Wrought Iron Research Articles

UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

The article is intended to analyze the cyclicality of the development of construction, caused by fundamental qualitative changes in the basic generations of equipment, machines, technologies, vehicles and large structures in the leading sectors of the economy, i.e. industrial revolutions. The first industrial revolution created the organizational-economic, scientific-technical and institutional prerequisites for a conceptual rethinking of the principles and norms of construction and brought to life the pre-monopolist-industrial model of the construction sector (Construction 1.0). Its main feature was the active use of metal elements (cast iron, wrought iron, steel), glass, concrete and reinforced concrete in construction production. The industrial-extensive model of Construction 2.0 covers the period from the beginning of the 20th century. until the end of the 1960s and coincides with the Second Industrial Revolution. This model is distinguished by large-scale processes of territorial and spatial concentration of construction based on the accumulation of means of production, labor and capital investments in large construction organizations and complex processes of industrialization of the construction sector. From the first half of the 1970s to the first half of the 2000s, the energy-efficient construction model (Construction 3.0), brought to life by the Third Industrial Revolution, prevails in the world. This period is characterized by the systematic orientation of construction production to the optimization of thermal energy provision of objects, the rationalization of the processes of using energy resources at all stages of the construction and production process, and the minimization of the level of consumption of energy and material resources. Today, marked by the unfolding of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is characterized by the global development of an ecosystem-type green construction model (Construction 4.0) – an environmentally responsible and resource-saving process of social reproduction of construction products. This model is based on deep integration of green and digital transition technologies and is ensured by large-scale digitization of construction works.

Optimizing the order picking and delivery process to the final recipient

The aim of this study is to analyse and evaluate the order picking process and the transport of products to customers, taking into account the specific characteristics and potential of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises. Scientific standards and selected indicators for measuring the efficiency and quality of transport and order picking processes were used to achieve the intended objectives. The research was conducted in a small, family-owned manufacturing and trading company specialising in the production and sale of wrought iron finishing elements and fences. The analysis covered both internal and external transport processes. It was shown that the order picking process in the studied company is largely based on manual procedures, which, despite high precision, generates time-consuming activities related to the movement of warehouse employees. External transport efficiency indicators showed high efficiency and appropriate use of transport resources. The high quality of deliveries, as measured by on-time and reliability indicators, confirms customer satisfaction. The study was conducted in one company, which is a limitation. Future studies should include more companies from the same sector. Proposed improvements need to be verified sometime after implementation and solutions resulting from data analysis can help SMEs in similar industries to improve their logistics processes. The work brings a new approach to the analysis of order picking and transport processes in the context of SMEs, providing practical solutions and indicating areas for further research. It is aimed at logistics managers, researchers and practitioners interested in optimising logistics processes in the industrial sector.

砥石을 통해 본 한반도 동남부지역의 開始期 철기 제작기술

In relation to the beginning of ancient iron production in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula, the issue of wrought iron production has been a major issue, with research focused on furnace wall and tuyre fragments, iron materials, and slag found in association within dwellings. However, whetstones, which functioned as a processing tool throughout humankind’s long history, have yet to be fully examined in relation to wrought iron production. Therefore, this paper presents the results of analysis undertaken on the use traces of the ground whetstones excavated from archaeological sites. It was found that the whet-stones can be largely divided into those with the abrasive section located partially or along the entire surface of the stone. In the areas where the iron tools were used from the initial stage, it was identified that the stone manufacturing technology of the local communities was utilized and evidence of the working of iron products could be observed on the sur-face of the whetstones. In addition, the fact that iron objects have have been unearthed in contexts in which iron production by-products have not been identified shows that the use of whetstones was not limited to iron smithing. In addition, in relation to the initial period of iron use ob-served mainly in the Geumho River basin, the characteristics and distribution of iron pro-duction sites from the same period are not uniform, indicating that the nature of iron use and production in the initial period in the southeastern region was not uniform. The development of the initial iron production technology for the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula was examined by identifying different aspects in the southeastern part of Kyushu, Western Japan, where the situation of reusing iron fragments was con-firmed over a long period of time and over a wide area.

