INSTRUMENTATION by Ralph H. Müller
Automation has economic a n d social implications E modern analytical chemist has T Hlittle need t o be reminded of t h e extent t o which automation has influenced his field. The ease with which he can record a polarogram or fractionate a dozen components in a vapor-phase chromatograph or record t h e infrared absorption spectrum may lead him to forget t h a t these chores, requiring a matter of minutes, often required days of effort and attention only a few years ago. Automation conferences are held, here and there, several times a year. The technical aspects of automation are well understood by chemists, physicists, and engineers, and almost every conceivable operation or process can be automated, if the need and justification are established. The economic, social, and possibly political implications of automation are by no means as clearly understood or defined. These questions have been "kicked around" b y experts from all walks of life with the generation of much heat, a n d occasionally, light. What seems to be a curious a n d persistent anomaly is the extent to which highly advanced technology is hopelessly and intimately bound u p with archaic practices a n d addictions. W e all like to recall t h e humor of Darius Green and his Flying Machine. With everything in order, and prepared for flight, he donned a heavy iron p o t for a helmet—and came t o grief. A few weeks ago we awaited t h e a r rival, at a Southwestern airport of a relative from N e w York. T h e giant transport thundered in, late t o a degree which would call a hurried conference of executives if this were a railroad. T h e few passengers disembarked within a few minutes. I t then required 35 minutes t o move eight pieces of light luggage 100 yards (we paced it off) not t o t h e parking area, but t o a luggage counter. I n this time an old DC-3 could fly from New York to Philadelphia and jet transport could fly from London to Milan (neglecting take off and landing). Most travelers would concede t h a t it is interesting and romantic t o ride in a "rickshaw" in Tokyo or Kobe, or to hail the top-hatted driver of a barouche at the Plaza for a sedate drive through Central P a r k . B u t t o alight from t h e
engineering marvel of a four-engine transport carrying hundreds of pounds of electronic communication and navigational equipment a n d then wait for a coolie to trundle baggage is neither romantic n o r conducive t o speedy travel. If we are n o t mistaken, Goodyear is prepared to supply moving belts which will transport tons of ore over mountains and across valleys. We almost had our comeuppance a little later when our relative left for the return trip. At an adjacent airport his luggage was lifted from t h e weighing rack and placed on—of all things—a moving belt! I t disappeared through swinging aluminum panels. Wo dashed out t o see what was happening. T h e moving belt terminated just outside the wall, where the luggage awaited an attendant. I t is a m a r k of civility a n d character t o have faith and trust in one's fellow man, b u t t h e average layman, and even some scientists, has an instinctive distrust of the machine. A fair question would seem to be—"What kind of machine a n d what kind of m a n ? " All machines are designed and built by man, and if t h e process is accompanied by carelessness, indifference, or to use a technical term, "goofingoff," then failure or malfunction is assured and t h e layman is once more vindicated in his opinion. The recent development of direct dialing of long-distance numbers is a triumph of communication science. I t involves advanced switching theory, automatic hunting for available channels, radar links, Boolean algebra, logic, and a dozen other resources. We were eager to t r y it and collect some data. We called New York late one night for a 2100-mile test. Watching the sweepsecond hand on a wrist watch, t h e results were as follows. Time to get t h e local operator—2 minutes a n d 29 seconds. Time for the automatic dialing system to ring the number in New York —8 seconds! I n mathematical circles, computer experts are chuckling over some recent developments. F o r a long time it has been a custom t o check malfunction of equipment or improper encoding on the part of the operator by treating an answer b y solving for the implicit func-
tion. This is similar to.checking a division by multiplying quotient a n d divisor to reproduce the original dividend. Recently computers have been fitted with circuits which automatically "object" to chores which are impossible, irrelevant, or downright silly. Thus if an operator plugs in a large number and selects zero as a divisor, t h e m a chine will u t t e r a "hee-haw" or otherwise indicate that it is highly disinclined t o r u n forever t o produce t h e quotient of infinity. Scientists seem to be more inclined than others to recognize human frailties and shortcomings (particularly their own) if one is t o judge by the popularity of such slogans as T H I M K or P L A N AHEAD. I t would be foolish and erroneous to assume t h a t they have a better sense of humor or h u mility than others, b u t it does seem t o indicate a consistent recognition of human error a n d faulty judgment. After such self-examination they are willing