View allAll Photos Tagged Manufacturing_process
At the heart of future rocket engines lifting off to the Moon or Mars could be a 3D printed combustion chamber. Multiple NASA centers partnered with Virgin Orbit to develop and test a uniquely manufactured rocket part.
Virgin Orbit air launches rockets carrying small satellites to space. The company partnered with NASA experts in combustion and additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama; Glenn Research Center in Cleveland; and Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Their goal: to create a 3D printed combustion chamber that combines multiple materials and takes advantage of cutting-edge manufacturing processes.
Here, Engineers test-fire a 3D-printed rocket engine combustion chamber at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Image Credit: NASA/Virgin Orbit
Arnhem, the Netherlands
Re-post, I found this car parked near why I lived at that time. The shot is taken on May 27th 2010 but really loved the angle and background so I wanted to share it with you, again for some of you.
Truly great luxury sports cars are few and far between. In a world where innovation is all too often hampered by compromise, pure performance is a rarity available only to the genuinely discerning. Designed as the ultimate driving experience, the Aston Martin DBS bridges the gap between road and track – DB9 and DBR9. Equally at home on a twisting mountain circuit as on the open road, the DBS is a true thoroughbred.
The Aston Martin DBS is a 6.0-litre V12 powered, race-bred, two-seater shaped by the aerodynamic demands of high performance, with an exquisite interior that marries beautifully hand-finished materials with the very latest in performance technology. A combination of elegant design, innovative manufacturing processes, race-derived materials and components and Aston Martin’s unrivalled hand-build expertise makes the DBS a luxury sports car without equal.
When I walked to the supermarket this morning i stumbled on this gorgious Aston Martin. She stood on the sidewalk on a little bridge and was just screaming to get some shots taken of her.
The Aston Martin DBS is the most beautiful Aston in my opinion, I really love the combination of classic and atletic lines.
Industrial Loco No 5 at rest on the High Level Railway, serving the mighty blast furnaces of Appleby Frodingham Steelworks Scunthorpe 3rd September 2022. Another of the locomotive fleet can be seen with a loading hopper in the distance along this short piece of railway infrastructure. Three out of four of the huge blast furnaces can be clearly seen in the centre of the picture. This photo was taken from one of the brakevans which had been pushed up the incline onto this railway by a diesel locomotive operated by the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society who have a presence on the Steel Works site. The locos on this line continually load up the operating blast furnaces with raw materials for the manufacturing processes in steel making.
A green leaf is green because of the presence of a pigment known as chlorophyll, which is inside an organelle called a chloroplast. When they are abundant in the leaf's cells, as they are during the growing season, the chlorophylls' green color dominates and masks out the colors of any other pigments that may be present in the leaf. Thus the leaves of summer are characteristically green.[6]
In this leaf, the veins are still green while the other tissue is turning red. This produces a fractal-like pattern
Chlorophyll has a vital function: that of capturing solar rays and utilizing the resulting energy in the manufacture of the plant's food — simple sugars which are produced from water and carbon dioxide. These sugars are the basis of the plant's nourishment — the sole source of the carbohydrates needed for growth and development. In their food-manufacturing process, the chlorophylls themselves break down and thus are being continually "used up". During the growing season, however, the plant replenishes the chlorophyll so that the supply remains high and the leaves stay green.
In late summer, as daylight hours shorten and temperatures cool, the veins that carry fluids into and out of the leaf are gradually closed off as a layer of special cork cells forms at the base of each leaf. As this cork layer develops, water and mineral intake into the leaf is reduced, slowly at first, and then more rapidly. It is during this time that the chlorophyll begins to decrease.
Often the veins will still be green after the tissues between them have almost completely changed color.
The impressive three-storeyed Ynys-y-pandy slate processing works, which served the Gorseddau Quarry, was built in 1856-7 by Evan Jones of Garndolbenmaen and probably designed by James Brunlees. It is ingeniously planned so that the natural fall of the site assisted the manufacturing process. A deep trench inside accommodated a large overshot water wheel (26 ft, 8m in diameter), and on the south side a long curving ramp brought branches of the tramway from Gorseddau Quarry into the mill at two different levels, serving the middle and upper floors. The grand, round-headed openings are closely spaced like a Roman aqueduct. The eastern gable is surmounted by a decorative feature incorporating a false shimney stack, and the west gable windows have at some time had window frames or shutters. Otherwise the construction is bold and plain but none the less impressive.
The mill specialised in the production of slate slabs for floors, dairies, troughs, urinals, etc. In its heyday, in 1860, it was producing over 2,000 tons per annum, but seven years later production was down to 25 tons per annum (due to poor quality of the quarried slate) and the business went into liquidation in 1871. The building provided a venue for eisteddfodau until the roof was removed around 1906.
Image copyright www.kevinobrian.co.uk/
KPM Berlin The Box, Hackesche Höfe, Berlin
"The Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin (KPM) was founded on September 19, 1763 by Frederick the Great and has been based in Berlin since the year it was founded. Even today, KPM is still a manufactory that produces all porcelains, services and figurative porcelains, almost exclusively by hand, and executes decorations using free hand painting. [...]
On September 19, 1763, Frederick the Great acquired the [...] company for 225,000 Prussian Reichstalers. [...] The actual success story of the now Royal Porcelain Manufactory Berlin began with the takeover of the manufactory by Frederick the Great.
The king took over the entire staff of 146 employees and gave the manufactory its name and trademark: the royal scepter from the coat of arms of the Elector of Brandenburg. From then on it was called Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin and became a model company: the employees had fixed, regular working hours, received an above-average income, were covered by their own company health insurance and acquired a secure pension entitlement. In addition, there was no child labor at the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin. Provisions have also been made to provide for surviving widows and orphans. In the years that followed, the manufacturing process was streamlined and the techniques perfected.
One of the manufactory's most important clients was Frederick the Great himself, who jokingly called himself his “best customer”. From 1763 until his death in 1786, the king ordered porcelain from KPM to the value of 200,000 Reichstalers. For his castles alone, he commissioned 21 dinner services. These services usually had 36 place settings and consisted of up to 500 individual parts as well as ornate figurative centerpieces. [...]
As the owner of the KPM, the king specifically used the white gold as a means of diplomacy. His state gifts often came from the factory and were found in the Russian Tsarist house as well as on the tables of the leading European royal houses. [...] "
(translated from German Wikipedia entry)
Once a common sight across the country the coal train is now firmly on the endangered list. Leaving Margam Knuckle Yard with empties for Cwmbargoed is 66128. These wagons will be loaded with Welsh 'black gold' before returning here to Margam, then onwards to Earles Sidings, Hope. The product being used in the cement manufacturing process.
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was incorporated in 1852, and is the second-oldest chocolate company in the United States], after Baker's Chocolate.
Ghirardelli is one of the few chocolate companies in the United States to control every aspect of its chocolate manufacturing process, rejecting up to 40% of the cocoa beans shipped in order to select what the company calls the"highest quality" beans. The company then roasts the cocoa beans in-house by removing the outer shell on the bean and roasting the inside of the bean, or the nibs. The chocolate is then ground and refined until the flakes are 19 micrometers in size.(wiki)
Lets forget about other things, i am so ready to eat Ghirardelli.You will even get a free piece of Ghirardelli when you visit Walt Disney World in Orlando.
Also to view more of my photos click below.
Louisiana Museum og Modern Art: "Diego Rivera had been invited to Detroit to paint large-format frescoes portraying the industrial manufacturing process at the Ford Motor Company. Kahlo accompanied him, and in this early major work she describes the contrast between the countries, while standing om a pedestal in an elegant dress, a small Mexican flag and a cigarette in her hands. She has turned her head to the indigenous, nature-loving, lively Mexican side; she is quite obviously not interested in the technical American side. The generators on the American side are nonetheless supplied with energy by the roots of the Mexican plants, which in turn is delivered to the pedestal and thus to Frida Kahlo herself. The moon represents the female principle, the sun the male."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_Kahlo
I've been tagged. A big part of me is my work, so here are my 10 favorite papers I've published:
2009- The effects of repeat collaboration on creative abrasion
We developed a theory of why repeat collaboration in highly creative projects can lead to less creative outcomes, and suggested what teams can do about it.
2007- Dynamics of organizational emergence: Pace, punctuation, and timing in nascent entrepreneurship
We posited and empirically validated that successful entrepreneurial ventures have a certain “rhythm”; it’s all about momentum.
2006- An emergence event in new venture creation: Measuring the dynamics of nascent entrepreneurship
This was the first paper published in organizational theory that actually collected data and tested a complexity science model.
2003- Merger as marriage: Communication issues in post-merger integration
Not widely read, but I love how insightful the metaphor is.
2002- Studying complex discursive systems: Centering resonance analysis of organizational communication
This was the paper that explained the computerized text analysis method we invented, which then spun off into its own company.
2002- The dynamics of electronic media coverage
Our analysis of media coverage of 9-11.
2001- Supply networks and complex adaptive systems: Control versus emergence
This was the first paper published in supply chain management discussing the implications of complexity science. Most cited article.
1999- Explaining complex organizational dynamics
Here we laid out what randomness and chaos meant if you found them in organizational data.
1997- A complex adaptive systems model of organization change
My definition of a complex adaptive system in this paper is the one used in Wikipedia.
1986- An integrated quality systems approach to quality and productivity improvement in continuous manufacturing processes
My first published paper…
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland." It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New France. After the Louisiana Purchase, settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt. Iowa is often known as the "Food Capital of the World", however Iowa's economy, culture, and landscape are diverse. In the mid and late 20th century, Iowa's agricultural economy transitioned to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, biotechnology, and green energy production. Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states in which to live. Des Moines is Iowa's capital and largest city.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The sun gives the Autumn leaves a last chance to show their beauty.
