Abstract
SIR HENRY FOWLER went on to speak of the importance of fundamental research and of the ‘marrying-up’ of research with its practical applications. There is nowadays unquestionably much better understanding between the research worker in metallurgy and the practical engineer, due to the increased facilities for metallurgical education and to the growing importance of metallurgy. Difficulties are still met, however, when the research worker neglects to express himself simply and intelligibly, or the practical man may be unduly conservative as regards new ideas. Sir Henry quoted one example from his own experience in which prejudice was likely to obstruct the application of research in practice. In 1922 he heard incidentally that a small percentage of copper increased the corrosion-resisting properties of steel. Owing to the story, apparently, that if a puddler wished to get a fellow-worker into trouble, he threw a penny into the puddling furnace, it was difficult to get the material made. Finally, Sir Robert Hadfield accepted the order for a small cast of ‘copper-bearing steel’. The metal was required for the smoke-box and ash-pan plates of locomotives, and it took a further six or seven years to show that better results were obtained than with ordinary steel, thus emphasising another point, that the practical test of a discovery should be started as quickly as possible without awaiting its full development. The research associations are invaluable in bringing together those directly engaged in industry and those conducting research.
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Practical Applications of Fundamental Research. Nature 129, 429–430 (1932). https://doi.org/10.1038/129429e0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/129429e0