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T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E N G I N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y
calcium-and f o r m s o d a s a l t s i n solution, which are t h e n c o n c e n t r a t e d in o p e n p a n s t o crystallization gravity. The solutions a r e t h e n allowed t o crystallize, a n d t h e crystals are either recrystallized t o increase t h e p u r i t y or freed of excess m o t h e r liquor b y centrifuging.
( b ) Direct causticization relieves t h e p l a n t a n d reduces the cost by increasing t h e speed o€ o u t p u t . This m a y b e accomplished either b y t h e use of caustic
cool slowly. fates.
TI,
KO.8
T h e later prussiate crystals c a r r y sul-
SUMMARY
T h e above is merely i n t e n d e d as a n outline of procedure i n a manufacturing process s t r e n g t h e n e d as a result of our war needs. T h e flow sheet following m a y serve t o m a k e t h e process more clear.
soda o r s o d a ash acting directly on t h e lixiviated mass. Of course t h e “fines” a r e k e p t s e p a r a t e f r o m t h e C R Y Voi ~ r , N o9 The treatment and filtration of the water used in the boilers was also taken care of by Chemistry and Test Department C-Analysis of flue gases in cooperation xith the steam department on boiler test
mg factory methods I will give you a few typical exomilks of what has been accomplished in the past .md the development of new ones
r'ia 9-B~&c;n
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I)---By cwperatian with the Hammond Laboratory of Yale University we trained one of our chemists to he a specialist in metallurgy and metallography. During his course of study he worked upon the standardization of our different mixtures, which included complete phys: ical tests. sclerascor~tests. and crvstal counts of all om different anneals This enabled us to match very clo.iclv. as to temDer and physical properties, any metal thnt was It also gave us an insight into the rca and failures ~nmanufacturing operations, and cnablcd us to apply the proper remedy to avoid these failures in the future No hard and fast rulcs can be laid down for standsrdrzing metal ~n brass manufactizrc bccauce 01 the fact that diffment mdls use drffererit rolling and annealing schedules Therefore, each manufacturer will hsr-e to prepare his own standards vlI-PnOTOCRXPHY A-Photographs of machines and maclime parti B-Photographs for half-tones for catalogues C--Photographs of buildings and machines i n the ~ o ~ i r01r con5truction D-Photographs of accidents in connectton with lioqxtal work This also rncluded prints from X ray photorraphn VIII-INSPECTIOY
pet one to take care of the work which had accumulated in ten turned over to the s a last resort thr tire y and Test Departmeiit for a penod of two A thorough investigation was weeks the fire gilding was done by the writer I found that a lot of the operatmns w r e unnecessary and that the conditions were unhcalthy
AND CONTROL OD FACTORY
A 4 o n t r o l of annealing pioblemi h n example control of the anneal on gilding metal used for primers
WAS
the
B-Circulatin
the Chemistry and Test Department Daily samples were also taken of the ditch water used for power purposes, and alkalmrty, mlor, and turbidity determinations made xn order to control the properties of the ditch water that tend to scale formations in the boilers.
Fro IO-Mnm LABOQ*.I(IIIZ
A pyrometer and clock were installed and a new mercury condenser put in. The old one saved less than 30 per cent of the m e w y while the new one saved 75 per cent.
were changed, with thc result that in the last six years %,e have experienced very little trouble, produced better work, and increased OUT output at half the cost. The present fire gilder was a clerk who knew nothing about fire gilding but was trained by the writer. Rules to avoid mercury poisoning have hecn posted in the fire gilding room. and the fire gilder has heen given rubber gloves and all necessary precautions have been taken to make this a healthy occupation. How effective the change in methods and the new mercury condenser have k e n is shown by the fact that during 1gr5 we did 2 s per cent more fire gilding than in rgrq, and yet we only used two flasks of mercury where we formerly used five. In finishing brass articles that have a dip finish it is necessary to remove the scale by dipping in a scaling dip, consisting of a mixture of muriatic acid, oil oI vitriol, and aqua fortis. Consiilerable metal is lost in this operation. Formerly the baskets filled with brass articles were taken from the scaling dip and rinsed in running water, nhich ran down the sewer. Experiment showed that it would pay to save the copper in solution. Instead of rinsing in running water, the baskets were rinsed in still water and when the solution had become conccutrateri enough, it was drawn off, and rotated iii a set of stone crocks with an iron and coke couple, and the copper prec cement copper. We obtained about ISOO Ibs. of this material per month, which ran between 66 and 70 per cent copper. In the plating room we have succeeded in speeding up the brass, coppci. and nickel plating solutions, and in cutting down the maintenance by analyzing all solutions once a week for metal contciits, frce cyanide, etc.
