In using the conception of electric quantity Q, we consider only the terminals of the lines of dielectric flux, that is, deal merely with the effect of the dielectric flux on the electric circuit which produced it. This conception is in many cases more convenient, but it necessarily fails, when the distribution of the dielectric flux in the dielectric field is of importance, such as is the case when dealing with high dielectric field intensities, approach- ing the possibility of disruptive effects in the field of force, or when dealing with the effect produced by the introduction of ma- terials of different permittivity into the dielectric field. There- fore, with the increasing importance of the dielectric field in engineering, the conception of electric quantity, or charge, is gradually being replaced by the conception of the dielectric flux and the dielectric field, analogous to the magnetic field, wh…
Engineering Philosophy Passage Atlas
These passages are ranked from OCR/PDF text and must be checked against the scan before exact quotation.
Why This Theme Matters
Section titled “Why This Theme Matters”This passage may show Steinmetz as a thinker about engineering, society, education, or scientific method.
Candidate Passages
Section titled “Candidate Passages”110. Artificial light is used for the purpose of seeing and distinguishing objects clearly and comfortably when the day- light fails. The problem of artificial lighting thus comprises con- sideration of the source of light or the illuminant; the flux of light issuing from it; the distribution of the light flux in space, that is, the light flux density in space and more particularly at the illuminated objects; the illumination, that is, the light flux density reflected from the illuminated objects, and the effect produced thereby on the human eye. In the latter, we have left the field of physics and entered the realm of physiology, which is not as amenable to exact experimental determination, and where our knowledge thus is far more limited than in physical science. This then constitutes one of the main difficulties of the art of illuminating engineering: that it embraces the field of two dif- ferent scie…
giving most of the light flux between the horizontal and 20 deg. below the horizontal; in many cases of indoor illumination a light source giving most of the light between the vertical and an angle of from 30 to 60 deg. from the vertical - depending on the diameter of the area of concentrated illumination and the height of the illuminant above it. It can also be done by modifying or directing the light flux of the illuminant by reflec- tion or diffraction and diffusion, either from walls and ceilings of the illuminated area, or by attachments to the illuminant, as reflectors, diffusing globes, diffracting shades, etc. Further- more, the required flux distribution can be secured by the use of a number of illuminants, and with a larger area this usually is necessary. Frequently the desired flux distribution is pro- duced by using an illuminant giving more light flux than neces- sary, and destroying the exc…
Hence the logical error which led to the ether theory is the assumption that a w^ave must necessarily be a wave motion. A wave may be a wave motion of matter, as the water wave and sound wave, or it may not be a wave motion. Electrical engineering has dealt with alternating- current and voltage waves, calculated their phenomena and applied them industrially, but has never considered that anything material moves in the alternating-current wave and has never felt the need of an ether as the hypothetical carrier of the electric wave. When Maxwell and Hertz proved the identity of the electromagnetic wave and the light wave, the natural conclusion was that light is an electromagnetic wave, that the ether was unnecessary also
60. As more fully discussed in the chapters on the single-phase induction motor, in ” Theoretical Elements of Electrical Engineer- ing” and ” Theory and Calculation of Alternating-current Phenomena,” the single-phase induction motor has inherently, no torque at standstill, that is, when used without special device to produce such torque by converting the motor into an unsym- metrical ployphase motor, etc. The magnetic flux at standstill is a single-phase alternating flux of constant direction, and the line of polarization of the armature or secondary currents, that is, the resultant m.m.f. of the armature currents, coincides with the axis of magnetic flux impressed by the primary circuit. When revolving, however, even at low speeds, torque appears in the single-phase induction motor, due to the axis of armature polarization being shifted against the axis of primary impressed magnetic flux, by the rotatio…
113. Thus far, the problem is one of physics, and the result, that is, the objective illumination, can be measured by photometer or luminometer, and thus checked. The duty of the illuminat- ing engineer, however, does not end here, but with the same objective illumination, that is, the same distribution of light flux throughout the entire illuminated area, as measured by photometer, the illumination may be very satisfactory, or it may be entirely unsatisfactory, depending on whether the physio- logical requirements are satisfied or are violated ; and very often we find illuminations which seem entirely unsatisfactory, tiring, or uncomfortable, but when judged by the density and the distribution of the light flux, should be satisfactory. Even numerous commercial illuminants, designed to give suitable distribution curves, fail to do justice to their light flux and its distribution, by violating fundamental…
In electrical engineering, currents and voltages are dealt with as functions of time. The current and c.m.f. giving the power lost in resistance are related to each other by Ohm’s law. Current also produces a magnetic field, and this magnetic field by its changes generates an e.m.f. - the e.m.f. of self- inductance. In this case, e.m.f. is related to the change of current; that is, the differential coefficient of the current, and thus also to the differential coefficient of e.m.f., since the e.m.f.
