International projectionist (Jan-Dec 1947)

New Simplex Plant Bloomjield, N. J., Factory is Tops in Layout, Tools and Methods for production of projectors and sound systems. Showing vast sweep of Simplex factory main floor. Specially contrived precision fixtures, including optical comparators and air gauges, are used for checking intermittent sprocket contour, tooth spacing and internal diameter. Inspection of parts selected at random during setup run, as contrasted with post-production inspection. This approximates finger-tip control during the actual run. Modern electronic test equipment affords both a visual and aural check of the intermittent movement in terms of the positioning relationship between star wheel and cam. Dial of indicating gauge is graduated in steps of 1/10,000 inch. FEATURING modern "line" production methods, International Projector Corp.'s new plant in Bloomfield, N. J., is now operating at peak capacity. Steps in the manufacture of Simplex projectors and 4-Star sound systems were demonstrated during a recent inspection tour by trade press representatives. Occupying a 10-acre tract of land, the new Simplex plant comprises 180,000 square feet of plant and office space. The average weekly payroll lists 550 employees. The plant is an entity in itself in that practically the only outside purchases relating to manufacturing operations are for raw materials, predominantly metal. Every step in the forming of a given part — from the initial roughing operations down through the most minute refining process to heat-treating, plating and paint spraying — is wholly an in-plant operation. Every tool used for Simplex parts is made within the plant. And even the exacting standards governing such tool production are checked by means of special instruments such as a Bausch & Lomb Comparator which, by means of a novel process, projects on a screen the image of a given part magnified 100 times, enabling the detection of possible error of the order of 1/10,000 inch. Cite Fine Tolerances Simplex plant officials point out that the motion picture projector manufacturer has never been accorded adequate recognition for his strict adherence to exacting standards down through the years. Other manufacturers, notably in the automotive field, go to extreme lengths to clarion their current "close" manufacturing tolerances, of a character that has been commonplace in Simplex production procedure for the past 25 years. Tolerances of 1/10,000 inch and even finer are "musts" in motion picture technology. Bearing out this contention is the wealth of machinery, special tools and test equipment, in addition to expert design and extensive engineering know-how, utilized to produce the finely-spun mechanism that is the motion picture projector. Illustrative of this point is one unit 5 feet high and 4 feet long used to machine a 1-inch segment of the projector film trap! Or the 40 different operations required by Simplex standard practice to produce a single part — the intermittent sprocket! Or the 11 production steps necessary to turn out a washer that is held to a tolerance of plus or minus 2/10,000 inch! Or the 19 operations inci dent, to producing a guide roller! Thus the character of work performed before a single assembly is made. The gear-cutting department also attests to the severe Simplex standards. All needed gears are cut within the plant, Simplex having been the first projector manufacturer to introduce spiral bevel gears. Checking being important only in terms of the degree of accuracy sought, it is noteworthy that every aspect of production for both Simplex projectors and sound systems is governed by precise written and drawn specifications, often comprising as many as ten pages for a single part, the slightest deviation from which is unacceptable. Actual checking of each part against the applicable specs begins with the first piece off any given manufacturing setup and continues with similar checks of units selected at random during the balance of the run. This inspection during actual production run approximates finger-tip control of each operating stage, as contrasted with the conventional post-production checking of an entire lot. Rigid Inclusive Inspection These in-work checks by no means complete the inspection process. Intermittent movements, for example, are subjected to rigid inclusive inspection by means of delicately contrived electronic test equipment which affords both an aural and Simplex makes its own tools. In foreground is a jig-boring machine. 22 INTERNATIONAL PROJECTIONIST • March 1947