Late La Tène bronze rivets from selected sites in Bohemia: material research

The study presented focuses on material research of La Tène rivets and represents the very first study conducted into this class of archaeological finds from the Bohemian region. The rivets examined come from two significant archaeological sites situated in this geographical area—a hillfort Kolo near Týnec nad Labem and an oppidum in Stradonice. The sets of the rivets selected for the study were dated to the Late La Tène period (second–first century BC)—in the context of Western Europe, the term Celtic period can also be found. Thorough material research of the objects utilised a range of methods such as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive analyser, atomic absorption spectrometry, X-ray micro-tomography scanning, laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and Raman spectrometry. As a result, the research has identified and described three different technologies used to produce the rivets. The rivets uncovered there were mostly produced by casting from a bronze alloy or by putting wrought iron pins into the bronze melt of rivet heads. In addition, a minority of the rivets were produced using forged wrought iron with their heads plated with a very thin bronze plate. The results of the elemental analysis showed that several of the rivets and most of the rivet heads were made of bronze alloys with a tin content of 2–10 wt.%. The lead content of bronze alloy rivets from both sites varies from 0.2 to 10.1 wt.%. It can be assumed, that lead was intentionally added to the bronze melt used to produce the majority of the artefacts examined. Also, several bronze rivet heads were found to be decorated with enamel, which is a type of soda-lime-silica high lead glass coloured with crystals of Cu2O (the Colour of the enamel was predominantly red). In conclusion, two different groups of enamels were distinguished: (a) enamels with PbO up to 20% and (b) enamels with a higher content of PbO reaching up to 40%.

Wrought Iron Use in the 1800s

Wrought Iron Use in the 1800s

‘The Duke’s Lock’: a study of the interchangeability of Henry Nock’s Board of Ordnance ‘Screwless’ Lock. Part 1: materials, machines and measurements

This research project, reported in three parts, focuses on Henry Nock’s ‘screwless lock’, or, as it is called in documents at the time of its manufacture, the ‘Duke’s Lock’, in the most important production variant of this novel and sophisticated design. This is the 5.5in long ‘Type 2’ Duke’s Lock, as fitted to the final design iteration of the Board of Ordnance’s Duke of Richmond’s Musket (DoRM), namely its rammer-to-the-muzzle (RTM) version. The three papers report the results of the first published systematic assessment of the Duke’s Lock’s interchangeability. No statement has yet been found in archival material to suggest that the lock is, or was considered to be, interchangeable, or that it has interchangeable components, but the authors of many secondary works think that it was, and therefore we set out to investigate this important matter systematically. This, the first paper, presents the findings of a five-lock component exchange experiment, which permits 20 component interchange tests. Measurements of key dimensions have also been made to assist in understanding the fits at which interchangeability was achieved. The exchange experiments establish that from 50% to 100% of the lock’s small components are interchangeable, with two especially surprising results: all cocks exchange on the large centres of the locks (20/20 or 100%), and all sears which can be tested are found to exchange between bents (17/17 or 100%). Tests assessing the complete assembly of all components in the lock thickness direction, omitting problematic individual components, show success rates of 16/20 (80%) and 14/20 (70%). The results of this process are placed in a material context through metallographic analysis of components of a less well-preserved Board of Ordnance 5.5in Duke’s Lock by Nock, and, for comparison, on an almost contemporary Board of Ordnance India Pattern Musket lock. The analysis has revealed that many components of the Duke’s Lock are made of steel rather than wrought iron, and that, for the centres and some other key components, these steels were selected because their properties suited machine turning, and this reflects Nock’s expert use of lathes within a factory that was using steam power by 1795. The analysis is supported by the disassembly and technical examination of some locks, including one that was partially completed, to analyse methods of construction. As regards archival sources, we have built upon Howard Blackmore’s seminal paper of 1956 by discovering additional archival data in the Ordnance Bill books, specifically the records of transactions with Nock’s executors after his death in 1804, to as late as 1808. This has allowed an improved understanding of the number of locks supplied and the uses to which they were put. The Ordnance Bill Books show that Nock delivered 12,010 Duke’s Locks in only 29 months, between 4 July 1793 and 25 November 1795. Together the papers explore how Henry Nock was able to produce the remarkable figure of 12,010 interchangeable locks in 1793–95, five years before the production of 10,000 interchangeable locks was achieved in France by Honoré Blanc, who is widely regarded as the first in this field. Significantly, Nock’s work also preceded that of Samuel Bentham, Mark Brunel and Henry Maudslay on the famous machines for making interchangeable components – in wood – for the blocks required for ships’ rigging; the three principals began their work on this in 1799. The present three-part study not only firmly establishes Henry Nock’s leading position in the field of firearm development but also as one of the pioneers of interchangeable manufacture at scale in engineering more widely, both nationally and internationally. Part 2 uses studies of the marks on a sample of 25 locks to reveal more about the manufacturing system for Duke’s Lock and how the people within the system were organised. The final paper, Part 3, discusses the small changes in design and inspection made during and after production that are revealed in the earlier Parts, and also how the design of George Bolton’s later patent lock was influenced by Nock’s work and the experience of his workmen.