Autumn leaf color is a phenomenon that affects the normally green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on, during a few weeks in the autumn season, one or many colors that range from red to yellow. The phenomenon is commonly called fall colors and autumn colors, while the expression fall foliage usually connotes the viewing of a tree or forest whose leaves have undergone the change. In some areas in the United States and Canada, "leaf peeping" tourism between the beginning of color changes and the onset of leaf fall, or scheduled in hope of coinciding with that period, is a major contribution to economic activity.
A green leaf is green because of the presence of a pigment known as chlorophyll. When they are abundant in the leaf's cells, as they are during the growing season, the chlorophylls' green color dominates and masks out the colors of any other pigments that may be present in the leaf. Thus the leaves of summer are characteristically green.
In this leaf, the veins are still green while the other tissue is turning red.
Chlorophyll has a vital function: that of capturing solar rays and utilizing the resulting energy in the manufacture of the plant's food—simple sugars which are produced from water and carbon dioxide. These sugars are the basis of the plant's nourishment—the sole source of the carbohydrates needed for growth and development. In their food-manufacturing process, the chlorophylls themselves break down and thus are being continually "used up." During the growing season, however, the plant replenishes the chlorophyll so that the supply remains high and the leaves stay green.
In late summer, the veins that carry fluids into and out of the leaf are gradually closed off as a layer of special cork cells forms at the base of each leaf. As this cork layer develops, water and mineral intake into the leaf is reduced, slowly at first, and then more rapidly. It is during this time that the chlorophyll begins to decrease.
Often the veins will still be green after the tissues between them have almost completely changed color.
Courtesy: Wikipedia: Autumn_leaf_color
© All rights reserved
While the MP 1.21 was dependable and much liked by it's users it was also expensive, complex to manufacture and on the heavy side and so the MP 1.21's designer, Gustav Einrich then designed the MP 2.44.
Following the trend set by other designs such as the German MP-40, the British Sten and the American M3 the MP 2.44 is made mostly out of stamped steel.
To simplify production the MP 2.44 shares as many parts and manufacturing processes with it's predecessor, the MP 1.21.
The receiver, bolt and barrel are modified versions of that of the MP 1.21 and things like screws, springs and sears are the exact the same and are interchangeable.
The 9x19 mm cartridges are fed from either a straight 20 or 32 round magazine shared with the Mp 1.21 or from a curved 45 round magazine. The ability to use MP-40 magazines was not carried over since this caused too many misfeeds during testing.
The safety is a simple push through rod that locks the bolt and firing in either forward or back positions and also acts as the charging handle.
For all it's good point's the MP.244 also had it's share of problems. The grips were made out of plastic and had a tendency to crack easily in adverse conditions before a new plastic was made and the 45 round magazines spring could weaken and cause feed issues. The front grip only had a metal insert that was spot welded in to the relatively thin barrel shroud which was known to break off if handled too roughly.
Despite the early troubles the MP 2.44 was used extensively during Second World War and after it, all the way to the 1970s.
Credit: Shockwave - sling mount
Historic Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is one of those places that have deep roots in America's growth. Early in it's life it was the start point of explorers Lewis & Clark, charged by Jefferson to explore and map the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase territory, find a practical route across the Western half of the continent, and establish an American presence in this territory before Britain and other European powers tried to claim it. Sounds easy. Not! Anyway, it's a beautifully restored and maintained place, abounding in period buildings, stone walls and two rivers merging. It had been way too long since I last visited and jumped at the suggestion from my brothers about where we should go to shoot.
Some interesting, and possibly surprising, facts about Harpers Ferry :
- visited by George Washington on his very first surveying expedition at the age of 17.
- was cited by Thomas Jefferson, after a visit, as such a beautiful spot that it was worth a trip across the Atlantic.
- was the starting place of the Lewis and Clarke expedition.
- was the site of the first crossing of the Potomac by a railroad, on the first structural steel bridge in the world.
- was the industrial town where using interchangeable parts in a manufacturing process was first invented and proven practical.
- was the site of the John Brown raid which precipitated the Civil War.
- was the first command of Stonewall Jackson, who raised and trained his famed Brigade here.
- was the site of three Civil War battles, the major one involving over 30,000 troops on both sides which resulted in the largest surrender of US troops until Bataan in WWII.
- was a bastion of elevating African Americans, with the first real academic college (Storer College) to educate freed slaves in all aspects of higher learning, rather than sewing and other trades.
- was the site of the Founding in the US of the Niagara movement, which later evolved into the NAACP.
- was a town which, despite unfortunate racism by some, way before its time encouraged African-American entrepreneurs, one of whom built and managed the fabled Hilltop House Hotel.
- was a major retreat center in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century for many notables, including seven presidents, Mark Twain, and many others.
- was cited by art history experts as the most "painted town" in America, because of its spectacular scenery.
Single exposure, Nikon D700, Nikkor 24-85, f/11, 1/125s, ISO 200, polarizer.
All of my images are protected by United States and international copyright laws. They may be reproduced only with written permission. Copyright © 2013 Tom Lussier Photography. All rights reserved.
While the photos are listed as "public", they are not public domain, nor are they free stock images. Use without written consent by the author is illegal and punishable by law. If you want to use any of my images, for any reason, please send me an email first. Thank you.
The CBH class is a class of diesel-electric freight locomotives designed and manufactured in the United States by Motive-power in Boise, Idaho, for Western Australian grain growers' co-operative CBH Group.
Gauge
1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in): CBH001–CBH017
1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in): CBH118–CBH122.
These tracks are dual gauge but #118 is a standard gauge unit of 3300 HP.
The engine blocks for the prime movers were cast in Germany and sent to the Cummins engine plant in Daventry, England, for final machining and assembly. At the end of the manufacturing process, the prime movers were hot tested before being fitted to the locomotives in Boise.The engines meet US tier three emission standards
Summary
This former motor vehicle factory was built in 1917 by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, in collaboration with Truscon, for Tilling-Stevens Ltd. It is an example of a factory designed using the Kahn Daylight System. The various sheds which adjoin the factory building to the south are not of special interest.
Reasons for Designation
The former Tilling-Stevens factory, 1917 by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, in collaboration with Truscon, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: the building is the earliest surviving by the practice of Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, the foremost factory architects of the inter-war period; it is also one of few surviving examples of their early Daylight factories not to have undergone significant alteration; * Technical interest: the building is one of few surviving examples of a group of English factories built using the Kahn Daylight System, an adaptable, efficient and influential system of factory building, developed in America for the construction of automotive factories; * Architectural interest: the front elevation of this imposing building employs the compositional devices and decorative motifs which became synonymous with the work of Wallis, Gilbert and Partners; the powerful rationality of its other elevations expresses the modern approach to industrial architecture that its design, construction and layout embodies.
History
In 1916 Thomas Wallis (1872-1953) founded the architectural practice of Wallis, Gilbert and Partner (becoming Wallis, Gilbert and Partners the following year). In the early years of the practice it worked in close collaboration with Trussed Concrete Steel Limited (Truscon). Truscon's proprietary system of concrete reinforcement had been developed by the Kahn family, who had set up Truscon to exploit the system in America; an English branch of the company formed in 1907. In America the Kahn system had been applied to the creation of a particular model of factory design which was based on a regular grid of column, beam and slab, in which the concrete frame was fully exposed, and the external walls were glass-filled, it was called the 'Kahn Daylight System' of factory design. The best known and most influential American example is Henry Ford's Highland Park Ford Plant, Michigan, designed and built in 1908 by Albert Kahn. Truscon built several Daylight factories in Britian prior to the partnership with Wallis, Gilbert and Partners (including three in Scotland), but the only English one known to survive in anything like original condition is Enterprise House, Hayes, of 1912, listed Grade II.
Together, Wallis, Gilbert and Partners and Truscon designed and constructed of a number of Daylight factories in England, of which the Tilling-Stevens factory is the earliest surviving. Wallis Gilbert and Partners went on to great success as an architectural practice, designing many factories and commercial buildings in the interwar period. One of their best known works is the Grade II* listed former Hoover Factory (1932-35) in Ealing.
Tilling-Stevens Ltd was formed in 1915 after WA Stevens, inventor of the petrol-electric motor, met Richard Tilling of Thomas Tilling Ltd, London's oldest omnibus operator (established 1847). The men recognised the potential for petrol-electric transmission in motorised buses, and the companies went into partnership together, manufacturing their own vehicles. New premises were added to Stevens' Maidstone works (known as the Victoria Works) in 1912, and following the formation of Tilling-Stevens Limited the works were enlarged again with the construction of the Wallis Gilbert and Partners factory in 1917 to accommodate production for war requirements.
The original design for the factory was a five-storey hollow rectangle, with a central, glazed, single-storey space within the well, which would contain part of the assembly shop. It was designed to be built in stages, with the south and west sides of the rectangle shown on the plans as 'future extension' (J Skinner 1997, 50). It is thought likely that the decision only to build the north and east sides of the rectangle was taken at an early stage, as the attic storey is centred over the existing front elevation. The factory was designed so as to accommodate all the various manufacturing processes in a downward flow through the building, each level being linked by electric lifts. Power was supplied to work stations by shafted over-head motors suspended from the beams.
In the early 1950s Tilling-Stevens was taken over by the Rootes Group, which was itself taken over in the mid-1960s by Chrysler (UK) Ltd; the Tilling-Stevens factory closed in 1975.
Details
The factory is constructed of a regular reinforced concrete grid, expressed throughout the exterior of the building; the front elevation, also of concrete, is dressed to present a classically-styled composition to the street.
MATERIALS: the building is composed of a grid of exposed horizontal and vertical reinforced concrete members, which divide the building into 20' by 20' bays; on the outer faces of the building the bays are in-filled with panels of red brick and glazing. The original windows were multi-light steel casements however these have almost universally been replaced with uPVC casements.