of thought in the theoretical field, in our uni- versities, in our political offices, have not real- ized, neither do the mass of the people realize it yet, and consequently they mistake the effect for the cause. They imagine industrial consoli- dation is killing competition, and try to stop consolidation by breaking up the corporations, while in reality the death of competition as a beneficent industrial force is the cause of con- solidation, has led to the corporation as the only means of industrial production. Thus, not the “trusts” are killing competition, but the failure of competition is the cause of industrial consolidation, of the corporations.
than true co-operation. Co-operation implies two parties coming together. Thus there may be co-operation between employer and employ- ees, co-operation between the public and the corporation; but co-operation of the employees with the employer in plans devised and intro- duced by the employer, of the public with the corporation on a basis established solely by the corporation, is a misnomer, and such one-sided attempts of co-operation not infrequently lead to the reverse, to strained relations and antag- onism, and that naturally, in a democratic na- tion, where everybody believes that he knows best what is good for him.
105. In the calculation of maxima and minima of engineer- ing quantities x, y, by differentiation of the function y=f(x)j it must be kept in mind that this method gives the values of X, for which the quantity y of the mathematical equation y =f(x) becomes an extreme, but whether this extreme has a physical meaning in engineering or not requires further investigation; that is, the range of numerical values of x and y is unUmited in the mathematical equation, but may be limited in its engineer- ing application. For instance, if a: is a resistance, and the differentiation of y=f{x) leads to negative vahies of x, these have no engineering meaning; or, if the differentiation leads to values of x, which, substituted in y=f{x), gives imaginary, or negative values of y, the result also may have no engineering appUcation. In still other cases, the mathematical result may give values, which are so far beyond the r…
83. In electrical engineering, the most important periodic functions are the alternating currents and voltages. Due to, the constructive features of alternating-current generators-, alternating voltages and currents are almost always symmet- rical waves; that is, the periodic function consists of alternate half -waves, which are the same in shape, but opposite in direc- tion, or in other words, the instantaneous values from 180 deg. to 360 deg. are the same numerically, but opposite in sign, from the instantaneous values between 0 to 180 deg., and each cycle or period thus consists of two equal but opposite half cycles, as shown in Fig. 44. In the earlier days of electrical engineering, the frequency has for this reason frequently been expressed by the number of half -waves or alternations.