Instrumentation of the Eiffel Tower for Continuous Monitoring

The Eiffel Tower stands as a historic and iconic monument in the city of Paris. With a total height of 330 meters and constructed with wrought iron, it features a lattice metal structure. Completed in 1889 after two years of construction, the tower was initially designed for a 20-year lifespan. Now over 130 years old and welcoming millions of visitors annually, it has become a compelling example of extending the lifespan of a structure through vigilant surveillance and maintenance. Historically, the Eiffel Tower's surveillance program primarily consisted of repeated comprehensive and detailed inspections. Since 2021, it has been equipped with sensors to continuously monitor its overall behaviour. This instrumentation includes motoring of the spire’s inclination, as well as monitoring displacements, deformations, and vibrations in its four pillars. Temperature and humidity measurements are also acquired across the structure, to help providing a comprehensive analysis. This paper presents the implemented instrumentation, addressing challenges related to its deployment, and proposes a first analysis two years after the beginning of the campaign. Seasonal movements and trends are identified, and a brief dynamic study is conducted. Finally, the paper discusses the approach of instrumentation for exceptional structures to complete ongoing surveillance.

Preserving Authentic Decoration in the Entrance Spaces of Residential Buildings in Eastern Galicia from the late 19th to the First Third of the 20th Century: Restoration Experience

The special role in shaping the entrance spaces of buildings, their artistic expressiveness belonged to decorative art, as architects used such materials as artistic wood, artistic metal, artistic glass, artistic ceramics, artistic paintings, sculptural forms, decorative stone and other elements for decorating entrance spaces. Sometimes, one motif could be the main focus in the decor of entrance spaces, echoing with artistic paintings, decor on ceramic tiles, etched pseudo-stained glass, supraports and wrought ironwork of stair railings according to the principle of interaction of arts. However, there are cases of staircases, artistic paintings or stained-glass windows that are not continued in the patterns of ceramic tiles, decor of walls and ceilings, railing enclosures, or artistic solutions of entrance gates. In such cases, these decorative elements act as an accent in the interior. Natural studies allow to systematize the typology of doors based on a number of characteristics: material of manufacture, stylistic execution, principles of decorative solution, location of artistic decoration, type of ornament of wrought iron grilles and so on. However, alongside negative examples of the state of entrance spaces, there is also positive experience of their preservation and restoration.

Innovation in the British iron industry in the 17th and 18th centuries

This article provides a summary of the technological advances in the British iron industry. The major changes were the transition from the use of charcoal as fuel to mineral coal (or coke), first in blast furnace producing pig iron and then in producing (malleable) bar iron. Allied to this is the application of the reverberatory (or air) furnace first to foundry work and then to fining iron, ultimately in puddling furnaces. The ability to abandon charcoal as fuel in both sectors released the great expansion in iron production of the industrial revolution. Article History Received 27 September 2023; Accepted 20 December 2023

THE IMPACT OF MATERIAL AND CRAFTING TECHNOLOGY ON THE SHAPING AND DESIGN OF WROUGHT IRON ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS

Wrought iron was a determining material in historic times. Although it was mainly used for manufacturing tools and weapons it was also applied for architectural purposes as building structural or architectural elements. In this paper the impact of material and technology of forging on the shaping and the design of wrought iron building structural and architectural elements from the time of the first known application to the 20th century in Europe is analyzed, distinguishing five main periods which are divided by four determining technological shifts in material production and consequently forging technology. Several phenomena are delighted regarding the appearance of the artifacts and the characteristics of the material, which reveal connections between technology and architectural design. The observations are validated by visual analyses of wrought iron samples.

