From The Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science,Vol. 9, No. 3 (Aug., 1943)

While the government has taken the lead in making war-store producers conscious of the pressing need for conservation, the manufacturer is encouraged to solve his own problems, suggest changes in design and material substitutions. This is in direct contrast with the policy in the United States, where a body of technical men in government service screen requisitions, make changes in specifications and design, and instruct the manufacturer accordingly. The results of the initiative and efficiency in many Canadian war plants are impressive. Some examples, taken at random, will illustrate what is being accomplished in this country.

[See speech of Mr. Lionel Chevrier in the House of Commons, June 15, 1943 (unrevised Hansard, pp. 3723-5).]

The body of the Bren Gun is made from a steel forging. It was found possible to redesign the forging dies to produce a forging nearer to the finished shape. This has resulted in an annual saving of 1,200,000 pounds of stainless steel, thus saving a large amount of chrome which is scarce ; 10,000 man-hours were saved in the machining of this one part. The dollar value of the saving on this item is $125,000.

A small catch on the Bren Magazine was originally designed to be built up with welding rod, then machined to shape. It was found possible to accomplish the same purpose by three press operations, saving annually 198,000 pounds of welding rod, $39,000 in oxygen and acetylene, 515,000 man-hours. Ten machine tools were eliminated from the operation. The value of the saving is $329,000.

The bipod assembly of the Boys Anti-Tank Rifle was redesigned to substitute malleable iron castings for steel forgings, steel tubing, and bar stock. The annual savings on this programme amount to 771,600 pounds of steel forgings (and forging capacity is critical), 72,000 pounds of seamless steel tubing (which is scarce and has to be imported), 164,500 pounds of bar steel, 477,600 hours of labour, and 77 machine tools. The annual saving is valued at $1,780,000.

The fuse for the 25-pounder shell was originally machined from brass bar stock. Brass calls for copper, which is in extremely short supply. The fuse was redesigned to be made from zinc die casting, resulting in an annual saving of 44 million pounds of brass bar stock, 906,000 man-hours, and 15 machine tools, valued at $6,500,000.

On one type of steel ammunition box, changes in production technique and materials have saved annually 241.5 million rivets, 442,400 man-hours, and 64 machine tools valued at $438,000.

The 25-pounder gun axle was changed from a machined steel bar weighing 4,521 pounds, to seamless steel tubing, weighing 263 pounds. The annual dollar saving is $150,000, represented by 226,800 pounds of steel, 34,000 man-hours, and 5 machine tools.

On the Anson aircraft various sheet aluminum parts have been replaced with plywood, saving annually 240,000 pounds of aluminum and 541,000 man-hours, valued at $1,469,000.

Hundreds of successful changes have been made in the Universal Carrier. An example is the track sprocket which was originally rough flame cut from steel plate and partly finish-machined all over. The sprocket is now centrifugally cast steel. The only machine operations are boring the hole for the shaft and drilling a few small holes. The annual saving in plate-stock is nearly nine million pounds, and 725,000 hours of labour are saved. The total annual saving is valued at $1,720,000.

Another example of substantial saving in metal is that of the small steering knuckle on military trucks. It was originally a green sand casting un-trimmed, weighing 69.75 pounds. By changing this item to a centrifugally spun casting, the weight has been reduced to 39 pounds. Two and one-half million pounds of metal have been saved per year.

The Ram Tank cupola assembly has been changed so that the cast armour and fabricated steel parts are now incorporated in the cast hull. This change has saved 2,232,000 pounds of cast armour and fabricated steel, as well as over 88,000 man- and machine-hours. The annual value of the saving is $930,000.

A final example will serve to illustrate the scope of the conservation work which is being done. This is a case involving the packing of motor vehicles for overseas shipment. A change was made in the manufacturing of the truck which made closer packing possible. A study was made of the construction of the packing case in order to make the best use of lumber and nails, both of which are scarce. The result has been an annual saving of 28 million cubic feet of shipping space, 3,635 freight cars, over two million dollars in nails and lumber, and a million dollars in labour.