PLAN: the building is five storeys high with a small attic storey. The factory floor is L-shaped in plan; the core is 3 bays wide by 16 bays deep, with a perpendicular wing to the rear, 3 bays wide by 3 deep, extending southwards. Another 3 bay by 3 bay wing projects to the north, which contains the main goods lift and stair; this was where the services and amenities for the building were housed. The front of the building is an additional two bays wide to the north, providing a vehicular access at street level. A roadway runs from this entrance, through the centre of the northerly service wing (where there is a weigh bridge), and down the side and rear of the building. To the rear there is a projecting stair and lift tower, and to the south there is a second projecting lift tower; this is later in date, but appears to use the same construction system. There is a third internal fire escape stair on the south side of the building which exits onto St Peter's Street at the front.
EXTERIOR: with the exception of the front, all elevations of the building are without architectural embellishment and form a regular pattern of concrete grid, brick, and glass. The concrete grid is also expressed on the front elevation, however here the concrete is also used decoratively to shape the elevation into a classical composition. There is a heavy cornice over the fourth storey, with recessed ribbing and nail-head corner stops; the fifth storey is treated as a classical attic, having smaller windows and a much plainer and shallower cornice above. The true attic storey is three bays wide, central to the elevation and set back from the front. The bays to the far left and right of the elevation are treated as towers, defined by slightly projecting pilaster-like verticals to either side. The 'capitals' of these pilasters take the form of a circular disk, flanked by triglyph-like elements. At ground floor there is a pedestrian and vehicular entrance/exit to either side of the elevation. These openings are framed by wide, flat, unmoulded architraves and above each of the vehicular openings is a framed panel (which once bore the name of the company) with a stylised tassel motif to either side. This panel with tassels motif is repeated within the parapet above the attic storey.
The exterior of the building is generally little altered, the most notable exception being the replacement of the windows. The largest windows to the front were originally 54-light windows, they are now 12-light windows, those to the sides and rear were mostly 45-light windows, these are now 8-light windows. On the front elevation a doorway has been inserted into the left-hand of the three central bays to give access into a site office from St Peter's Street.
INTERIOR: the interior is utilitarian; at each storey concrete pillars support beams and joists which support the floor above. The pillars get progressively smaller in cross-section at each storey up. Circular holes are cast into the joists, through which a conduit carrying electrical cable ran; in some places slots are cast into beams and joists to carry the motors which were suspended overhead, providing power to the factory machinery. The factory floors, which would have been completely open, are now divided into units with concrete block walls built between pillars. Fixtures and fittings which may have been associated with the service and amenity block (which included an office, boiler house, first-aid rooms, lavatories and rest rooms) do not survive.
'Aussie Bear' factory, Thurlstane (Aust.) Pty. Ltd., Palmer Street Sydney, ca. 1944-1945, by Milton Kent, for Repatriated Services Rehabilitation Department. Shows manufacturing process of "Aussie-Bear" Australia's toy koala, from vintage gelatin silver print, State Library of New South Wales, collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/1JkmNxrY/NgJ837W6qww6j PXA 1517
Marshmallow
Sugar-based confection
For the music producer and DJ, see Marshmello. For other uses, see Marshmallow (disambiguation).
Marshmallow (UK: /ˌmɑːrʃˈmæloʊ/, US: /ˈmɑːrʃˌmɛloʊ, -mæl-/)[1][2] is a confectionery made from sugar, water and gelatin whipped to a solid-but-soft consistency. It is used as a filling in baking or molded into shapes and coated with corn starch. This sugar confection is inspired by a medicinal confection made from Althaea officinalis, the marsh-mallow plant.[3]
Quick Facts Type, Place of origin ...
History
The marsh-mallow plant (Althaea officinalis)
The word "marshmallow" comes from the mallow plant species (Althaea officinalis), a wetland weed native to parts of Europe, North Africa, and Asia that grows in marshes and other damp areas. The plant's stem and leaves are fleshy, and its white flower has five petals. It is not known exactly when marshmallows were invented, but their history goes back as early as 2000 BCE. Ancient Egyptians were said to be the first to make and use the root of the plant to soothe coughs and sore throats and to heal wounds. The first marshmallows were prepared by boiling pieces of root pulp with honey until thick. Once thickened, the mixture was strained, cooled, then used as intended.[4][5][6]
Whether used for candy or medicine, the manufacture of marshmallows was limited to a small scale. In the early to mid-19th century, the marshmallow had made its way to France, where confectioners augmented the plant's traditional medicinal value. Owners of small confectionery stores would whip the sap from the mallow root into a fluffy candy mold. This candy, called Pâte de Guimauve, was a spongy-soft dessert made from whipping dried marshmallow roots with sugar, water, and egg whites.[7][8] It was sold in bar form as a lozenge. Drying and preparation of the marshmallow took one to two days before the final product was produced.[9] In the late 19th century, candy makers started looking for a new process and discovered the starch mogul system, in which trays of modified corn starch had a mold firmly pushed down in them to create cavities within the starch. The cavities were then filled with the whipped marshmallow sap mixture and allowed to cool or harden.[10] At the same time, candy makers began to replace the mallow root with gelatin, which created a stable form of marshmallow.[5]
By the early 20th century, thanks to the starch mogul system, marshmallows were available for mass consumption. In the United States, they were sold in tins as penny candy and used in a variety of food recipes like banana fluff, lime mallow sponge, and tutti frutti. In 1956, Alex Doumak patented[11] the extrusion process that involved running marshmallow ingredients through tubes. The tubes created a long rope of marshmallow mixture and were then set out to cool. The ingredients were then cut into equal pieces and packaged.[5]
Modern marshmallow manufacturing is highly automated and has been since the early 1950s when the extrusion process was first developed. Numerous improvements and advancements allow for the production of thousands of pounds of marshmallow a day.[12] Today, the marshmallow typically consists of four ingredients: sugar, water, air, and a whipping agent.
Ingredients
Marshmallows consist of four ingredients: sugar, water, air, and a whipping agent/aerator (usually a protein). The type of sugar and whipping agent varies depending on the desired characteristics. Each ingredient plays a specific role in the final product.
The marshmallow is a foam, consisting of an aqueous continuous phase and a gaseous dispersed phase (in other words, a liquid with gas bubbles spread throughout). In addition to being a foam, this also makes marshmallows an "aerated" confection because it is made up of 50% air. The goal of an aerated confection like a marshmallow is to incorporate gas into a sugar mixture and stabilize the aerated product before the gas can escape. When the gas is introduced into the system, tiny air bubbles are created. This is what contributes to the unique textural properties and mouth-feel of this product.[13]
Protein
In marshmallows, proteins are the main surface-active agents responsible for the formation and stabilization of the dispersed air. Due to their structure, surface-active molecules gather at the surface area of a portion of (water-based) liquid. A portion of each protein molecule is hydrophilic, with a polar charge, and another portion is hydrophobic and non-polar. The non-polar section has little or no affinity for water, and so this section orients as far away from the water as possible. However, the polar section is attracted to the water and has little or no affinity for the air. Therefore, the molecule orients with the polar section in the water, with the non-polar section in the air. Two primary proteins that are commonly used as aerators in marshmallows are albumen (egg whites) and gelatin.[14]
Albumen (egg whites)
Albumen is a mixture of proteins found in egg whites and is utilized for its capacity to create foams. In a commercialized setting, dried albumen is used as opposed to fresh egg whites. In addition to convenience, the advantages of using dried albumen are an increase in food safety and the reduction of water content in the marshmallow. Fresh egg whites carry a higher risk of Salmonella, and are approximately 90 percent water. This is undesirable for the shelf life and firmness of the product. For artisan-type marshmallows, prepared by a candy maker, fresh egg whites are usually used. Albumen is rarely used on its own when incorporated into modern marshmallows, and instead is used in conjunction with gelatin.[15]
Gelatin
Gelatin is the aerator most often used in the production of marshmallows. It is made up of collagen, a structural protein derived from animal skin, connective tissue, and bones. Not only can it stabilize foams, like albumen, but when combined with water, it forms a thermally-reversible gel. This means that gelatin can melt, then reset due to its temperature sensitivity. The melting point of gelatin gel is around 95 °F (35 °C), which is just below normal body temperature (around 97 °F (36 °C)). This is what contributes to the "melt-in-your-mouth" sensation when a marshmallow is consumed—it actually starts to melt when it touches the tongue.[14]
During preparation, the temperature needs to be just above the melting point of the gelatin, so that as soon as it is formed, it cools quickly, and the gelatin sets, retaining the desired shape. If the marshmallow rope mixture exiting the extruder during processing is too warm, the marshmallow starts to flow before the gelatin sets. Instead of a round marshmallow, it takes on an oval form. Excessive heat can also degrade or break down the gelatin itself. Therefore, when marshmallows are being produced at home or by artisan candy makers, the gelatin is added after the syrup has been heated and cooled down.