SS GREAT BRITAIN: VOYAGE TO CARBON NEUTRAL

Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the first iron ship, is conserved and displayed in the historic dry dock where she was built. The most vulnerable parts of the original wrought iron hull are preserved by keeping the surrounding air at 20% relative humidity to prevent corrosion. A glass “sea” at waterline level creates a seal, and bespoke desiccant dehumidifiers desiccate the environment inside and underneath the ship. This conservation method relies on natural gas for drying the air, and electricity for circulating it.

Assessment of steel bridges – cracking the code

This article has been developed from a presentation given at the IStructE conference on 'Structural rehabilitation' in December 2022. It gives a view, based on my career over 30 years, of the way in which our assessment codes can fall short in carrying out a structural assessment of steel bridges. I have taken three differing types of bridge form, scale and purpose, and explained the assessment problems encountered and the method by which a better solution was found using computer methods of analysis. The bridges chosen are the M5 Avonmouth Bridge, a steel box-girder structure; a single-span railway bridge over the River Wey, originally of wrought iron, but subsequently strengthened in steel; and, finally, a lattice-girder truss footbridge. Considering the ongoing pace of development in hardware and software power, and the relative falling cost of computer analysis, the suggestion is made that upcoming assessment codes should make better use of computer tools available.

Replacement of cast iron piers on an 1886 wrought iron truss bridge in New South Wales, Australia – the challenge of preserving heritage significance during major rehabilitation work

The Namoi River Road Bridge is a colonial era high level wrought iron lattice truss bridge crossing the Namoi River (Manilla) built in 1886 to replace a dangerous river crossing. The bridge was part of the main road between Sydney (New South Wales – NSW), and Brisbane (Queensland), with the opening of the bridge allowing wool trade from the northern extents of the colony of NSW to be exported via the Port of Sydney. The six approach spans crossing the southern flood plain have history of differential settlement due to ground conditions which has resulted in damage to five bridge piers and variations to the vertical alignment of the bridge. This paper describes the method employed to restore the vertical alignment of the bridge and replace the damaged piers whilst ensuring retention of the structure’s cultural heritage significance, enabling the bridge to continue to operate as part of the NSW State Road network.

The Production of Marine Iron Objects in Europe Following the First Industrial Revolution: The Akko Tower Shipwreck Test Case

Four ferrous objects, a winch, a heart-shaped shackle, a deadeye strap with a futtock plate, and a stud-link chain controller, that were retrieved from the Akko Tower shipwreck were studied by different methods, including conventional metallography, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, optical emission spectroscopy, microhardness measurements, and the novel field multi-focal metallography (FMM), in order to determine their composition, microstructure, and manufacturing methods. The results of FMM agree well with conventional destructive metallography. The winch drum was made of grey cast iron and its shaft was wrought iron; the heart-shaped shackle and the deadeye strap with a futtock plate were wrought iron; and the stud-link chain controller was grey cast iron similar in composition and microstructure to the winch. All the wrought iron items revealed a similar composition and microstructure. Based on the composition, microstructure, and manufacturing processes of the four items, it is suggested that they were manufactured in the mid-nineteenth century. The high quality of these items indicates that they were produced using controlled processes, probably in the same workshop.

Privatizing the Chinese Tiehua Industry: A Qualitative Economic Case Study

Tiehua (wrought iron painting) is a folk art originating in Anhui Province, China. The tiehua industry has changed drastically over the last 25 years as China's economy has liberalized: Wuhu Tiehua Factory, a heretofore state monopoly, underwent bankruptcy restructuring in 1992, 2002, and 2013, while several new, smaller and more competitive firms have entered the market. The marketization of tiehua has become a meaningful local and regional issue centering on the ownership structure of the tiehua firms, and has proven to be an excellent case study in basic economic theory.

