tals were perfect. Metals with strengths exceeding mission, has stated, "It is a common belief that atomic 1,000,000 psi are possible, although there is no reason- power development is primarily the province of the able probability, at present, of having enough such nuclear physicist. Nothing could be farther from the material and having it in such size that we can build truth. The main problem is with materials and equip- machinery of it. ment . . . that must conform to exacting standards. Metallurgical engineering places a great deal of Practical atomic power cannot be achieved by rou- tine methods. The whole level of engineering design, emphasis on the properties of materials, rather than materials, inspection and training must be raised on the material itself. Specific materials may be in or significantly above present levels." out of fashion, but the significance of properties change slowly if at all. A concentrated effort to increase the service tem- perature of metals has occurred during the past 10 Those engineers who have a firm foundation or years. However, efforts to exceed a service tempera- understanding about the properties of materials will ture of 1600°F have had small success. The need be better equipped to solve the problems of the fu- for materials that have an adequate service life above ture. There is no doubt that the engineering student this temperature is accute and radically different tech- of today will be called upon in the years ahead to niques and concepts will be required if we are to solve problems that his professor could not even break through this temperature barrier. imagine. Cermets offer one possible solution. Cermets are The student of metallurgy has an expanding op- a class of dispersion hardened materials that com- portunity for research and development of new alloys bine ceramics and metals and in which, by definition, and related materials. The frontiers of the science of 30% by volume is the hard or dispersed phase. The metals and materials offer a real challenge. 36 Spartan Engineer START TODAY TO PLAN TOMORROW By knowing about some of the projects underway at the Babcock & Wilcox Company, an engineer may see his personal avenues of growth and advancement. For today B&W stands poised at a new era of expansion and development. Here's an indication of what's going on at B&W, with the consequent opportunities that are opening up for engineers. The Boiler Division is building the world's largest steam generator. The Tubular Products Division recently introduced extruded seamless titanium tubing, one result of its metallurgical research. The Refractories Division developed the first refractory concrete that will withstand temperatures up to 3200 F. The Atomic Energy Division is under contract by the AEC to design and build the propulsion unit of the world's first nuclear- powered cargo vessel. These are but a few of the projects — not in the plan- ning stage, but in the actual design and manufacturing phases — upon which B&W engineers are now engaged. The continuing, integrated growth of the company offers engineers an assured future of leadership. How is the company doing right now? Let's look at one line from the Annual Stockholders' Report. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME (Statistics Section) (in thousands of dollars) 1954 1955 1956—UNFILLED ORDERS (backlog) $129,464 $213,456 $427,288 HIGH VOLTAGE FINISHING their prime objectives, but achieved a saving of $1.8] per body in paint and labor. Studebaker increased (Continued from Page 23) their maximum production rate from 80 to 170 car bodies per hour. There was also a saving of almost The fact that automobile companies have not only 37,000 cubic feet per minute of ventilating air for the shown interest in electrostatic spraying but have spray booths—amounting to a substantial heat savings. actually adopted it in some instances for the painting of car bodies, indicates that this process isn't neces- After the primer-surfacer is baked dry in an oven, sarily limited to the painting of small production it is wet-sanded until it is smooth. In the sanding parts. process as much as 11/2 mils in thickness is removed. The former method permitted an applictaion of only The Fiat Motor Car Corporation, in Italy, has 1/2 to 2 mils in thickness, whereas electrostatic spray- adopted the system using the charged wire grid for ing provided a uniform thickness of from 2 1/4 to 3 applying the finish coat to the body of their cars. mils. This additional film thickness permitted a thor- The body moves on a conveyer into the spray booth, ough sanding without any danger of leaving "cut- at which time the guns are automatically turned on, thin" or bare spots. Due to the more uniform and the body is painted, and the guns turn off. The re- heavier coating, six less sanders and four less putty sults have been excellent. men were needed. In this country, the Studebaker Corporation was To the user of this new method came advantages one of the first to use electrostatic spraying. They through its decreased material and labor costs, re- adopted the same type of system as Fiat to apply duction of health and fire hazards to a minimum, and primer-surfacer to their bodies in 1953. The company a resultant finished product of greater sales appeal. had decided that to improve the finish on their cars, The consumer benefits by these many advantages in a heavier foundation coat would be necessary. At the the use and possession of a product of superior qual- same time it was necessary to increase their produc- ity, appearance, and durability, in addition to the tion rate. It was found through the use of the elec- possibility of a lower cost effected through the sav- trostatic spray method that they not only attained ings to the producer. 