t o examine t h e machine—and "may well find malfunctioning. T h e young bridegroom's injunction-—"Darling, don't drive t h a t nail with t h e flatiron—use your head," is not without its point. Such contemplation of man and machine can, in the end, terrify us all because some of t h e mechanical behemoths which we construct make almost inhuman demands upon the operator. To some, it spells degradation and t h e subservience of a human being t o an unfeeling monster. We like to think of the great triumphs of the human mind when it is devoted to the writing of a sonnet, t h e composing of a symphony, oi painting of a masterpiece. Some of the triumphs of science and technology are equally beautiful and inspiring. To t h e extent that our machines require attention or operation by human beings, the demands for intelligence, care, and responsibility are in direct proportion t o t h e complexity of t h e system. With all t h a t is being said about education, and what we have failed t o do about it, it would seem t h a t our need is n o t solely for more engineers or scientists b u t rigorous, intellectual discipline t o enable the individual t o survive the rigors of his environment. VOL. 30, NO. 12, DECEMBER 1958
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67 A
INSTRUMENTATION
Now with
ONE Λ instrument
Measure C14 and H 3 activity to 10
12
Curies
Measure electrical properties: detect 1 0 17 a m p s ; 2 0 m i c r o v o l t s ; • and make a variety of other precise measurements Besides being the most accurate, convenient and inexpensive instrument for determining C 14 and H 3 , the CARY Model 31 may be used to perform a variety of other tasks in the laboratory. FOR E X A M P L E , T h e 3 1 may be used a s :
l]^V
• A sensitive detector for beta and gamma radiation. May often serve as a substitute for geiger or proportional counters. • A spectrometer for measuring alpha energy in t^ie presence of substantial beta and gamma emissions. • A monitor for gamma background, surface alpha contamination, or air contamination. • A DC amplifier for semi-conductor studies, pH measurement (detects changes to .0005 p H ) , insulation leakage measurements, determination of grid currents on vacuum tubes and many other measurements of electrical properties. So, if you are considering instrumentation to perform these tasks, investigate the CARY Model 31. Its versatility, reliability, speed and compactness will save time, money and bench space.
FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION PHONE OR WRITE FOR DATA FILE A11-128
APPLIED 68 A
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P H Y S I C S C O R P O R A T I O N -2724 SOUTH PECK ROAD · MONROVIA,CALIFORNIA For further information, circle number 68 A on Readers' Service Card, page 97 A
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
That environment, for better or worse, is technically complex. To our way of thinking, automation is in order for dull, repetitive opera tions or when great economic improve ments can be achieved. When the health and safety of the public are in volved, it would seem that we cannot possibly have too much automation, and there is no possible moral excuse for substituting insurance schemes for the most advanced technology which can be brought to bear on the prob lem. The degree to which machines can be made to "fail safe" is limited largely by the cost. It is inhuman as well as impossible to expect second to second attention of a man, because the most pardonable lapse can lead to dis aster. Automation has infinite possi bilities but it cannot escape the con sequences of ignorance, carelessness, or indifference. If some of us still fear the machine, we do well to recall Goethe's remark that "there is nothing quite as terrifying as ignorance in action." Temperature Controller
The familiar Pyro-Vane temperature controller now has a more sophisticated descendant, the Pyr-O-Volt controller. In the older type, the millivoltmeter pointer carried a thin circular aluminum vane which moved into the plane of two pickup coils. The position of the latter could be set at the desired con trol point. The coils formed part of the tank circuit of an R. F. oscillator. If the moving vane entered the plane of the coils no more than a few thou sandths of an inch, oscillations would cease, the plate current would rise and, through the agency of a second tube, would close a relay. The latter would operate a power relay and shut off the furnace heat. Although very compact and sensitive, the arrangement is im proved in the later model. The Minneapolis-Honeywell Pyr-OVolt controller has no contacts or re lays. A tapered vane is carried by the pointer, and this progressively inter cepts light in a light source-phototube arrangement. The phototube forms one leg of a Wheatstone bridge circuit. ' An other leg provides manual reset ad justment. The bridge output is stepped up by a transformer to operate a mag netic amplifier. For smooth control of large heating currents, this output is fed to the control winding of a saturable reactor, the output of which feeds the furnace directly. In contrast with the relay (on-off) type the newer controller offers uniform temperature control with a minimum of overshoot. Further details appear in manufacturer's Spe cification S-103-5.
