The steering gear is one of the most important units of the automobile. A number of factories have been organized for the sole purpose of manufacturing a particular type of steering gear. In these factories we find ordinary drop-forging machines, machine-shop equipment, woodworking, and assembly work.
This work requires men who are able to move about freely and who have the free use of both hands. Some of the work is piecework (at least in some factories), and men must be able to come up to at least a reasonable production in order to qualify. The conditions as found in other manufacturing plants are found also in the steering-gear factories.
PLAN No. 1136. WHEELS
In the wheel factories, we find a number of special machines such as spoke machines, felloes machines, and trimming machines. These are practically automatic, the material being fed through them and the finished product coming out. After the parts have been made in their respective departments, they are ready for assembly. This requires a certain amount of handwork. The wheels must be assembled so that they will not loosen when they have been put into use. After they have been assembled, it is often necessary that a band be mounted on them. After a wheel has been assembled, it is put into a machine which trues and trims it, and it is then ready for the automobile manufacturer.
As the woodwork in the wheel factory is covered in the bulletin on woodworking, no further comments are made here.
PLAN No. 1137. BODIES
With the increased production of automobiles, large manufacturers have seen fit to purchase their bodies from body manufacturers. This has encouraged the body manufacturers to increase their production which has brought increased activities in this particular branch of the work.
In the body factories are employed woodworkers, sheet-metal workers, sand blasters, painters, upholsterers, and top builders.
In the woodworking department the work is similar to that of cabinet making, only the men are building skeleton instead of closed-type work. After the frame or skeleton of the body has been built, the metal or covering is fitted and secured to the framework. The body is then sent to be sand-blasted to make it smooth and also to assist in making the paint cling to a shiny surface. It then goes to the painting department where it is given a priming coat, several filler coats, color coat rubbing, varnishing, and a final finishing coat.
The woodworking department requires men who are able to handle tools and who are able to move about freely. The sheet-metal department requires men who are capable of using screw drivers and who are able to drive nails. The sand-blast department requires men with a normal body who can wear a dustproof suit, and who can handle the sand-blast equipment. The paint department requires men who are capable of moving about freely and who have the free use of one hand.