37 May, 1958 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Why Vought Projects 35 Allied Chemical & Dye Corp. Bring Out The Best 43 Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. In An Engineer 4 American Gas Association At Vought, the engineer doesn't often forget past assignments. Like all big 27 Ameiican Telephone and events, they leave vivid memories. Telegraph Co. And it's no wonder. 31 A. W. Faber-Castell Pencil For here the engineer contributes to Co. history-making projects — among them the record-breaking Crusader :37 Babcock & Wilcox Co. fighter; the Regulus II missile, chosen to arm our newest nuclear subs; and 38-3!) Chance Vought Aircraft the new fast-developing 1,500-plus- mph fighter, details of which are still 9 Douglas Aircraft Co., Inc. classified. 1 Dow Chemical Co. The Vought engineer watches such weapons take shape. He supervises ** Eastman-Kodak Co. critical tests, and he introduces the 5 The Garrett Corporation weapons to the men with whom they (Airsearch Mfg. Co.) will serve. General Electric Co. Engineers with many specialties share these experiences. Today, for exam- 2 General Motors Corp. ple, Vought is at work on important projects involving: 10 Ingersoll-Rand Co. electronics design and manufacture 44 International Business inertial navigation Machines investigation of advanced propulsion 8 International Nickel Co. methods Much 5 configurations 11 Kerite Cable Vought's excellent R&D facilities 3 Northrop Aircraft, Inc. help the engineer through unexplored areas. And by teaming up with other 42 The Rand Corp. specialists against mutual challenges, the Vought engineer learns new fields 40 Sikorsky Aircraft (Div. of while advancing in his own. United Aircraft) * * * Would you like to know what men :S2 Standard Oil Co. (Indiana) with your training are doing at 33 Square D Co. Vought. . . what you can expect of a Vought career? 41 Timken Roller Bearing Co. For full information, see our repre- sentative during his next campus visit. * U. S. Steel Corp. * * * Or write directly to: C. A. Besio Supervisor, Engineering Personnel Dept. CM-4 * Inside front cover ** Inside back cover *** Back cover 38 Spartan Engineer The Aircraft Designer Who Went to Sea... IT WAS A ROUTINE CRUISE For six days the designer shared quarters with Navy for the Bon Homme Richard. fighter pilots and had coffee with maintenance men. But for Wayne Burch, it was a memorable climax He studied aircraft spotting and catapulting, and he to months of hard work. Aboard the carrier with learned the sign language of the LSO (Landing Sig- the Chance Vought design specialist was the white- nal Officer). He marveled at the fingersnap timing lacquered fighter he'd worked on so long. of the Navy's deck handlers and at the Bon Homme Richard's mid-voyage refueling of two bobbing destroyers. Wayne had joined the Crusader dayfighter project in Preliminary Design, on alighting and arresting Wayne calls it "one of the most enjoyable weeks gear. He'd transposed his initial drawings into detail of my life" . . . and, as other sea-going Vought design and, later, he'd watched his gear pass jig and engineers have discovered, "one of the most profit- aircraft drop tests. At the Navy Test Center, the able, too. Crusader's gear absorbed maximum sink speeds and "Now I know the pilot's job, what maintenance arresting tension, and Burch once more was there. wants . . . how really big the operation is. "It's something you don't get if you stick too close Now, Navy pilots on the Bon Homme Richard were to design. taking the Crusader to sea, and Burch was going "I guess you'd call it perspective." along. This time his assignment was simply to watch, and this time the Crusader was to be just part of At Chance Vought the designer stays in touch the picture. Vought wanted him to experience carrier with his product . . . Contact begins in development, extends through test and includes, when possible, life and to see how his new weapon fitted in. For a study by the designer of the tactical environment Wayne, whose sea log began and ended with one in which his weapon will serve. day's fishing from a 20-foot launch, it promised to be an eye-opening voyage. better forget it! No engineering position worth getting can possibly offer you a "free ride". The old rules still apply: a successful career depends on the amount of ability you have and on the capacity of a company to make good use of that ability. Sikorsky helicopters have amply demonstrated our capacity for putting engineering talent to constructive use. They are the most versatile, most widely used rotary-wing aircraft in the world today. The hole that couldn't be made will be 20 miles long T HE Philadelphia Electric Company set out to build a revolutionary new power