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ALTHOUGH the C.F.R. Engine-Test Method of knock evaluation, now designated as the Research Method, is accurate and reproducible to a remarkable degree, investigation developed that it was not adequately simulating service conditions as judged by the most critical technician or the less critical lay user. To bring the laboratory method in line with road evaluation of a fuel, a definite technique of road test was evolved that, while not to be considered in commercially determining octane numbers, was regarded by the Committee as sufficiently accurate and reproducible to serve as the first step in the development of a satisfactory laboratory method. With a satisfactory road-test method available, the next step was to test a representative group of fuels and then develop a laboratory method which closely approximates the road results.

IN this paper, Mr. Veal tells the story of the development of the Cooperative Research Council from its creation as the project of three or four men to its growth into an organization of 80 working groups with a total membership of more than a thousand actively interested technical specialists, carrying out its expanded research in 130 participating laboratories. In its own words, the new Council proposes “to direct cooperative research in developing the best combinations of fuels, lubricants, and equipment powered by internal-combustion engines.” To carry out this goal, a smooth-working organization has been set up. Four main committees assign the work of solving each problem, as it comes up, to an appropriate working group. The men on these groups are interested, qualified technicians who do the actual research work in their suitably equipped laboratories.

BORN during the aftermath of World War I, the nation's outstanding cooperative petroleum research organization has again enlisted in the service of the Army, Navy, and Government civilian agencies. Although both the type and the urgency of war time problems are unlike those of peace, the mechanism of the Coordinating Research Council, supported equally by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the American Petroleum Institute, has been geared to the task of solving the new problems with unprecedented speed. More than 150 technical working groups, scores of the world's finest petroleum laboratories, and the research facilities of the Government have been coordinated on problems requested of the CRC by the Armed Services. Intensive coordinated research in fuels and lubricants is demanded by the strenuous use of combat airplanes, military vehicles, and war vessels, wartime shipment and storage of fuels and lubricants and, shortages of certain critical petroleum products.

About 27 million persons, or ½ of our total adult population, are enrolled in some form of adult education. Such education, continuing through years of maturity, engenders tolerance toward others and makes possible individual fulfillment. These are the only two forces that can successfully combat the spirit of hostility between countries, political, social or economic groups. In engineering especially, the age limit in education has been raised. The Engineering Council for Professional Development, in its minimum definition of an engineer, specifies not less than four years after graduation from an approved engineering school as the minimum time in which a young engineer can be expected to reach full professional status. Along with the increased emphasis on the post college training of engineers has occurred a change in engineering colleges themselves.

THIS discussion of CRC outlines topically the content of its activity, touches upon the development of its organization, and illustrates two phases of its work, the formulation of test procedures and the impetus to the development of new products.

THE basic philosophy of cooperative research is discussed by Mr. Veal, as well as the means developed by experience through which these functions can be exercised most expeditiously. The research examined here is that accomplished through voluntary association among industrial organizations, not the government initiated and supervised activity of war's emergency. After Mr. Veal received the Horning Memorial Award for 1944, he delivered this lecture on cooperative research.

EVER since the adoption of the C.F.R. Motor Method by the Cooperative Fuel Research Committee on Sept. 12, 1932, periodic checks have been made of the reproducibility of this method. To secure correlation with ratings obtained by this road-test method modifications were made in the laboratory method, which had been evolved by the committee and has been since known as the “research” method. The object of the 1934 C.F.R. detonation road tests, was (a) to check the validity of correlation between road knock-ratings and laboratory knock-ratings, and (b) to indicate promising paths of research directed toward better mutual adaptation of fuels and engines. The paper reports on materials and equipment, road-test procedure, supplementary test methods, special reference fuels and results, engine severity-factor and factors affecting fuel-engine relationships. Detonation research is reported upon, and C.F.R. road-test-method specifications are stated in the Appendix.