In commercial operations, the gelatin is cooked with the sugar syrup, rather than being added later after the syrup has cooled. In this case, kinetics play an important role, with both time and temperature factoring in. If the gelatin was added at the beginning of a batch that was then cooked to 112–116 °C in 20–30 minutes, a significant amount of gelatin would break down. The marshmallow would have reduced springiness from that loss of gelatin. But since the time the syrup spends at elevated temperature in modern cookers is so short, there is little to no degradation of the gelatin.[12]
In terms of texture and mouth-feel, gelatin makes marshmallows chewy by forming a tangled 3-D network of polymer chains. Once gelatin is dissolved in warm water (dubbed the "blooming stage"), it forms a dispersion, which results in[how?] a cross-linking of its helix-shaped chains. The linkages in the gelatin protein network trap air in the marshmallow mixture and immobilize the water molecules in the network. The result is the well-known spongy structure of marshmallows. This is why the omission of gelatin from a marshmallow recipe results in marshmallow creme, since there is no gelatin network to trap the water and air bubbles.[14]
Sugars
A traditional marshmallow might contain about 60% corn syrup, 30% sugar, and 1–2% gelatin. A combination of different sugars is used to control the solubility of the solution.[16] The corn syrup/sugar ratio influences the texture by slowing crystallization of the sucrose. The smooth texture of marshmallows relies on disordered, or amorphous, sugar molecules. In contrast, increasing the sugar ratio to about 60–65% produces a grainy marshmallow.[17] Temperature also plays an important role in producing smooth marshmallows by reducing the time window for ordered crystals to form. To ensure the sugars are disordered, the sugar syrup solution is heated to a high temperature and then cooled rapidly.[18]
Sugarcane and sugar beet
Sugarcane and sugar beet are the two primary sources of sugar, consisting of sucrose molecules. Sucrose is a disaccharide that consists of one glucose and fructose molecule. This sugar provides sweetness and bulk to the marshmallow while simultaneously setting the foam to a firm consistency as it cools.[17] Sucrose, and sugars in general, impair the ability of a foam to form, but improve foam stability. Therefore, sucrose is used in conjunction with a protein like gelatin. The protein can adsorb, unfold, and form a stable network, while the sugar can increase the viscosity.[19] Liquid drainage of the continuous phase must be minimized as well. Thick liquids drain more slowly than thin ones, and so increasing the viscosity of the continuous phase reduces drainage. A high viscosity is essential if a stable foam is to be produced. Therefore, sucrose is a main component of marshmallow. But sucrose is seldom used on its own because it tends to crystallize.
Corn syrup
Corn syrup, derived from maize, contains glucose, maltose, and other oligosaccharides. Corn syrup can be obtained from the partial hydrolysis of cornstarch.[20] Corn syrup is important in the production of marshmallow because it prevents the crystallization of other sugars (like sucrose). It may also contribute body, reduce sweetness, and alter flavor release, depending on the Dextrose Equivalent (DE) of the glucose syrup used.
The DE is the measure of the amount of reducing sugars present in a sugar product in relation to glucose. Lower-DE glucose syrups provide a chewier texture, while higher-DE syrups make the product more tender.[17] In addition, depending on the type of DE used, can alter the sweetness, hygroscopicity, and browning of the marshmallow. Corn syrup is flavorless and cheap to produce, which is why candy companies love using this product.
Invert sugar
Invert sugar is produced when sucrose breaks down due to the addition of water, also known as hydrolysis. This molecule exhibits all the characteristics of honey except the flavor because it is the primary sugar found in honey. This means that invert sugar has the ability to prevent crystallization and produce a tender marshmallow. It is also an effective humectant, allowing it to trap water and prevent the marshmallow from drying out. For some candies, this is not a good trait to have, but for marshmallows, it is an advantage since it has a high moisture content.[12]
Fruit syrups
While not widely used for traditional or commercial recipes, fruit syrups have been proposed as an alternative sugar for marshmallows.[21]
Additional ingredients
Flavors
Unless a variation of the standard marshmallow is being made, vanilla is always used as the flavoring. The vanilla can either be added in extract form or by infusing the vanilla beans in the sugar syrup during cooking. This[clarification needed] is the best technique to get an even distribution of flavor throughout the marshmallow.[15]
Acids
Acids, such as cream of tartar or lemon juice, may also be used to increase foam stability. The addition of acid decreases the pH. This reduces the charge on the protein molecules and brings them closer to their isoelectric point. This results in a stronger, more stable interfacial film. When added to egg whites, acid prevents excessive aggregation at the interface. However, acid delays foam formation. It may therefore be added toward the end of the whipping process after a stable foam has been created.[13]
Manufacturing process
Video of making marshmallows
Just Born Peeps in an Easter basket
Commercial process
In commercial marshmallow manufacture, the entire process is streamlined and fully automated.
Gelatin is cooked with sugar and syrup. After the gelatin-containing syrup is cooked, it is allowed to cool slightly before air is incorporated. Whipping is generally accomplished in a rotor-stator type device. Compressed air is injected into the warm syrup, held at a temperature just above the melting point of gelatin. In a marshmallow aerator, pins on a rotating cylinder (rotor) intermesh with stationary pins on the wall (stator) provide the shear forces necessary to break the large injected air bubbles into numerous tiny bubbles that provide the smooth, fine-grained texture of the marshmallow. A continuous stream of light, fluffy marshmallow exits the aerator en route to the forming step.
The marshmallow confection is typically formed in one of three ways. First, it can be extruded in the desired shape and cut into pieces, as done for Jet-Puffed marshmallows. Second, it can be deposited onto a belt, as done for Peeps.[22] Third, it can be deposited into a starch-based mold in a mogul to make various shapes.[12]
Home making process
A freshly-cut batch of homemade marshmallows
The home process for making marshmallow differs from commercial processes. A mixture of corn syrup and sugar is boiled to about 252 °F (122 °C). In a separate step, gelatin is hydrated with enough warm water to make a thick solution. Once the sugar syrup has cooled to about 100 °F (38 °C), the gelatin solution is blended in along with desired flavoring, and whipped in a mixer to reach the final density. The marshmallow is then scooped out of the bowl, slabbed on a table, and cut into pieces.[15]
Roasted marshmallows and s'mores
A popular camping or backyard tradition in the United Kingdom,[23] North America, New Zealand and Australia is the roasting or toasting of marshmallows over a campfire or other open flame.[24] A marshmallow is placed on the end of a stick or skewer and held carefully over the fire. This creates a caramelized outer skin with a liquid, molten layer underneath. Major flavor compounds and color polymers associated with sugar browning are created during the caramelization process.[25]
As sugar costs went down in 19th century, in 1892 a New Jersey newspaper reported that "'Marshmallow roasts' are the newest thing in summer resort diversions." There were more mentions of the trend throughout 1890s, implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) referring to home-made marshmallows, as commercial process was yet to be invented.[26]
S'mores are a traditional campfire treat in the United States, made by placing a toasted marshmallow on a slab of chocolate, which is placed between two graham crackers. These can then be squeezed together, causing the chocolate to begin melting.[27]
Roasting a marshmallow
Roasting a marshmallow
A roasted marshmallow
A roasted marshmallow
An open-faced s'more
An open-faced s'more
Nutrition
Marshmallows are defined in US law as a food of minimal nutritional value.[28]
Dietary preferences
Toasted vegan marshmallows served with chocolate mousse
The traditional marshmallow recipe uses powdered marshmallow root, but most commercially manufactured marshmallows instead use gelatin in their manufacture. Vegans and vegetarians avoid gelatin, but there are versions that use a substitute non-animal gelling agent such as agar.[29] In addition, marshmallows are generally not considered to be kosher or halal unless either their gelatin is derived from kosher or halal animals or they are vegan.[30]
Marshmallow creme and other less firm marshmallow products generally contain little or no gelatin, which mainly serves to allow the familiar marshmallow confection to retain its shape. They generally use egg whites instead. Non-gelatin, egg-containing versions of this product may be consumed by ovo vegetarians. Several brands of vegetarian and vegan marshmallows and marshmallow fluff exist.[31]
See also
Chocolate-coated marshmallow treats
Chubby Bunny, children's game involving marshmallows
Divinity (confectionery)
Flump (sweet)
Marshmallow creme
Peeps
Stanford marshmallow experiment
Stay Puft Marshmallow Man
The widespread commercial adoption of additive manufacturing technologies, commonly known as 3D printing, is no surprise to design engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama whose research created stronger, lighter weight materials and new manufacturing processes to make rocket parts.
NASA’s RAMPT (Rapid Analysis and Manufacturing Propulsion Technology) project is on the cutting-edge of additive manufacturing – helping the agency and industry produce new alloys and additively manufactured parts, commonly referred to as 3D printing, according to Paul Gradl, the project’s co-principal investigator at NASA Marshall.
This image shows a hot-fire test at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. This 2,000-pound-force coupled thrust chamber assembly features a NASA HR-1 alloy nozzle. Manufacturing the hardware requires the directed energy deposition process with composite-overwrap for structural support, reducing weight by 40%. Industry, academic, and government partners are working with RAMPT engineers at Marshall and other NASA field centers to advance this revolutionary technology.
Image credit: NASA
#NASAMarshall #NASA #3dprinting #RAMPT
Read more about Rapid Analysis and Manufacturing Propulsion Technology (RAMPT)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mural (10' X 96') in the underground pedestrian passage between the Steel Plaza subway station and the USX Building (formerly US Steel).
The mural was designed by Harold Shuler who first worked for the US Steel Corporation in 1956 as a structural draftsman.
Bio of Shuler: www.zoominfo.com/p/Harold-Shuler/723163419
The mural's steel-making theme depicts raw materials, manufacturing processes, uses of steel and its transportation by river barge, truck, and railroad.
US Steel never paid Shuler for his work of art. He was paid only his usual salary and no overtime for the hours he spent working in the walkway.
Shuler had two assistants, Scott Vradelis, a graduate student at CMU and, for three weeks, Shuler's daughter Susan Koenig.
Find more images and info about the mural including Shuler's own interesting tale of how it came to be, the type of paint used, and the process of creating it, including the method he calls "Pienture a la Plume-Carton": pghmurals.com/USX-tunnel.cfm
A 40 second You Tube video that scans the mural left-to-right can be found here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoJIDmLcK3w
Shuler's Picasso connection:
Shuler created the drawing from Picasso's model from which the famous artist's huge sculpture of a woman was cast. Picasso approved the drawings without revision. The sculpture now stands in front on the Richard J. Daley Center in Chicago. Shuler was not formally recognized for his work, but when Picasso saw him behind the ropes at the dedication, he greeted him and brought him to the reviewing stand where he sat with the local dignitaries.
