British Iron and Steel AD 1800-2000 and Beyond British Iron and Steel AD 1800-2000 and Beyond Edited by C. Bodsworth Book 742 Published in 2001 by rOM Communications Ltd 1Carlton House Terrace London, SWI Y 5DB © rOM Communications Ltd 2001 rOM Communications Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Institute of Materials ISBN 1 86125 119 X Typeset by Fakenham Photosetting, Fakenham, UK Printed and bound at The University Press, Cambridge, UK CONTENTS Preface vii Chapter 1 Nineteenth Century Developments, by C. Bodsworth 1 1. Introduction 1 2. Ironmaking Processes 4 3. Steelmaking Processes 34 4. Fabrication 68 5. Physical Metallurgy 81 6. References 87 Chapter 2 Technological Developments in Iron and Steel During the Twentieth Century, by T. Gladman and F. B. Pickering 91 1. Introduction 91 2. A View of AD2000From the Perspective of AD1900 93 3. Iron and Steel Manufacturer, Circa AD1900 97 4. Hot Rolling Processes, Circa AD1900 103 5. Forging, Circa AD1900 105 6. Tube- and Pipe-making, Circa AD1900 106 7. Cold Working Processes, Circa AD1900 107 8. Heat Treatment, Circa AD1900 108 9. Investigational Techniques, Circa AD1900 109 10. Concepts, Circa AD1900 110 11. Alloy Steels, Circa AD1900 111 12. Developments in Ironmaking and Steelmaking in the Twentieth Century 113 13. Developments in Mechanical Working in the Twentieth Century 131 14. Heat Treatment in the Twentieth Century 141 15. Welding Developments in the Twentieth Century 145 16. Surface Engineering in the Twentieth Century 151 17. The Developments of Investigational Techniques in the Twentieth Century 154 18. Conceptual Developments in the Twentieth Century 166 19. Developments in Steel Compositions and Types in the Twentieth Century 172 20. Closure 191 21. Bibliography 195 Chapter 3 The Iron and Steel Institute, by C. Bodsworth 201 1. Early Developments 201 2. Co-operative Research 214 v vi British Iron and Steel AD 1800-2000 and Beyond 3. Grosvenor Gardens Headquarters 212 4. Carlton House Terrace and The Metals Society 216 5. References 218 Chapter 4 BISRA - The British Iron and Steel Research Association, by G. D. Spenceley MBE and P. H. Scholes 221 1. Introduction 221 2. Formation of BISRA 222 3. Organisation and Administration of BISRA 228 4. Selection of Work Undertaken 236 5. Transfer of BISRA in 1968 to BSC 297 6. Acknowledgements 298 7. References 299 Chapter 5 Twenty-first Century Irorunaking and Steelmaking, by R. B. Smith and M. G. Sexton 301 1. Introduction 301 2. Developments to Existing Plant 302 3. New Process Technologies 307 4. Environmental Sustainability 324 5. Choice of Process Route 326 6. Summary 327 7. References 328 Appendix: Some Brief Histories of Some British Iron and Steel Companies 329 Brown Bailey Steels Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 329 Colvilles Ltd, by I. M. Mackenzie 332 Daniel Doncasters, by R. Fenn 340 Dorman Long and Co. Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 346 Edgar Allen and Co. Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 353 English Steel Corp. Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 358 Thomas Firth and John Brown Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 364 The Hadfields Company, by R. Fenn 371 Samuel Osborn and Co. Ltd, by R. Fenn 379 Richard Thomas and Baldwins Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 385 Skinningrove Iron Co. Ltd, by C. Shepherd 390 Stewarts and Lloyds Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 396 John Summers and Sons Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 401 United Steel Companies Ltd, by C. Bodsworth 405 References 409 Index 411 PREFACE Several books have been published which describe the evolution and growth of the British iron and steel industry. Most of these provide accounts of the developments in manufacturing methods that have taken place. Some also discuss the products. Only limited reference is usually made, however, to the reasons why the changes were made or to the progressive evolution of the underlying scientific understand- ing that has transformed the modern approach to the design and operation of pro- cesses and to product development. There is no comprehensive coverage of the vast changes that have transformed the industry during the second half of the twentieth century. The theme for the present treatment was proposed by Professor Jack Nutting (now deceased) who suggested that practitioners who had witnessed many of these changes should record their experiences for the benefit of posterity. The first chapter sets the scene by outlining the changes which resulted in the vast increase in output during the nineteenth century. It identifies also the initial stages of the transition from the control of operations and the development of new processes based upon trial and error and accumulated experience towards the adoption of a more analytical method based on experimentation and scientific deduction. The following chapter describes the continuation of this trend through an examination of the sequence of changes that have occurred