STANDARDISATION.

Northern Advocate, 30 January 1922, Page 5

STANDARDISATION.

AUSTRALIAN MATERIALS,

COM PR E HENSIVE PLANNING,

MELBOURNE, Jan. 21.

To arrange for the standardisation of materials manufactured in Australia. the Institute of Science and Industry has arranged for a conference of interests concerned to meet in Melbourne on February 5. The Australian Institution of Engineers, the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Australian Chemical Institute, and the Institute of Science and Industry will be represented at the conference. It is claimed by the officials of the institute that important progress has already been made in standardising the materials manufactured in Australasia, and three standard specifications have been issued dealing respectively with steel used for constructional purposes and railway and tramway rails. It is considered desirable, however, that some representative organisation should be established to direct the movement. Substantial agreement has aready been arrived at regarding this organisation, but there arc still one or two outstanding points of difference with which the conference will deal. The actual work of preparing the standard specifications will, in each case, be carried out by a committee of experts representing the manufacturers, consumers, and technical experts. The Commonwealth -and States Baihvay Commissioners are cooperating in the movement. The main objccts of standardisation are to obtain the intcr-changeability of parts, to enable mass production to be undertaken, to effect improvements in workmanship and design, and, by concentration of effort to expedite delivery and reduce maintenance charges and stores. It is considered that the possible saving from the national point of view will run into millions of pounds annually.