Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1912 — ADVANCEMENT OF THE AUTO. [ARTICLE]

ADVANCEMENT OF THE AUTO.

“To the advancement of the automobile, more than any other industry, we owe the present high rate, of development and high grade of new form of steel,” said M. J. Hammers, general manager of the Abbott Motor Car Co., of Detroit, Mich. oW desired more strength the designer simply added more material and more weight. This Is not so today, for if anything he inust lessen the weight while doubling the strength.. This was not possible to do in tho construction of the automobile for weight was one of the moat importent factors, and through the experiments made necessary to cut down the weight of the automobile have arisen many of the most important discoveries in the treating of metal. “If the automobile designer desired to Increase the strength of a certain part of the car, he set about changing the molecular structure of the steel so that its elastic limit was increased three-fourths. This he did by heat and the addition of other metal, like chromo, nickel or vanadium. “A few years ago these metals were little known or used in the industries, and were to be found only in the laboratories. Today they are a staple product and are used in springs, shafts of almost every automobile. These and other alloy steels will stand a strain of 2,000,000 pounds per inch, and can be bent and twisted to an extent never dreamed of. Aluminum solder is now a realization. Autogenieus welding has been a common practice through the advent of the automobile. “These and other advancements are all the result of automobile development.”