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Engineers and industrial growth
by anyone engaged at the forefront of composite technology who wishes to keep himself up to date with what is happening in the USA, although one would suspect that such a person would already have had access to much of the information in this volume. It is certainly not recommended reading for anyone not in the forefront of composite technology who wishes to inform himself in general terms as to the current state of play, because the individual topics are too widely scattered and, as has been said, there is no linking editorial matter. There is reference, in the very brief introduction, to a keynote address, but it is impossible in reading the book to discover which this keynote address was.
ENGINEERS AND INDUSTRIAL GROWTH Goran Ahlstr6m Groom Helm Ltd., 2 - 10 St. John's Road, London SW11 Price : £10.95 This massively researched and slim book of just over 100 pages should be of interest to anyone who has read the first three chapters of the Finniston Report* and wishes to dig deeper into the reasons for the industrial failure of the UK in the last 100 plus years. It should also be read by those who regard the UK's industrial future to be of importance. Since there is no institution, body or group either in being or projected who has a dominating interest in the health of industry, and the population at large is massively indifferent; it is unlikely to be widely read or find a place upon the shelves of many libraries. The book studies the structure and development of the engineering profession in France, Germany, Sweden and Britain over the last 200 years, and comments on educational, cultural, social and organisational matters. It makes four points. First, that the educational system and the education of engineers has a major influence upon industrial performance. Secondly, that engineers' education and their subsequent deployment is culture dependent. Thirdly, that the UK, compared with the other three countries, is the odd man out by believing that engineering is for 'practical' rather than 'intelligent'
425
men. Fourthly, that for nearly 150 years these issues have been debated in the UK but action has always been too late, too little, and of too low a standard. The work arose from the author's remit as a consultant to the British Department of Industry in their engineering Professions Project 1975 1977. For an Englishman the book is a depressing read and one is bound to reflect, as one puts it down, whether anything has changed. We continue to debate and make miniscule and futile attempts to improve; and meanwhile the projected level of five million unemployed by 1985 draws nearer as idiot politicians pretend that the problem is amenable to solution through short term budgetary or fiscal policies. * Engineering our Future - London HMSO Cmnd 7794.
FAILURE ANALYSIS - The British Engine Technical Reports compiled by F.R. Hutchings and P.M. Unterweiner Published by American Society of Metals 1981. Price £50.50. This book is a collection of case histories of failure investigations and reviews of metal failure modes selected from the 'Technical Reports' published by British Engine Insurance Ltd of Manchester, England. Reports spanning a period from 1952 to 1978 have been helpfully grouped under four main subject headings. 1. Environment-related failures. II. Design/processing-related failures. III. Materials-related failures. IV. Service-related failures. Further subdivision into headings such as Fatigue, Misuse of Welding, Brittle Failure, etc., plus an index are further proof of a considerable and worthwhile effort to make the reports more useful to those concerned with the investigation or prevention of failures of engineering plant and equipment. The value of these and similar failure analysis reports put out by other Insurance Companies has long been recognised by failure investigators who jealously horde these reports in their personal filing cabinets. Hence the book form should be particularly welcome to those organisations wishing to become part of 'the many
(who) should profit from the misfortune of the few', the stated aim of the book. The reports vary in length from 2 pages failure analyses to a 36 page technical review of 'Some Common Stress Raisers in Engineering Parts' written originally in 1957 but as relevant today as it was then. The standard of writing is an example to all technical report writers and a reminder to many of us that this is a fast declining craft. The review of Cavitation Damage to Diesel Engine Liners (pp 472-476 first published in 1968) is an excellent example of how to make a complex subject intelligible and interesting to the non-specialist. The book, like the original reports are liberally illustrated with photographs of failed equipment and components. Some of the photographs betray the age of the original reports but most of the conventional pictures and optical micrographs are adequate for the purpose intended. Disappointingly but perhaps significantly the striking 3-D scanning electron microscope pictures of fracture surfaces are absent. Does this reflect the age of the reports, most of which predate the widespread availability of scanning electron microscopes? Alternatively it may reflect either a lack of enthusiasm of failure investigators for new techniques or the adequacy of a good pair of eyes backed up by optical microscopy. A similar question may be asked about the absence of case histories involving Fracture Mechanics. Brittle failure case histories are included but no-where could I find reference to fracture toughness or critical defect size. In contrast terms such 'notchbrittle state, crystalline structure Izod impact values' are common. Does this simply mean that no suitable case histories illustrating the concepts of fracture mechanics were available? Or are fracture mechanics inapplicable to most of the failures investigated by Insurance Companies? Such questions are but a hint at minor reservations about the publication. The price of £50.50 may seem high to some but compared with prices charged for other compilations of already published work recently reviewed this book is excellent value for money for anyone involved in the business of engineering failure investigation or prevention. Whether 'the many shall (or will) profit from the