An Archaeometallurgical Study of Medieval Knives from Kinet Höyük, Turkey

This paper examines the knives of the medieval period (13th -14th century AD) from Kinet Höyük in Cilicia, one of the most important areas of Anatolia for the history of iron production. The materials and production processes of 12 knives were revealed using archaeometry methods, such as Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometer (SEM-EDS) analyses, and micro-hardness tests. An examination of the relationship between the shape and size of these knives was undertaken, along with a discussion of the factors involved in the manufacturing techniques. Among the medieval knives from Kinet Höyük that were analyzed, the results of the study indicate that besides blades made entirely of steel or wrought iron there are examples of forge-welding steel to wrought iron in a variety of ways. The largest group of knives is composed of small blades made only of steel. A particular example of this group is a blade made of crucible steel, which was skillfully forged and heat-treated. The medieval blades from Kinet Höyük exhibit a direct relationship between their shapes and their dimensional proportions. A specific production method, however, seems not to have been chosen in accordance with a given shape. The dimensions of the knives were more significant, particularly when only steel or only wrought iron was used. Based on the historical iron-producing activities in the region and the traces of intense blacksmithing practices found in the medieval layers of Kinet Höyük, it is argued that these knives are remnants of a skilled metal production culture.

3D fractures analysis and conservation assessment of wrought iron javelin through advanced non-invasive techniques

3D imaging is a powerful tool of high resolution and non-destructive imaging technology for the study of ancient weapons and military technology, which reveals the original microstructures and corrosion patterns that threaten these artefacts. Here we report quantitative analysis of the 3D distribution and the orientation of fractures, and uncorroded metal particles within a wrought iron javelin unearthed at the Phoenician-Punic site of Motya, Italy. The study aimed to gain a better understanding of the relationship between corrosion and local stresses within the artifact and to evaluate its manufacturing technology, as well as the effects of post-treatment with Paraloid B72 on concretion and mineralized layers. The cracks were quantified in terms of content, size, and orientation. The condition of artefact storage was evaluated by a multi-analytical approach, including X-ray microscopy, field emission electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The results indicated that a specific technique was used to create a sturdy, lightweight javelin with a central shaft for piercing or thrusting. The fractures appear elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the blade, showing the forging direction of the original metallic block. The study concluded that the artifact had not yet been stabilized due to the presence of lepidocrocite.

‘The sword that was broken …’: The detection of recycled iron in the archaeological record

AbstractAlthough the recycling of materials such as copper and glass is widely known and generally well understood within archaeological contexts, far less is known about the recycling of iron. Iron recycling is more complex than that of other metals for two reasons. First, normal manufacturing processes, which include forging several components to make a composite object, offer the opportunity to include recycled iron. Second, the material itself is more complex than Cu alloys. The alloys of Fe, depending primarily on C content, are very different in terms of properties and can be interconverted by (normally) removing C such as decarburizing cast iron to make wrought iron. Thus, recycling practices are potentially intimately combined with such processes. These factors, combined with the poor preservation of archaeological iron and the consequent reluctance to carry out extensive studies (which often require destructive analysis via metallography), mean that there are no clear criteria for identifying recycled iron. However, limited historical documentation suggests, at least indirectly, that such recycling was common. This paper is neither comprehensive nor definitive, but merely intends to promote discussion and awareness of iron recycling by hypothesizing several possible mechanisms and providing a few illustrative archaeological examples.

Analisa Pengaruh Variasi Pelumas terhadap Keausan Baja St 60 dengan Tribometer Pin-On-Disc

Pin-On-Disc is a tool used to test a material's friction and wear levels. This tool is also one of the tribometer components. Pin-on-Disc uses a ball-shaped pin and a disk of ST 60 wrought iron as a disc in this test. This test aims to see or determine the volume of wear produced by pins with SAE40 and SAE140 lubricants and the importance of pin wear without lubrication. Lubrication influences the material or test specimen in this tribometer test. In this test, they are using a simple Pin-on-Disc Tribometer. The results obtained from this test are that the test without using lubricant shows at coordinates 0.0704 N, while the test with SAE40 lubricant shows at coordinates 0.07027 N, and testing with SAE140 lubricant is at coordinates 0.0703N.

British Iron Act 1750: its context and impact

In the Iron Act 1750, the British Parliament sought to encourage the production of iron in America, but to discourage its manufacture into finished wrought iron goods. It thus prohibited the erection or continuance of iron processing works of various kinds. This article examines these processes to provide context for the Act. It also reviews the returns that it required from colonial governors, which provide some details of the American iron industry at that period and particularly of existing works for the prohibited processes, and the extent and significance of iron imports from America.