On my image above, the bottom-most image is an approximation of the entire mural. I took it with my camera's panorama option, but because the wall is curved it was highly distorted. I did my best to undistorted it without total success. Some parts of the image are scrunched, stretched, or missing. Above are sections of the mural, which again had to be slightly undistorted. The title plague is actually under the mural. Next time, I will take a video, which I believe will give a better representation of the entire image.
Stillness
Lakeside Tree
The absence of sound is an amazing thing when your surrounded by planes, trains, cars and kids every day of the week - if only there was a planet to escape to with nothing but a singular island surrounded by warm sunset to keep you company.. alrighty then... I suppose i'll take wifey and the kids too ;)
Little planet manufacture process specification:
join it, stretch it, break it, make it, wrap it
everything else is immaterial :)
Europe, Netherlands, Zuid Limburg, Maastricht, Sint Pietersberg, ENCI cement factory, clinker storage building (uncut)
The ENCI cement factory at the edge of the limestone quarry. It produces klinker (clinker) and portland cement. Clinker is semi-finished cement produced by “heating limestone (calcium carbonate) with small quantities of other materials (such as clay) to 1450 °C in a kiln, in a process known as calcination”. Cement, the finished product, “is made by grounding the clinker with a small amount of gypsum into a powder to make 'Ordinary Portland Cement', the most commonly used type of cement (often referred to as OPC). Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar and most non-specialty grout. Portland cement may be grey or white.
The most common use for Portland cement is in the production of concrete. Concrete is a composite material consisting of aggregate (gravel and sand), cement, and water. As a construction material, concrete can be cast in almost any shape desired, and once hardened, can become a structural (load bearing) element.” (Source: Wikipedia). Through this it became the building material of choice of modernist architects. And in this era it still is.
The lime ENCI stone quarry will be closed in 2018 and as a consequence the klinker production will be stopped some time after it and the kiln etc will demolished. After that the quarry and demolished part of the industrial complex will be redeveloped. The quarry will become a park. For in-depth information about the transformation process the master plan (Dutch) is: here.
A preliminary step of this redevelopment process was already taken in 2008. The ‘Peutz-building’, an industrial building that lost its function when a part of the manufacturing process was moved to Rotterdam in the 80s was redeveloped as theatre and cultural centre AINSI in 2008. A clip about it from this period is: here and a recent one here
The facilities on display in the FG is the central clinker storage facility. In the BG is the other side of the valley of the river Maas.
Shot across the quarry .
A bird's eye view of the quarry and its industrial complex is: here. The site is about the redevelopment of the quarry.
Background info about ENCI (Dutch) is: here.
Yep... This is what it really looks like...
At the start of the second World war Spitfires were mostly built in and around Southampton, but then the Germans decided to bomb the crap out of all the factories and assembly plants around Southampton and the South Coast. So manufacturing was moved further in land to secret locations, several of which were in Salisbury including the bus station, garages and even peoples garden sheds..
This memorial was erected recently in honour of all those unsung heroes that were involved in the manufacturing process including many women and children..
Salisbury Secret Spitfires..
Floor mosaics using tesserae made of minute stone cubes, ranging from one to four millimeters in the opus vermiculatum technique.
The Greeks used mosaics to decorate their floors in public places and private dwellings by using tesserae in many ways. Tesserae are the small pieces of stone, limestone, marble, glass or clay, which are cut in a small cubic form, hence their name. The Greek floor coverings became a complete tableau depicting plants, animals, geometrical designs and Greek/ Hellenistic motifs.
The Romans adopted also this art to cover their floors in homes and temples, as well as in their tombs. The Romans applied the same techniques as the Greeks. They also introduced new innovations in the manufacturing process.
Mosaic depicting two wrestlers BAAM 585 and
Mosaic depicting a sitting dog BAAM 859.
Hellenistic Period
Bbliotheca Alexanrina
NASA conducted the third RS-25 engine hot fire in a critical 12-test certification series Nov. 29, demonstrating a key capability necessary for flight of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket during Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.
NASA is conducting the series of tests to certify new manufacturing processes for producing RS-25 engines for future deep space missions, beginning with Artemis V. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies Company and lead engines contractor for the SLS rocket, is incorporating new manufacturing techniques and processes, such as 3D printing, in production of new RS-25 engines.
Image credits: NASA\Danny Nowlin
#NASA #NASAMarshall #sls #spacelaunchsystem #nasasls #exploration #rocket #artemis #ssc #NASAStennis
Engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, tested NASA's first 3-D printed rocket engine prototype part made of two different metal alloys through an innovative advanced manufacturing process. NASA has been making and evaluating durable 3-D printed rocket parts made of one metal, but the technique of 3-D printing, or additive manufacturing, with more than one metal is more difficult.
An image from a microscope reveals how the two metals, copper alloy and Inconel, mix and interlock to form a strong bond created by the innovative 3-D printing process during manufacturing of the igniter prototype.
Image Credit: NASA/UAH/Judy Schneider
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Europe and the United States, in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840. Finally arrived in Edmonton around 1870's. ;)
Pre-industrial machinery was built by various craftsmen—millwrights built water and windmills, carpenters made wooden framing, and smiths and turners made metal parts.
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Normally, the phrase "just in time" is used in business circles to refer to inbound inventory arriving just in time to be used for manufacturing processes, leading to the reduction of inventory storage and thus, lower costs.
Here, the phrase refers to our trio arriving in Marseilles, IL with moments to spare to set up flashes before Iowa Interstate's nightly Chicago-bound freight, CRBI (previously CBBI), rushes through with ES44ACs 503 and 514 in charge.
Three related still-life images. The round structures are the bottoms of aluminium drinks cans that were washed up on the beach. (There must be a weak spot round the bottom rim from the manufacturing process).
Escuela Agrotécnica Salesiana “Carlos M. Casares”
La Escuela Agrotécnica Salesiana “Carlos M. Casares” ubicada en Del Valle, perteneciente a la Región bonaerense de 25 de Mayo. La comunidad, distante a 5 Km. del centro urbano. Donada en 1925 por la señora Concepción U. de Casares.Institución privada a cargo de salesianos, actualmente, está incorporada como Instituto privado al Ministerio de Educación de la Provincia.
Los alumnos deben permanecer internados en el colegio de Lunes a Viernes. La escuela pertenece a la Obra de Don Bosco, por lo que destaca su carisma Salesiano. Además de las asignaturas correspondientes al ciclo secundario o Polimodal, los alumnos tienen formación profesional , que va desde la fabricación de quesos hasta la cría de cerdos y desde carpintería hasta inseminación artificial de ganado vacuno. La Escuela Agrotécnica ofrece una propuesta educativa basada en la práctica de actividades rurales, en áreas de producción agrícola, ganadera e industrial, con acciones que van desde la fabricación de quesos hasta la cría de cerdos y desde carpintería hasta inseminación artificial de ganado vacuno. Este proceso de fabricación y todas las actividades productivas tienen como resultado una gran cantidad de desechos que no son utilizados. Para lograr convertir los remanentes se fabricó el “biodigestor”.
Muchas personas de esta comunidad trabajan en dicha institución que es todo un orgullo local
TRASLATOR
Escuela Agrotécnica Salesiana “Carlos M. Casares”
The Salesian Agrotechnical School "Carlos M. Casares" located in Del Valle, belonging to the Buenos Aires Region of 25 de Mayo. The community, 5 km away from the urban center. Donated in 1925 by Mrs. Concepción U. de Casares. Private institution run by Salesians, currently, it is incorporated as a private Institute to the Ministry of Education of the Province.
Students must remain interned in the school from Monday to Friday. The school belongs to the Work of Don Bosco, for which its Salesian charism stands out. In addition to the subjects corresponding to the secondary cycle or Polimodal, the students have professional training, which goes from the manufacture of cheeses to the raising of pigs and from carpentry to artificial insemination of cattle. The Agrotécnica School offers an educational proposal based on the practice of rural activities, in areas of agricultural, livestock and industrial production, with actions ranging from the manufacture of cheeses to the raising of pigs and from carpentry to artificial insemination of cattle. This manufacturing process and all productive activities result in a large amount of waste that is not used. In order to convert the remnants, the "biodigester" was manufactured.
Many people of this community work in this institution that is a local pride
Low-cost solar cells developed by Italian company CESI for terrestrial uses can now be employed in space too.
Individually, each business-card-sized solar cell cannot provide sufficient power to do much. But interconnectors allow them to be stringed together and linked into grids, until they are able to generate sufficient current and voltage to satisfy mission power demands.
The strings of solar cells are generally bonded to panels until an entire array is built, either mounted onto a satellite body or as a deployable wing. The individual cells are protected from the harsh space environment by a very thin layer of glass, just 0.1 – 0.15 mm thick.
CESI developed these low-cost solar cells by optimising their manufacturing process. While this means the cells are less efficient than comparable ones on the market, they offer lower cost while maintaining reliability.
Their testing was supported through ESA’s General Support Technology Programme, readying promising products for spaceflight.
Both the individual solar cells and assemblies have now been qualified in accordance with European Cooperation for Space Standardization standards, meaning that after some higher level qualification tests they can be relied on for future space missions.
Credits: CESI
Car used for a wedding in Antigua, Guatemala.
Guatemala offers a number of unique wedding venues. Recently four of Guatemala’s hotels were on a list of the 10 best hotels in Central America and the Caribbean by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine.
Ford Phaeton 1930:
From beginning to end of the manufacturing process, the 1930 Ford models were great looking vehicles.
The 1930 Ford models offered the consumer more fender flare, deeper radiator shells and a great fuel economy for the consumer market. An unusual feature of the new Ford model for 1930 was the use of rust-less steel for the radiator shell headlamps, hubcaps, cowl finish strip and radiator caps. For many years, nickel plating was used for those parts by automobile manufacturers.
The 1930 Ford models offered the consumer smaller wheels and larger tires, a shatterproof glass windshield, new style fenders and many other features that many consumers thoroughly had enjoyed.