plant ruinous to boiler efficiency. A super alloy steel was needed, but no one had ever succeeded in seamless superheater tubes of the size shown above. It's another example of how Timken Com- that would squeeze more energy piercing such steel into tubes pany metallurgists solve tough out of fuel than ever before. This without developing internal steel problems. meant harnessing the highest flaws. WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT combination of pressure and Combustion Engineering Co., STEEL OR JOB OPPORTUNITIES? steam temperature ever achieved designers and builders of the For information about fine steel, in a central station—5,000 psi. boiler, gave the problem to send for "The Story of Timken and 1,200° F. Timken Company metallurgists. Alloy Steel Quality". And for help The boiler superheater tubes The problem was to make the in planning your future, write for "BETTER-ness that carry this steel will glow red steel with all the alloys in just and Your Career hot 24 hours a day, year in, year the right balance to produce at the Timken out. If made from the alloy steels piercing quality steel. Company". Just customarily used, the tube walls Thru metallurgical research, drop a card to The Timken Rol- would have to be so thick that no they achieved the proper balance ler Bearing Com- mill could pierce it. So thick that of alloy elements that made it pany, Canton 6, heat transfer losses would be possible to pierce 20 miles of Ohio. ...on science and research "In every field of science, advances in knowledge are unlike research, at the frontiers of the specialties, are too forcing more and more specialization. As disciplines broad in their implications and too complex in detail to become narrower and their interactions harder to dis- be solved by any expert working alone. The researcn cern, communication among specialists becomes more team, uniting the diverse skills of many specialists, and difficult. At the same time, the relevance of political, using the best mathematical tools — theoretical and com- economic, and social factors in the broad application putational — is probably the most successful means of of physics, chemistry, and mechanics to major practical discovering realistic, timely, and original solutions to problems is increasingly evident. Many such problems. important problems of public welfare and security. - F . R. Collbohm, President Pump-turbine design is now the work . . . Wafer conditioning chemical, service, and hydraulics/ the field . . . of John Jandovitz, equipment specialist in Houston is new BSME graduate of College of City of New assignment of Arthur Brunn, BS Chem. E., York, '52. University of Tennessee, '56. Field sales engineering of America's widest range of industrial products is choice of Roy Goodwill, BSME, Michigan State College, '54. Starting up a cement plant in Mexico after coordinating all work on it is latest job of John Gibson, BS Met. E., University of California, '54. T H E R E ' S variety at Allis-Chalmers. Whether you're thinking in terms of types of industries, kinds of equipment, types of jobs, or fields of work, Nucleonics is chosen field of R. A. Hart* field, BME, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, '53. Currently he is working on design and the diversification of Allis-Chalmers provides un- development of new nuclear power plant. surpassed variety. For example: is available for those with sufficient background. An outstanding training program, started in 1904, Learn more about Allis-Chalmers and its train- is designed to help you find the activity within ing program. Ask the A-C district office manager in these groupings for which you are best suited. Up to two years of theoretical and practical training your area or write Allis-Chalmers, Graduate Train- are offered. Direct employment at Allis-Chalmers ing Section, Milwaukee 1, Wisconsin. FIGURING OUT A CAREER? Selecting a career can be puzzling, too. Here's how Sherman Francisco found the solution to his career problem—at IBM: "Airborne computers present a special challenge to an engineer, because systems must be planned and designed with flight in mind. Through simulation studies, we test computer systems right in our own labs — simulating both the dynamics of the aircraft and the environmental conditions encountered. My biggest thrill? To see my first simulated bombing mission, achieved after a year and a half of planning and designing!" • * * • There are many excellent opportunities for well-qualified engi- neers, physicists and mathematicians in IBM Research, Develop- ment and Manufacturing Engineering. Why not ask your College Placement Director when IBM will next interview on your cam- pus? Or, for information about how your degree will fit you for an IBM career, Mr. R. A. Whitehorne JUST W R I T E T O : I B M C o r p . , D e p t . 