Automobile Engineers On A
Year of Progress The Institution of Automobile Engineers held a demonstration of the past year's research work at its premises near Brentford, on the-Great West Road, recently. The interest of the work was largely technical and somewhat esoteric, but there were certain points of interest to the general motoring public, and some embryonic developments which may have significance in years to come. For example, one- strident has been working on squeaking brakes for a year.
The number of manufacturers and operators affiliated to the union has risen in the past yean from 220 to 253. There has also been an increase in the amount of the Government to the institution., This grant advances as the contributions of affiliated members advance, and total expenditure in the year has exceeded £15,000.
'Members of the institution consider that the most valuable work of the' year has been done' on cylinder wear and the wear and crdeking of bearings; other researches have been on gear durability, cold starting of petrol engines, and lubricating oil consumption. The investigation of cylinder wear suggests that the use of light oil lengthens the life of a cylinder at a small extra expense, much wear being due to corrosion But, in the experience of many research workers, the problem of wear and cracking of bearings now overshadows that of cylinder wear. Work on two big-end testing machines has been carried on continuously in order further to discover the effect of varying temperatures and the vis-comity of oil, and to find out how different bearing metals stand up to wear and tear. In_ bri the past year's work of the institution has been, mainly directed towards the evolution of an automobile engine which will last longer.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.