The Phaeton model was a great looking car that many customers really enjoyed. The windshield could fold flat when desired and the top could be raised or lowered quickly and easily. The door panels were attractively embossed and the model offered the driver outstanding performances when driving.
www.motorcities.org/story-of-the-week/2017/looking-back-o...
www.daniellopezperez.com/destination-wedding-guatemala-15...
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket blasts off from Space Launch Complex-41 with NASAs Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-K) payload. This was the first of 13 ULA launches scheduled for 2013, the 35th Atlas V mission, and the 67th ULA launch.
Photo courtesy United Launch Alliance
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The first of NASA's three next-generation
Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS), known as TDRS-K, launched
at 8:48 p.m. EST Wednesday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in
Florida.
"TDRS-K bolsters our network of satellites that provides essential
communications to support space exploration," said Badri Younes,
deputy associate administrator for Space Communications and
Navigation at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "It will improve the
overall health and longevity of our system."
The TDRS system provides tracking, telemetry, command and
high-bandwidth data return services for numerous science and human
exploration missions orbiting Earth. These include the International
Space Station and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
"With this launch, NASA has begun the replenishment of our aging space
network," said Jeffrey Gramling, TDRS project manager. "This addition
to our current fleet of seven will provide even greater capabilities
to a network that has become key to enabling many of NASA's
scientific discoveries."
TDRS-K was lifted into orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V
rocket from Space Launch Complex-41. After a three-month test phase,
NASA will accept the spacecraft for additional evaluation before
putting the satellite into service.
The TDRS-K spacecraft includes several modifications from older
satellites in the TDRS system, including redesigned
telecommunications payload electronics and a high-performance solar
panel designed for more spacecraft power to meet growing S-band
requirements. Another significant design change, the return to
ground-based processing of data, will allow the system to service
more customers with evolving communication requirements.
The next TDRS spacecraft, TDRS-L, is scheduled for launch in 2014.
TDRS-M's manufacturing process will be completed in 2015.
NASA's Space Communications and Navigation Program, part of the Human
Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at the agency's
Headquarters in Washington, is responsible for the space network. The
TDRS Project Office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in
Greenbelt, Md., manages the TDRS development program. Launch services
were provided by United Launch Alliance. NASA's Launch Services
Program at the Kennedy Space Center was responsible for acquisition
of launch services.
For more information about TDRS, visit:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.
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The Singapore Water Reclamation Study (NEWater Study) was initiated in 1998 as a joint initiative between the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR). The primary objective of the joint initiative was to determine the suitability of using NEWater as a source of raw water to supplement Singapore's water supply. NEWater is treated used water that has undergone stringent purification and treatment process using advanced dual-membrane (microfiltration and reverse osmosis) and ultraviolet technologies. NEWater could be mixed and blended with reservoir water and then undergo conventional water treatment to produce drinking water (a procedure known as Planned Indirect Potable Use or Planned IPU).
Planned IPU as a source of water supply is not new. It has been practised in several parts of the United States for more than 20 years. At Water Factory 21, Orange County Water District, Southern California, high quality water reclaimed from treated used water has been injected into ground water since 1976. Similarly, at Upper Occoquan Sewage Authority (UOSA), North Virginia, high quality reclaimed water is discharged into Occuquan Reservoir since 1978. Occoquan Reservoir is a source of water for more than a million people living in the vicinity of Washington DC.
Water reclamation is a growing trend in the U.S. and around the world. In the U.S., there are several other water reclamation projects that are now being planned or under construction. Two of them are at Gwinnett near Atlanta, Georgia and at Scottsdale near Phoenix, Arizona.
In 2001, PUB embarked on a new initiatives to increase water supply from unconventional sources for non-potable use. The use of NEWater for wafer fabrication processes, non-potable applications in manufacturing processes as well as air-con cooling towers in commercial buildings would free large amount of potable water for other potable purposes.
P1111517 (2)
Swan and Fish, Escher in museum The Hague
The tessellations Escher loved also make ideal tile patterns. In the decades following the Second World War he was persuaded to produce several tile designs. He developed a pillar featuring fish and birds for the hall of the Baarnsch Lyceum high school, for example, ad he also designed a panel for the facade of a house on Dirk Schaferstraat in Amsterdam. Escher usually worked with De Porceleyne Fles pottery (now known as Royal Delft), keeping a firm, critical eye on the manufacturing process. This panel consists of one tile repeated several times which aligns perfectly with the surrounding tiles. Escher was photographed a number of times in front of this same panel in his studio in Baarn.
David Mellor Visitor Centre
David Mellor was internationally famous for his cutlery.
His chic factory in Hathersage, designed by Sir Michael Hopkins, and purpose-built on the site of the old gasworks, is hailed as a minor masterpiece of modern architecture.
Built in local gritstone with a spectacular lead roof, it blends beautifully into the rural landscape.
The factory is open for viewing on Sundays, and visitors are welcome to take a look around and watch the various designs being made.
The manufacturing process is surprisingly low-tech and most of it is done by hand – this explains why the cutlery is so expensive and so collectable.
In addition to the factory, there is also a stylish shop, a classy café and a small but interesting design museum.
David Mellor died in 2009, and his talented son Corin continues the design tradition at Hathersage.
www.davidmellordesign.com/about
The Round Building
by Sir Michael Hopkins
My image shows The Round Building on a cloudy morning in October.
Fragonard Laboratory Guided Visit.
Nestled in a picturesque setting between Nice and Monaco, at the foot of rocks and poised above the sea, this modern design perfume factory is an interesting contrast to its location in the charming medieval village of Eze. The laboratory uses modern technology to supply all of Fragonard's creams, lotions, and bath gels. The entire manufacturing process is displayed for these cosmetics and beauty products.
Kiss a Wookie Day is June 15
Outside the Cantina, there was a commotion of strange noises. It turns out that the whole place cleared out to see what was going on. The music had stopped as one of the musicians in the band had left the trio. He wanted to be first in line to 'Kiss the Wookie" today. But there were some grumblings going on.
"That's not the Wookie you're looking for."
"Use the force."
"Let the Wookie win."
"I've got a strange feeling about this."
"TK-421, why aren't you at your post?"
Now for the factual stuff:
Begun in 2005, this day marks when the invitation was made to ‘kiss a Wookie’, or as someone described him as that big furry walking carpet from the Star Wars Movies. The original scene with that reference line was in ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ when Han Solo, Chewbacca’s companion, tries to ‘make a move’ on Princess Leia, but she replies, “I’d just as soon kiss a Wookie.” Han promply replies, “I can arrange that.”
Kisses are also one of the products of the Hershey Company, with plants in West Hershey, Pennsylvania. Milton Hershey began his company in Hershey, Pennsylvania in 1894, producing chocolate caramels, breakfast cocoa, sweet chocolate, and baking chocolate. He later sold his caramel business and concentrated on chocolate-making.
On July 7, 1907 Hershey’s Kisses are introduced. Urban lore has it the treat was named for the lip-smacking sound of the machinery “kissing” the conveyor belt during the manufacturing process.
Automated wrapping is introduced to Kiss production in August of 1921. Before this technological innovation, Kisses were hand-wrapped. The distinctive paper plume is added at this time, to thwart imitators.
Today, 70 million Hershey's Kisses are produced everyday at the factory; the machines run 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and enough Kisses are produced annually to form a line more than 300,000 miles long.
In a 12 ounce bag, you will find around 72 Kisses, and you will need 5 bags to supply you with one Kiss per day (save for 5 days—do the math!) It beats kissing a Wookie!
So, today you began regaling an event from Star Wars, but ended up wanting to go to the store to stock up on Hershey Kisses! Another 'food' Flickr post from RevDrPepper!
We also pause to remember Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars movie.
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"The Grandparents House"... a traditional Mexican style kitchen at the hand painted Talavera-Tile factory store in PUerto Vallarta, Mexico!
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talavera_(pottery)
Talavera pottery (and tiles) of Puebla, Mexico is a type of majolica pottery, which is distinguished by a milky-white glaze.[1] Authentic Talavera pottery only comes from the city of Puebla and the nearby communities of Atlixco, Cholula, and Tecali, because of the quality of the natural clay found there and the tradition of production which goes back to the 16th century.[2] Much of this pottery was decorated only in blue, but colors such as yellow, black, green, orange and mauve have also been used.[3] Majolica pottery was brought to Mexico by the Spanish in the first century of the colonial period.
The tradition has struggled since the Mexican War of Independence in the early 19th century, during which the number of workshops were less than eight in the state of Puebla. Later efforts by artists and collectors revived the craft somewhat in the early 20th century and there are now significant collections of Talavera pottery in Puebla, Mexico City and New York City. Further efforts to preserve and promote the craft have occurred in the late 20th century, with the introduction of new, decorative designs and the passage of the Denominación de Origen de la Talavera law to protect authentic, Talavera pieces made with the original, 16th century methods.[2][4]
Today, only pieces made by designated areas and from workshops that have been certified are permitted to call their work "Talavera." [9] Certification is issued by the Consejo Regulador de la Talavera, a special regulatory body. Only nine workshops have so far been certified: Uriarte Talavera, Talavera La Reyna, Talavera Armando, Talavera Celia, Talavera Santa Catarina, Talavera de la Nueva Espana, Talavera de la Luz, Talavera de las Americas, and Talavera Virglio Perez. Each of these needs to pass a twice-yearly inspection of the manufacturing processes. Pieces are subject to sixteen laboratory tests with internationally certified labs.[2] In addition, there is a test done by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Puebla to ensure that the glaze does not have lead content of more than 2.5 parts per million or cadmium content of more than 0.25 parts per million, as many of the pieces are used to serve food.[3][10] Only pieces from workshops that meet the standards are authorized to have the signature of the potter, the logo of the workshop and the special hologram that certifies the piece's authenticity.[8]
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Copyright © Ute Hagen 2013 All Rights Reserved
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Engineers just completed hot-fire testing with two 3-D printed rocket injectors. Certain features of the rocket components were designed to increase rocket engine performance. The injector mixed liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen together, which combusted at temperatures over 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, producing more than 20,000 pounds of thrust.