pressed in ounces per gallon and the amounts of chemicals to be added were all figured out and added under chemical supervision. This scientificcontrol instead of the old rule of thumb method has made for a better and cheaper product. Results obtained on our nickel plating illustrate this point. By toning up the old nickel baths containing sulfuric acid and double nickel salts with single salts, boric acid, and common salt we have heen able to reduce the time of deposit very materially and obtain a whiter and better nickel. On certain articles the time of dcposit on the old solution varied from iorty-five minutes to an hour and a half. In the new solutions the same articles were plated in ten to twenty minutes. Beforc we speeded up the nickel solutions the plating room was using a battery of seven tubs to plate the articles and were obliged to work thirteen hours a day and then could not fill the orders. With the new solutions -Ne used four out of the seven tubs, workcd tcn hours a day, and had no difficulty in keeping nhend of the work. Sometimes considerable opposition is met in developing substitutes. It is then advisable to await a more favorable opportunity. The lollowing will illustrate this point: About iwo years ago expcrimcnts wcre carried out 'with niter cake as a substitute for oil of vitriol in pickling brass, bronze, etc. It was found with the proper temperature and concentration the niter cake was just as cheap and effective as the oil of vitriol. Being a radical change and contrary to the usual practice, it did not meet with general approval. It was, therefore, decided not to adopt it a t that time hut to wait for the psychological moment. This arrived in the last part of December 1915, with the freight embargo, and the shortage of oil of vitriol.
During the winter and spring of 1915 metal with mtor cake Without our knowledge of the merits of the ntter cake as B pickling agent we would have been obliged to qhut down our plant, as it W A S imposnblr to obtain sufficient oil of \Itno1 for our purpmes CO~PGRATION
here
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must get together wlth the other fellow In Introducing these changes in the plant. the chemlst must be prepared to meet more or less opposition It IS one of the natural tendencies of human ilature to resent the introduction YOU
of any new ideas that tend t o modify or replace processes of long Cooperation between the management arid the chemist on standing. the one hand, and between the chprnist and the suyerinte!idi,nts, After the change is made if anythiug goes wrong in that deforenmi, arid erriphyees on the othci are absolutely ~~c'cc~sary partment the new idea is invariably blamed for it, whether or to the successful cwryiug out of reseearch work. not there is any direct coiineetion. To overcome lhis natural In a great many instances the attitude of executives to changcs resentment and introduce changes with the lesst amount of and improvements advanced by scientific men has been one of friction requires considerable tact, patience, and knowledge of hostility and disbelief. The Seovill Manufacturing Comiiany human nature. is fortunate in having a t its head men who thoroughly underThe most satisfactory means in OUT experience has been the stand and sympathize with scieutific rcsearch. power of suggestion. When about to makc changes in a process Cooperation is the ability to organize, to get together. This or to introduce a new one, one should talk over with the foreman coirpcration should be founded ou a sane basis. The following or superintendent in charge, as well as the workmen, the benefits of the change, and get their ideas on the subject, and if possistory will illustrntc this: A visitor to a state asylum for the insane was walking over ble gct them t o make the suggestions. It is well known that the grounds half a mile from the main building when he Eame by continued reiteration a statement eventually becomes more across an attendant in charge of twenty patients. This attend- orlcssfixed and magnified in the mind of the person who makes ant was a small man, maayof the patients were big men. The the reiteration, until the person really believes that the condition comparison aroused the visitor's curiosity. He joined the attend- said to exist does exist. I n this way the interest in the new change is aroused and once ant in a stroll and among other questions he asked, "What is to prevent those men getting together and overpowering you? get a man or group of men to belicve the idea is theirs and they You admit that you are unarmed and there is no help within will work as hard for the success of the undertaking as they would against it if their conperation was not sought. a mile."