defective in many ways. Its activities are four- fold- financial, administrative, technical, and social. As capital is the foundation of our present industrial system, financial consolida- tion is the first step of industrial co-operation. Administrative consolidation and reorganiza- tion must follow, and then technical or engi- neering reorganization, to reap the benefit of industrial co-operation. The technical side of the corporation is the purpose of its existence; manufacture, transportation, etc., are technical or engineering pi’oblems, and the administra- tive and financial activities, therefore, merely means to accomplish the legitimate object of the corporation - production. Therefore, where the progress stops with administrative consoli- dation and does not reach engineering re- organization for the higher efficiency made possible thereby, the results are disappointing, and dissatisfaction of t…
THE issue in the European war essentially is that between the individualistic era of the past and the co-operative era of the future, and whatever may be the military results of the war, this issue is decided and all civilized na- tions of Europe have abandoned the individual- is lie principle of industrial organization, and have organized or are organizing as rapidly as possible a co-operative system of industrial l)roduction. Against the vastly higher pro- ductive efficiency of industrial co-operation of the European nations after the war, our coun- try’s individualistic industrial organization, with everybody fighting against everybody else, industrially, politically, and socially, is hope- less, and America thus will either fail, cease to be one of the world’s leading industrial nations, or we must also organize a system of industrial production based on co-operation and not on
tern can he built up, as long as sucli altitude has any chance to succeed even temporarily. - How would the officers of such national gov- ernment by the co-operative organization of the industrial corporations be chosen?/’ By popular election? Imagine the chief engineer of a man- ufacturing company elected by the majority vote of all the employees! Or the general man- ager, or the comptroller, or chemist, or bacteri- ologist, the mathematician, or designing engi- neer; it would not be democratic, but it would be chaotic. Not one-tenth of the emj)loyces are engineers and therefore capable of judging on the engineering qualifications, and their vote in electing the chief engineer would mean noth- ing; the elected officer almost certainly would be incompetent for his work, and the same applies to every other profession. Thus, where pro- fessional qualification is required by the office, popular election is…
permitted to do it, but invested with an abso- lute veto to stop any Action of the industrial senate which is against the public’s interest; that is, which is not commensal - a Trihuniciaie. The constructive activities of our industrial commonwealth require professional qualifica- tions for their direction, and economic efficiency thus demands an organization which reasonably assures such professional qualifications. There are, however, questions of general policy which have nothing to do with professional qualifica- tions, but where the decision depends on the personal preference, but is dictated by no economic law, and requires no special experi- ence or knowledge. Such would, for instance, be the question whether the increasing efficiency of industrial production should be utilized by increasing the standard of living, or by reducing the time of work, or by l^olh; and this question the unskilled labor…
power, in our country, as was represented by the central Govermncnt in Germany; our Govern- ments, from the federal down to the municipal, are not organized for constructive activity, and thus their entrance in the field is largely inhibi- tory, liable to disorganize by interference. The tariff wall excluded the check afforded by com- petition with other nations. Thus over-capi- talization was frequent, and seriously handi- capped some corporations for years, until their business had grown up to their capitalization. Sometimes the over-capitalization was inten- tional; water, or the result of excessive organi- zation charges; but the most frequent and most serious, because unavoidable, cause was the necessarily excessive cost of absorbing smaller competitors; the price usually is not the value of the competitor’s business; often this is nil - but is based on the harm which the competitor could do in unre…
Taxes and interest, however, most of the depreciation, and a small part of labor and of materials are fixed costs - that is, continue re- gardless whether the plant is operating full capacity, or at reduced output, or entirely standing idle. (Dividends should in reality be included in fixed cost, as without dividends no capital could be induced to invest, and the plant could, therefore, not exist. They will, however, be omitted, as temporarily, for some years, an industrial organization can continue without dividends. Surplus represents the amount of income set aside for times when the income falls below the cost of production - that is, is an insurance against temporary losses.)
THE epoch of the French Revolution, ush- ered in by the declaration of the rights of man - liherte, egalite, fraternite - struck the fet- ters of feudalism from the human race, and gave free play to the intelligence, energy, and initia- tive of all the millions of human beings. The development of the steam-engine, of steamship and locomotive, and later of telegraph, tel- ephone, and electric power, forged the tools; the free and unrestrained competition, which is the industrial expression of the individualistic age, gave the driving force which led to the great industrial development of the last cen- tury. The result was that the last century has seen a greater progress of mankind than all the previous centuries together.
They see competition vanishing before co- operation or consolidation, and, still dreaming of competition as the beneficent force which it was in the early days of industrial develop- ment, endeavor to restore competition. There- fore, you see all the attempts to resurrect to life a dead issue by legal enactments, by trying to break up the cori^orations, enforcing com- petition by law, etc. All this is contrary to the economic laws underlying industrial produc- tion, and is therefore helpless, and must remain a failure. No legal enactment can change this, but the laws of nature are above man-made laws, and political law violating the laws of nature is void. You may destroy the indus- tries by legal interference, and plunge the na- tion in disaster and chaos, but you cannot re- store competition. It is dead, just as dead as the feudalism of the Middle Ages. Co-operation is taking its place.