The additive manufacturing process allowed rocket designers to create an injector with 40 individual spray elements, all printed as a single component rather than manufactured individually. The part was similar in size to injectors that power small rocket engines and similar in design to injectors for large engines, such as the RS-25 engine that will power NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, the heavy-lift, exploration class rocket under development to take humans beyond Earth orbit and to Mars.
Read more:
www.nasa.gov/press/2014/august/sparks-fly-as-nasa-pushes-...
Original image:
www.nasa.gov/sls/multimedia/gallery/sls-3d-injector-test....
Image credit: NASA/MSFC/David Olive
More about SLS:
More SLS graphics and concepts:
www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/multimedia/gallery/S...
Space Launch System Flickr album
www.flickr.com/photos/28634332@N05/sets/72157627559536895/
_____________________________________________
These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...
A paper working model of a chair. (see #940)
(From Rijksmuseum.nl):
Paper Bone Chair, Joris Laarman, Habith Modell- & Formenbau GmBH, 2006
lamineren, h 76cm × b 45cm × d 75.5cm. More details
© Joris Laarman
The paper study model for the Bone Chair is composed of sheets of paper, joined together layer by layer. Each layer was printed by a computer. A three-dimensional computer model was used as the starting point for this laminated object manufacturing process, which is a form of rapid prototyping.
The Great Exhibition of 1851 at Alexandra Palace showed that American manufacturing methods for small, accurate parts in large numbers were superior to craft-based British practices. After a government inquiry, Britain bought over 150 new American machines to update manufacturing processes at the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield and employed American personnel in several managerial posts.
This machine was imported in 1857 as part of this push to modernise British gun-making. It cut the recess in the gun's wooden stock into which the mechanism (the 'lock') fitted.
Unlike hand-made gun parts, machined components were identical, accurate and interchangeable, simplifying assembly and repair. Seen in the Science Museum, Kensington, London.
An old friend of mine who collects older trucks once said to me the thing that fascinated him the most was the amount of butts that have sat in them. While this isn't the oldest car I have ever inventoried, (a 79 Tbird has that honor) it still is a rite of passage experience to release the clutch and give an engine that is older than you some go juice. This 4x4 short bed came equipped with the bulletproof 4.9 inline 6 and even though it wasn't the 5.0 V8 she still sounds much much better than her grandchildren 26 years later. And that isn't the only change that has happened in 26 years. It is truly a shame the path the auto industry has taken today, trying to squeeze every last penny out of the manufacturing process. Ford, GM, Fiat/Chrysler and every other car company is guilty of this, and with Fords recent recall on rupturing brake lines goes to show how even simple safety is subject to capitalisms greed. I am just happy that relics like these roam the pavement and can offer a short taste of "what once was".
... and another Green Eyed Flower Bee??
Elecampane is an herb. The root is used to make medicine.
Elecampane is used for conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, intestinal worms, and many others, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses!
In foods and beverages, elecampane is used to provide flavour.
In other manufacturing processes, elecampane is used as a fragrance in cosmetics and soaps.
Elecampane contains chemicals that can kill worms that infest the gut. Elecampane also contains chemicals that seem to reduce inflammation.
As with all the wild plants that have uses in local lore, it comes laden with many folk names - see tags!!
Summary
This former motor vehicle factory was built in 1917 by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, in collaboration with Truscon, for Tilling-Stevens Ltd. It is an example of a factory designed using the Kahn Daylight System. The various sheds which adjoin the factory building to the south are not of special interest.
Description
The factory is constructed of a regular reinforced concrete grid, expressed throughout the exterior of the building; the front elevation, also of concrete, is dressed to present a classically-styled composition to the street.
MATERIALS: the building is composed of a grid of exposed horizontal and vertical reinforced concrete members, which divide the building into 20' by 20' bays; on the outer faces of the building the bays are in-filled with panels of red brick and glazing. The original windows were multi-light steel casements however these have almost universally been replaced with uPVC casements.
PLAN: the building is five storeys high with a small attic storey. The factory floor is L-shaped in plan; the core is 3 bays wide by 16 bays deep, with a perpendicular wing to the rear, 3 bays wide by 3 deep, extending southwards. Another 3 bay by 3 bay wing projects to the north, which contains the main goods lift and stair; this was where the services and amenities for the building were housed. The front of the building is an additional two bays wide to the north, providing a vehicular access at street level. A roadway runs from this entrance, through the centre of the northerly service wing (where there is a weigh bridge), and down the side and rear of the building. To the rear there is a projecting stair and lift tower, and to the south there is a second projecting lift tower; this is later in date, but appears to use the same construction system. There is a third internal fire escape stair on the south side of the building which exits onto St Peter's Street at the front.
EXTERIOR: with the exception of the front, all elevations of the building are without architectural embellishment and form a regular pattern of concrete grid, brick, and glass. The concrete grid is also expressed on the front elevation, however here the concrete is also used decoratively to shape the elevation into a classical composition. There is a heavy cornice over the fourth storey, with recessed ribbing and nail-head corner stops; the fifth storey is treated as a classical attic, having smaller windows and a much plainer and shallower cornice above. The true attic storey is three bays wide, central to the elevation and set back from the front. The bays to the far left and right of the elevation are treated as towers, defined by slightly projecting pilaster-like verticals to either side. The 'capitals' of these pilasters take the form of a circular disk, flanked by triglyph-like elements. At ground floor there is a pedestrian and vehicular entrance/exit to either side of the elevation. These openings are framed by wide, flat, unmoulded architraves and above each of the vehicular openings is a framed panel (which once bore the name of the company) with a stylised tassel motif to either side. This panel with tassels motif is repeated within the parapet above the attic storey.
The exterior of the building is generally little altered, the most notable exception being the replacement of the windows. The largest windows to the front were originally 54-light windows, they are now 12-light windows, those to the sides and rear were mostly 45-light windows, these are now 8-light windows. On the front elevation a doorway has been inserted into the left-hand of the three central bays to give access into a site office from St Peter's Street.
INTERIOR: the interior is utilitarian; at each storey concrete pillars support beams and joists which support the floor above. The pillars get progressively smaller in cross-section at each storey up. Circular holes are cast into the joists, through which a conduit carrying electrical cable ran; in some places slots are cast into beams and joists to carry the motors which were suspended overhead, providing power to the factory machinery. The factory floors, which would have been completely open, are now divided into units with concrete block walls built between pillars. Fixtures and fittings which may have been associated with the service and amenity block (which included an office, boiler house, first-aid rooms, lavatories and rest rooms) do not survive.
History
In 1916 Thomas Wallis (1872-1953) founded the architectural practice of Wallis, Gilbert and Partner (becoming Wallis, Gilbert and Partners the following year). In the early years of the practice it worked in close collaboration with Trussed Concrete Steel Limited (Truscon). Truscon's proprietary system of concrete reinforcement had been developed by the Kahn family, who had set up Truscon to exploit the system in America; an English branch of the company formed in 1907. In America the Kahn system had been applied to the creation of a particular model of factory design which was based on a regular grid of column, beam and slab, in which the concrete frame was fully exposed, and the external walls were glass-filled, it was called the 'Kahn Daylight System' of factory design. The best known and most influential American example is Henry Ford's Highland Park Ford Plant, Michigan, designed and built in 1908 by Albert Kahn. Truscon built several Daylight factories in Britian prior to the partnership with Wallis, Gilbert and Partners (including three in Scotland), but the only English one known to survive in anything like original condition is Enterprise House, Hayes, of 1912, listed Grade II.
Together, Wallis, Gilbert and Partners and Truscon designed and constructed of a number of Daylight factories in England, of which the Tilling-Stevens factory is the earliest surviving. Wallis Gilbert and Partners went on to great success as an architectural practice, designing many factories and commercial buildings in the interwar period. One of their best known works is the Grade II* listed former Hoover Factory (1932-35) in Ealing.
Tilling-Stevens Ltd was formed in 1915 after WA Stevens, inventor of the petrol-electric motor, met Richard Tilling of Thomas Tilling Ltd, London's oldest omnibus operator (established 1847). The men recognised the potential for petrol-electric transmission in motorised buses, and the companies went into partnership together, manufacturing their own vehicles. New premises were added to Stevens' Maidstone works (known as the Victoria Works) in 1912, and following the formation of Tilling-Stevens Limited the works were enlarged again with the construction of the Wallis Gilbert and Partners factory in 1917 to accommodate production for war requirements.
The original design for the factory was a five-storey hollow rectangle, with a central, glazed, single-storey space within the well, which would contain part of the assembly shop. It was designed to be built in stages, with the south and west sides of the rectangle shown on the plans as 'future extension' (J Skinner 1997, 50). It is thought likely that the decision only to build the north and east sides of the rectangle was taken at an early stage, as the attic storey is centred over the existing front elevation. The factory was designed so as to accommodate all the various manufacturing processes in a downward flow through the building, each level being linked by electric lifts. Power was supplied to work stations by shafted over-head motors suspended from the beams.
In the early 1950s Tilling-Stevens was taken over by the Rootes Group, which was itself taken over in the mid-1960s by Chrysler (UK) Ltd; the Tilling-Stevens factory closed in 1975.
Reasons for Listing
The former Tilling-Stevens factory, 1917 by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, in collaboration with Truscon, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: the building is the earliest surviving by the practice of Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, the foremost factory architects of the inter-war period; it is also one of few surviving examples of their early Daylight factories not to have undergone significant alteration;
* Technical interest: the building is one of few surviving examples of a group of English factories built using the Kahn Daylight System, an adaptable, efficient and influential system of factory building, developed in America for the construction of automotive factories;
* Architectural interest: the front elevation of this imposing building employs the compositional devices and decorative motifs which became synonymous with the work of Wallis, Gilbert and Partners; the powerful rationality of its other elevations expresses the modern approach to industrial architecture that its design, construction and layout embodies.