Aug.9 1919
T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D E R G € N E E R I N G C H E M I S T R Y
F I G . 13-PHYSICAL
TESTING DEPARTMENT
Before sending a chemist out into the plant, I try to impress upon him the fact that he must be humble, and that i t is far better t o adopt the attitude that he knows nothing about the subject to be investigated than that he knows it all. I n this way he will gain the confidence of the workmen and in many cases often be able to obtain a valuable practical suggestion. If this paper has succeeded in starting a train of thought showing the possibilities open to the brass chemist, and the urgent need of cooperation between the chemist and the management and in turn the cooperation between the chemist and the superintendent, foremen, and workmen throughout the plant, it will have served its purpose. SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT
GERMANY’S INDUSTRIAL POSITION By RICHARDD. ZUCKER
Received June 20, 1919
This paper covers in a broad way Germany’s entire industrial position, from before the war to the present time, and also includes a brief consideration of the future. The sources of the information are several, the principal ones being my personal observations of mail censorship reports, of Germany’s industrial position, of which I prepared daily summaries for a period of several months, and also my personal observations in various parts of the occupied territory. I have hesitated in making any fast, prophetic statements regarding the future, and have confined myself principally to the various possibilities. For the purpose of comparison, certain facts must be given in regard to Germany’s former industrial position. All industries being closely related in many ways, what applies to one directly will usually have its effect on another. Therefore, although the facts set forth here deal partly with the chemical industry, they also apply to the entire industrial field, and cover the situation in a general way. The pre-war supremacy of Germany along industrial and commercial lines is too well known to US t o necessitate any details being mentioned regarding it. And the fact that, in a large degree, this war was waged with a view to increasing their com-
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mercial connections and extending their control over a greater amount of territory, cannot be denied. It has, however, resulted in their great industries being brought t o a practical standstill. This, indirectly the result of the war, was directly brought about by three main causes : ( I ) The ever-increasing shortage of raw materials, (2) the great difficulties offered t o all lines of transportation, ( 3 ) labor troubles. All three of these are very closely related, in so much as the existence of one is capable and in many instances did produce both of the others. For example, one of the great shortages, which has caused so many plants t o shut down, is that of coal. Although there are immense deposits of coal in the Ruhr district, Saar Valley, and Silesia, nevertheless, labor troubles, started by Spartacists, Bolshevists, etc., caused transportation and production to be stopped, which, in turn, closed the supply of fuel and what little raw material there was available t o the various industries. Germany’s dependence upon other countries for so much of her raw materials has placed her in a precarious position. She has no important copper, tin, or nickel deposits. Whereas, before the war she lead the world in the production of aluminum, now the United States alone produces over one-half. We, and Canada, have a natural advantage over her in our large deposits .of bauxite. Previously, Germany imported vast quantities of it from the Province district in France. I t is doubtful if she will be able to do this in the future, because agitation is already on foot in France for the government to make stricter export laws on this material. She can obtain lead in fairly large quantities from galena deposits in the Harz mountains, Mechernich and Call in the Eifel district. Zinc is very plentiful in the Upper Harz and in Upper Silesia and Aachen. Formerly Sweden exported about three million tons of steel every year to Germany. Naturally this was greatly diminished during the war. Now even the production of Germany’s own mines amounts to very little.’ Cotton, rubber, gums, essential and vegetable oils must also he imported in large quantities. Flax is cultivated to some extent in Germany, but a t the present time only about 5 to 6 per cent of the mills of the linen industry are in operation. This year’s crop of flax will amount t o practically nothing. Seed is difficult to obtain and the farmers are not planting much because they can see no method of disposal, and in many cases no labor can be had. I read in one trade journal that, on account of the great oversupply of copper, cotton, rubber, textiles, etc., in the United States, we would be compelled to export them to Germany in order to dispose of them, They evidently expect the exports to commence with the lifting of the blockade, and also look for a big reduction in prices. They particularly mention that they want to import the raw materials and not the manufactured goods. This is so that their idle plants may once again be set in operation and employment given t o those out of work. Transportation difficulties arose from many different sources. The blockade between the occupied and the unoccupied territories, enforced by the Allied Armies of Occupation, played a big part, especially during the first months of occupation, when it was extremely difficult to obtain permits to export and import necessities, etc., from the left Rhine territory to unoccupied Germany, and vice versa. Later on the restrictions on certain raw materials and special classes of goods were made lighter, and it was possible for some plants to keep in operation through these means. For example, a t one time a large quantity of raw beet sugar was permitted to be sent from the unoccupied zone to the left Rhine territory, where most of the refineries are located. It was on the condition that a certain large per cent should be kept for distribution in the occupied country. Another factor in the transportation trouble was that of the diminu1 D e t a i t regarding this will be found i n a contribution from Corporal Zucker concerning German industries in THISJOURNAL, 11 (1919), 487.
