Discussion on "Instruments as an aid to the production engineer" at the Coventry Section of the Institution

MR. GRIFFITHS: The unfortunate position in which the scientific instrument maker finds himself is that unless he is able to present a completely developed instrument his first effort is as obviously unnecessary as the finished product later becomes indispensable, and it seems unjust that whenever we come up against these instruments some firm has got to do all the pioneer work. As an instance, I have in mind an instrument which was loaned to me for detecting vibrations in an engine. I knew which gear was responsible for the trouble, but due to the fact that I was unable to use the instrument intelligently, it could not help me on that occasion. The instrument was quite useful in showing me that vibration was taking place, but it recorded the result of the vibration and not what I required, namely the source. The maker has got to perfect an instrument before it can be of real use. I was interested in the idea of reflecting heat by mirrors. Is it possible to accurately reflect a certain definite amount of heat?