MATERIALS IN ENGINEERING, Vol 3, APRIL 1982
ENGINEERS AND INDUSTRIAL GROWTH Goran Ahlstr6m Groom Helm Ltd., 2 - 10 St. John's Road, London SW11 Price : £10.95 This massively researched and slim book of just over 100 pages should be of interest to anyone who has read the first three chapters of the Finniston Report* and wishes to dig deeper into the reasons for the industrial failure of the UK in the last 100 plus years. It should also be read by those who regard the UK's industrial future to be of importance. Since there is no institution, body or group either in being or projected who has a dominating interest in the health of industry, and the population at large is massively indifferent; it is unlikely to be widely read or find a place upon the shelves of many libraries. The book studies the structure and development of the engineering profession in France, Germany, Sweden and Britain over the last 200 years, and comments on educational, cultural, social and organisational matters. It makes four points. First, that the educational system and the education of engineers has a major influence upon industrial performance. Secondly, that engineers' education and their subsequent deployment is culture dependent. Thirdly, that the UK, compared with the other three countries, is the odd man out by believing that engineering is for 'practical' rather than 'intelligent'
425
men. Fourthly, that for nearly 150 years these issues have been debated in the UK but action has always been too late, too little, and of too low a standard. The work arose from the author's remit as a consultant to the British Department of Industry in their engineering Professions Project 1975 1977. For an Englishman the book is a depressing read and one is bound to reflect, as one puts it down, whether anything has changed. We continue to debate and make miniscule and futile attempts to improve; and meanwhile the projected level of five million unemployed by 1985 draws nearer as idiot politicians pretend that the problem is amenable to solution through short term budgetary or fiscal policies. * Engineering our Future - London HMSO Cmnd 7794.
FAILURE ANALYSIS - The British Engine Technical Reports compiled by F.R. Hutchings and P.M. Unterweiner Published by American Society of Metals 1981. Price £50.50. This book is a collection of case histories of failure investigations and reviews of metal failure modes selected from the 'Technical Reports' published by British Engine Insurance Ltd of Manchester, England. Reports spanning a period from 1952 to 1978 have been helpfully grouped under four main subject headings. 1. Environment-related failures. II. Design/processing-related failures. III. Materials-related failures. IV. Service-related failures. Further subdivision into headings such as Fatigue, Misuse of Welding, Brittle Failure, etc., plus an index are further proof of a considerable and worthwhile effort to make the reports more useful to those concerned with the investigation or prevention of failures of engineering plant and equipment. The value of these and similar failure analysis reports put out by other Insurance Companies has long been recognised by failure investigators who jealously horde these reports in their personal filing cabinets. Hence the book form should be particularly welcome to those organisations wishing to become part of 'the many
(who) should profit from the misfortune of the few', the stated aim of the book. The reports vary in length from 2 pages failure analyses to a 36 page technical review of 'Some Common Stress Raisers in Engineering Parts' written originally in 1957 but as relevant today as it was then. The standard of writing is an example to all technical report writers and a reminder to many of us that this is a fast declining craft. The review of Cavitation Damage to Diesel Engine Liners (pp 472-476 first published in 1968) is an excellent example of how to make a complex subject intelligible and interesting to the non-specialist. The book, like the original reports are liberally illustrated with photographs of failed equipment and components. Some of the photographs betray the age of the original reports but most of the conventional pictures and optical micrographs are adequate for the purpose intended. Disappointingly but perhaps significantly the striking 3-D scanning electron microscope pictures of fracture surfaces are absent. Does this reflect the age of the reports, most of which predate the widespread availability of scanning electron microscopes? Alternatively it may reflect either a lack of enthusiasm of failure investigators for new techniques or the adequacy of a good pair of eyes backed up by optical microscopy. A similar question may be asked about the absence of case histories involving Fracture Mechanics. Brittle failure case histories are included but no-where could I find reference to fracture toughness or critical defect size. In contrast terms such 'notchbrittle state, crystalline structure Izod impact values' are common. Does this simply mean that no suitable case histories illustrating the concepts of fracture mechanics were available? Or are fracture mechanics inapplicable to most of the failures investigated by Insurance Companies? Such questions are but a hint at minor reservations about the publication. The price of £50.50 may seem high to some but compared with prices charged for other compilations of already published work recently reviewed this book is excellent value for money for anyone involved in the business of engineering failure investigation or prevention. Whether 'the many shall (or will) profit from the
MATERIALS IN ENGINEERING, Vol 3, APRIL 1982