As you know, we have been running our Training Department for about
five weeks only, hence we are not in position to give you any
definite information as to the value of it, etc., but from what we
can see it will be undoubtedly a great help to us, because all the
unskilled help go to the instructor before being put into the shop.
Those who have had some experience are put into the shop, with the
instructor to give them detailed information for as long a time as is
necessary, and to teach them the important parts of the work in hand.
This, as you can imagine, is more difficult in this shop where we do
not manufacture large quantities than it would be in a shop where
there was a uniform operation, such as there would be on shells, and
work of that kind.
We have taken cabinetmakers and taught them to run boring mills;
blank book salesmen to assemble units for our SURFACE GRINDERS;
shoemakers to assemble units for SURFACE GRINDERS; carpenters to run
turret lathes, and plain helpers or sweepers to break in on Surface
and Floor Motor Grinders.
We also have a number of women in the shop whom we have taken in
without their having any previous experience in machine work, and
taught them various operations, such as broaching, bench work,
drilling, turning bevel gears, vise work, cutting long threads, and
work of a similar nature, and have found them very satisfactory on
this class of work.
We have endeavored to teach them the rudiments of this work before
putting them on to regular production work, but after they master
the first part of it, all the work that is done is on a regular
production basis, and we have found in a great many cases that they
have been able to reduce the time taken per piece to a very marked
degree over what has formerly been taken by men.
I send herewith eight photographs of our operatives that have been
broken into skilled work of various kinds throughout our shop, that
has previously been done by men skilled in the particular line
involved.
We think that some of these are almost remarkable, when we consider
what our attitude was two years ago on work of this kind, refusing
absolutely to put anyone on who had not been skilled in the
particular line involved.
(Signed) WINFIELD W. BLAKEMAN,
_Superintendent_.
[Illustration: Assembly of our caliper device used in connection with
our high-power vertical-surface grinder, for fine measurements on
parts being surface ground.
Done by “a man 63 years old, a shoemaker by trade, who has been
on this work since June 27, 1918, and has learned in that time to
completely assemble these delicate instruments, making the proper
adjustments, lapping and doing a quality of work that passes a rigid
inspection.” Blanchard Machine Co.]
[Illustration: Thread-cutting operation on a feed screw for our
surface grinder, which is made from a forty-carbon steel, is 26½
inches long and has one-quarter inch pitch acme thread about
two-thirds of its length that must be a close fit in a bronze unit.
Done by “a young lady, who has been on this class of work since May
9, 1918, has been able to take these screws from the rough stock,
turn them to grinding size and finally finish cutting the thread in a
time that is less than was formerly taken by skilled machinists. We
think that this is one of the most remarkable jobs done by the women
in our shop, as this work requires very careful attention and unusual
skill.” Blanchard Machine Co.]
[Illustration: Assistant Inspector. Blanchard Machine Co.
Done by “a young girl of twenty years, who has been assistant
inspector since April 29, 1918, and while she does not understand all
the technical phrases used in connection with, work of this sort,
there is a very large percentage which is merely routine, and if it
does not pass the gauges provided she refers it to another man to put
on production work.”]
[Illustration: Machinist. Operation of Turret Lathe. Blanchard
Machine Co. Done by “a young man, carpenter by trade (not in draft),
having no previous experience on machinery but by keeping a uniform
line of work going through this machine, and giving him careful
instructions, he is able to almost equal that of a skilled operator.
He has been in our employ since January 9, 1918.”]
[Illustration: Finish turning of steel bevel gears to accurate
dimensions, using compound slide and producing a quality of work that
will pass the most critical inspection.
Done by “a woman who had no previous experience on lathes and came to
work in June of this year.” Blanchard Machine Co.]
[Illustration: Graduating of the segment plates used on our
high-power vertical surface grinder. It calls for the use of an index
head and making every fifth line three-sixteenths of an inch longer
than the balance of the lines in the section, using a gauge shown on
the front of the machine for this purpose. Blanchard Machine Co.
DONE BY “a young lady who had a small amount of experience assembling
on automobile starters before she came to work for us on June 24,
1918. By setting up the machine and not giving her too difficult
jobs, she is able to about equal the time taken by the average man.”]
[Illustration: Jig drilling on a 20-inch upright drill that has
previously been done by men. Blanchard Machine Co.
DONE BY “women operatives who are usually able to practically reach
the time taken by the men on this work. In a few cases where the men
have had a longer period of experience they have been able to improve
on the time taken by the women. A great deal of this work calls for
drilling and tapping, as well as counterboring and spot facing.”]