Astoria, Oregon.
Solarization of Glass
Many glassmakers through the centuries have attempted to produce clear, colorless glass. Impurities, especially iron oxide, in the batch ingredients that were melted to make the glass often resulted in glass that was greenish instead of the desired "water clear."
An interesting characteristic of colorless glasses which contain manganese dioxide as a decolorizer is their tendency to turn different shades of purple when exposed to the rays of the sun or to other ultra-violet sources. It is a photochemical phenomenon that is not yet perfectly understood. It is generally accepted that the ultra-violet light initiates an electron exchange between the manganese and iron ions. This changes the manganese compound into a form that causes the glass to turn purple.
It was in the mid 19th century that manganese dioxide, popularly called "glassmaker's soap," began to be used by American glass manufacturers as a decolorizer. By including a small amount of this ingredient in the melt, they could produce glass that appeared virtually colorless. An 1899 publication by Benjamin Biser remarked,
The especial use of manganese in glass is to mask or neutralize the greenish color imparted to the glass by the protoxide of iron. Manganese imparts to glass a pink or red tint, which being complementary to green, neutralizes the color and permits the glass to transmit white light. Pellat refuted this theory, and claimed that the green tint of iron was not neutralized by the pink of manganese, and thus subduing it; but by the iron taking another charge of oxygen from the manganese and becoming per-oxide of iron, and producing a reddish yellow tint, while the protoxide produces a green tint.
Glass scientists today generally agree with Apsley Pellat, explaining that an ion exchange between the iron and the manganese molecules changes the observed color of the glass.
This process is sometimes reversible by gently heating the glass to about 200°C.
In the early 20th century, changes in manufacturing processes, as well as more pure batch materials, dictated different ways to decolorize glass, and the use of manganese oxide for this purpose dwindled.
English Electric Type 3 No. 37205 pulls away from Abercwmboi Phurnacite plant with a Speedlink working for Severn Tunnel Junction on 19th August 1986.
The Phurnacite plant, which shut in 1991, produced smokeless fuel in the form of briquettes for 50 years. At its peak over 1m briquettes were produced a year. In 2012 a group of former workers at the site successfully sued British Coal for the effects of the manufacturing process which resulted in a number of ailments including lung, skin and bladder cancers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
229'8111
A whole evening spent drawing 17th century bricks. Each one was deformed in a different way during the manufacturing process, so each one is slightly different. I thought the doorway was going to be a challenge, but the brickwork is also putting up a fight! Drawn with a Staedtler 0.3mm pencil and Pentel Click eraser on A4 cartridge paper.
This former motor vehicle factory was built in 1917 by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, in collaboration with Truscon, for Tilling-Stevens Ltd. It is an example of a factory designed using the Kahn Daylight System. The various sheds which adjoin the factory building to the south are not of special interest.
Reasons for Designation
The former Tilling-Stevens factory, 1917 by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, in collaboration with Truscon, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: the building is the earliest surviving by the practice of Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, the foremost factory architects of the inter-war period; it is also one of few surviving examples of their early Daylight factories not to have undergone significant alteration; * Technical interest: the building is one of few surviving examples of a group of English factories built using the Kahn Daylight System, an adaptable, efficient and influential system of factory building, developed in America for the construction of automotive factories; * Architectural interest: the front elevation of this imposing building employs the compositional devices and decorative motifs which became synonymous with the work of Wallis, Gilbert and Partners; the powerful rationality of its other elevations expresses the modern approach to industrial architecture that its design, construction and layout embodies.
History
In 1916 Thomas Wallis (1872-1953) founded the architectural practice of Wallis, Gilbert and Partner (becoming Wallis, Gilbert and Partners the following year). In the early years of the practice it worked in close collaboration with Trussed Concrete Steel Limited (Truscon). Truscon's proprietary system of concrete reinforcement had been developed by the Kahn family, who had set up Truscon to exploit the system in America; an English branch of the company formed in 1907. In America the Kahn system had been applied to the creation of a particular model of factory design which was based on a regular grid of column, beam and slab, in which the concrete frame was fully exposed, and the external walls were glass-filled, it was called the 'Kahn Daylight System' of factory design. The best known and most influential American example is Henry Ford's Highland Park Ford Plant, Michigan, designed and built in 1908 by Albert Kahn. Truscon built several Daylight factories in Britian prior to the partnership with Wallis, Gilbert and Partners (including three in Scotland), but the only English one known to survive in anything like original condition is Enterprise House, Hayes, of 1912, listed Grade II.
Together, Wallis, Gilbert and Partners and Truscon designed and constructed of a number of Daylight factories in England, of which the Tilling-Stevens factory is the earliest surviving. Wallis Gilbert and Partners went on to great success as an architectural practice, designing many factories and commercial buildings in the interwar period. One of their best known works is the Grade II* listed former Hoover Factory (1932-35) in Ealing.
Tilling-Stevens Ltd was formed in 1915 after WA Stevens, inventor of the petrol-electric motor, met Richard Tilling of Thomas Tilling Ltd, London's oldest omnibus operator (established 1847). The men recognised the potential for petrol-electric transmission in motorised buses, and the companies went into partnership together, manufacturing their own vehicles. New premises were added to Stevens' Maidstone works (known as the Victoria Works) in 1912, and following the formation of Tilling-Stevens Limited the works were enlarged again with the construction of the Wallis Gilbert and Partners factory in 1917 to accommodate production for war requirements.
The original design for the factory was a five-storey hollow rectangle, with a central, glazed, single-storey space within the well, which would contain part of the assembly shop. It was designed to be built in stages, with the south and west sides of the rectangle shown on the plans as 'future extension' (J Skinner 1997, 50). It is thought likely that the decision only to build the north and east sides of the rectangle was taken at an early stage, as the attic storey is centred over the existing front elevation. The factory was designed so as to accommodate all the various manufacturing processes in a downward flow through the building, each level being linked by electric lifts. Power was supplied to work stations by shafted over-head motors suspended from the beams.
In the early 1950s Tilling-Stevens was taken over by the Rootes Group, which was itself taken over in the mid-1960s by Chrysler (UK) Ltd; the Tilling-Stevens factory closed in 1975.
Details
The factory is constructed of a regular reinforced concrete grid, expressed throughout the exterior of the building; the front elevation, also of concrete, is dressed to present a classically-styled composition to the street.
MATERIALS: the building is composed of a grid of exposed horizontal and vertical reinforced concrete members, which divide the building into 20' by 20' bays; on the outer faces of the building the bays are in-filled with panels of red brick and glazing. The original windows were multi-light steel casements however these have almost universally been replaced with uPVC casements.
PLAN: the building is five storeys high with a small attic storey. The factory floor is L-shaped in plan; the core is 3 bays wide by 16 bays deep, with a perpendicular wing to the rear, 3 bays wide by 3 deep, extending southwards. Another 3 bay by 3 bay wing projects to the north, which contains the main goods lift and stair; this was where the services and amenities for the building were housed. The front of the building is an additional two bays wide to the north, providing a vehicular access at street level. A roadway runs from this entrance, through the centre of the northerly service wing (where there is a weigh bridge), and down the side and rear of the building. To the rear there is a projecting stair and lift tower, and to the south there is a second projecting lift tower; this is later in date, but appears to use the same construction system. There is a third internal fire escape stair on the south side of the building which exits onto St Peter's Street at the front.
EXTERIOR: with the exception of the front, all elevations of the building are without architectural embellishment and form a regular pattern of concrete grid, brick, and glass. The concrete grid is also expressed on the front elevation, however here the concrete is also used decoratively to shape the elevation into a classical composition. There is a heavy cornice over the fourth storey, with recessed ribbing and nail-head corner stops; the fifth storey is treated as a classical attic, having smaller windows and a much plainer and shallower cornice above. The true attic storey is three bays wide, central to the elevation and set back from the front. The bays to the far left and right of the elevation are treated as towers, defined by slightly projecting pilaster-like verticals to either side. The 'capitals' of these pilasters take the form of a circular disk, flanked by triglyph-like elements. At ground floor there is a pedestrian and vehicular entrance/exit to either side of the elevation. These openings are framed by wide, flat, unmoulded architraves and above each of the vehicular openings is a framed panel (which once bore the name of the company) with a stylised tassel motif to either side. This panel with tassels motif is repeated within the parapet above the attic storey.
The exterior of the building is generally little altered, the most notable exception being the replacement of the windows. The largest windows to the front were originally 54-light windows, they are now 12-light windows, those to the sides and rear were mostly 45-light windows, these are now 8-light windows. On the front elevation a doorway has been inserted into the left-hand of the three central bays to give access into a site office from St Peter's Street.
INTERIOR: the interior is utilitarian; at each storey concrete pillars support beams and joists which support the floor above. The pillars get progressively smaller in cross-section at each storey up. Circular holes are cast into the joists, through which a conduit carrying electrical cable ran; in some places slots are cast into beams and joists to carry the motors which were suspended overhead, providing power to the factory machinery. The factory floors, which would have been completely open, are now divided into units with concrete block walls built between pillars. Fixtures and fittings which may have been associated with the service and amenity block (which included an office, boiler house, first-aid rooms, lavatories and rest rooms) do not survive.
Sources
Books and journals
Collins, P, Stratton, M , British Car Factories from 1896: A complete historical, geographical, architectural and technological survey, (1993)
Skinner, J, Form and Fancy: Factories and Factory Buildings by Wallis Gilbert and Partners, 1919-1939, (1997)
Souster, E G W , The Design of Factory and Industrial Buildings, (1928), 142-148
'The Architects' Journal' in The Utility of Reinforced Concrete, (26 January 1928), 100-107