8 5 3 590 Madison Avenue New York 22, N. Y. Project: Inspect rotor tip jets for a whirlybird Hiller Helicopters wanted facts on the fuel spray pattern of a ram-jet engine whirling at speeds up to 700 feet per second. Photography got the job. HEN HILLER HELICOPTERS of P a l o AltO, Cal. photography will play a part in improving prod- W —a pioneer in vertical take-off aircraft— developed a rotor-tip ram-jet engine, they knew ucts, aiding quality control and increasing sales. the fuel spray would be subject to high air velocity and centrifugal force up to 1200 G's. Would the fuel spray be deflected outward and cause the jet to lose thrust? They wanted to know. So they set up the camera with its fast eye to catch what otherwise couldn't be seen. And they learned the right angle of air intake and nozzle to obtain the greatest power. Using photography in research is an old story with Hiller-—just as familiar as using it for improving public relations. It's an example of the way photography plays many important roles in modern-day industry. In whatever work you do you will find that Interview with General Electric's W. Scott Hill Manager — Engineering Recruiting Qualities I Look For When Recruiting Engineers Q. Mr. Hill, what can I do to gel the A. Not long at all. If a man joins a field has a much better idea of what mott out of my job interviews? training program, or is placed direct- he wants to do. This helps us decide ly on an operating job, he gets where he would be most likely to A. You know, we have the same succeed or where he should start his question. I would recommend that assignments which let him work up to more responsible jobs. We are career. Many students have had to you have some information on what work hard during college or sum- the company does and why you be- hiring people with definite consider- ation for their potential in either mers, to support themselves. These lieve you have a contribution to men obviously have a motivating make. Looking over company in- technical work or the management desire to become engineers that we formation in your placement office field, but their initial jobs will be find highly desirable. is helpful. Have in mind some of the important and responsible. things you would like to ask and try Q. Do you feel that a man must know to anticipate questions that may Q. How will the fact that I've had to exactly what he wants to do when he is refer to your specific interests. work hard in my engineering studies, being interviewed? with no time for a lot of outside activi- Q. What information do you try to get ties, affect my employment possibilities? A. No, I don't. It is helpful if he during your interviews? has thought enough about his in- A. This is where we must fill in be- A. You're concerned, I'd guess, with terests to be able to discuss some tween the lines of the personnel all the talk of the quest for "well- general directions he is considering. forms. I try to find out why partic- rounded men." We do look for this For example, he might know whether ular study programs have been fol- characteristic, but being president he wants product engineering work, lowed, in order to learn basic motiva- of the student council isn't the only or the marketing of technical prod- tions. I also try to find particular indication of this trait. Through ucts, or the engineering associated abilities in fields of science, or math- talking with your professors, for with manufacturing. On G-E train- ematics, or alternatively in the more example, we can determine who ing programs, rotating assignments practical courses, since these might takes the active role in group proj- are designed to help men find out not be apparent from personnel rec- more about their true interests be- ects and gets along well with other fore they make their final choice. ords. Throughout the interview we students in the class. This can be try to judge clarity of thinking since this also gives us some indication of equally important in our judgment. Q. How do military commitments affect ability and ultimate progress. One your recruiting? Q. How important are high scholastic _ good way to judge a person, I find, grades in your decision to hire a man? A. Many young men today have is to ask myself: Would he be easy military commitments when they to work with and would I like to A. At G.E. we must have men who graduate. We feel it is to their ad- have him as my close associate? are technically competent. Your vantage and ours to accept employ- grades give us a pretty good indica- ment after graduation and then ful- Q. What part do first impressions play tion of this and are also a measure fill their obligations. We have a in your evaluation of people? of the way you have applied your- limited number of copies of a De- A. I think we all form a first im- self. When we find someone whose partment of Defense booklet de- pression when we meet anyone. grades are lower than might be ex- scribing, in detail, the many ways in Therefore, if a generally neat ap- pected from his other characteristics, which the latter can be done. Just pearance is presented, I think it we look into it to find out if there write to Engineering Personnel, helps. It would indicate that you are circumstances which may have Bldg. 36, 5th Floor, General Electric considered this important to your- contributed. Company, Schenectady 5, N. Y. 959-8 self and had some pride in the way the interviewer might size you up. Q. What consideration do you give work experience gained prior to graduation? Q. With only academic training as a background, how long will it be before A. Often a man with summer work I'll be handling responsible work? experience in his chosen academic