during the last 100 years, with reference to some of the problems encountered and the solutions which were derived. It summarises the stage of development reached by the end of the second Millennium. Founded in 1869, as described in Chapter 3, the Iron and Steel Institute became the principal vehicle for the communication of information about manufacturing and conceptual developments between people working in the industry. It initiated also collaboration between companies by participation in co-operative research activities. This led to the formation of several Research Associations. Most of these served specific sectors of the industry, such as the cast iron, steel castings and spring manufacturers. The most comprehensive coverage was provided by the British Iron and Steel Research Association and the account of its activities in Chapter 4 draws attention to the important contribution made by these bodies. As the mature industry moves into the twenty-first century, the fifth chapter speculates on the most probable lines for future development. Each chapter is self- contained. Although this has resulted in some repetition, the chapters can thus be read independently and in any order. The Appendix presents brief histories of some of the leading companies that made major contributions to the development and growth of the industry during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, but whose names are now consigned to his- tory. The profiles are reproduced from an on-going series of reports which are being published in the journal Ironmaking and Steelmaking. I place on record my appreciation of the efforts of the co-authors who have con- tributed chapters to the book and without whose support the preparation of this publication would not have been completed. Thanks are recorded also to the many vii viii British Iron and Steel AD 1800-2000 and Beyond people who have written and/or have contributed to the accounts of the histories of the individual companies described in the Appendix. Since this back was written, British Steel Corporation and Hoogovens in Holland have merged and have since formed the Corus Group. Colin Bodsworth December 1999. CHAPTER 1 Nineteenth Century Developments c. BODSWORTH 1. INTRODUCTION The British iron and steel industry achieved phenomenal growth during the nine- teenth century, but there were several periods of boom and depression and the rate of change varied markedly, both from one category of products to another and from one decade to the next. Thus, the annual production of pig iron doubled during the first decade, stimulated by the demand arising from the Napoleonic wars. The industry then contracted during the recession that followed the resto- ration of peace, and higher annual outputs were not achieved until another twelve years had elapsed. Compared with the performance in 1800, the production of pig iron had increased by over twelve fold by 1850 and by roughly fifty fold at the end of the century. This growth was aided by an almost zero cumulative rate of infla- tion from the end of the Napoleonic wars to the end of the century. In marked con- trast, wrought iron production increased by only about nine fold during the first half of the century, reached a peak in 1882 and showed a slow annual decline there- after. There appears to be no reliable estimates for steel production in the early nineteenth century, but the output increased by about 100 fold during the last four decades with the development of the Bessemer and Siemens bulk steelmaking pro- cesses. Several factors contributed to bring about these spectacular rates of change, which have not been approached in subsequent years. The population of Britain was about 11 million in 1800 but it was increasing more rapidly than the average rate of growth during the previous century and had risen to 22 million by the time of the first census in 1851. Agriculture had tra- ditionally been the major employer, but the development of wind and water power had reduced the labour requirements and this trend was accelerated when steam powered mechanical equipment was introduced. The industry could no longer pro- vide sufficient work for the rapidly expanding labour force and increasing numbers of people were available for employment in other occupations. Machinery and machine tools were still very expensive in 1800. The water wheel was still the major source of motive power and the industrial revolution had made only slow progress. The applications of steam power began to expand rapidly in the first decade, following the expiry of the Bolton and Watt patent for the con- densing steam engine. The power that could be obtained from an engine was also 1 2 British Iron and Steel AD 1800-2000 and Beyond increased considerably by using the more accurately bored cylinders that were now being produced using Wilkinson's cylinder boring technique. The 'dark satanic mills' started to disfigure the agrarian landscape as factories began to displace home workshops and provide employment for the more numerous urban work force.