The mass production of automobiles

 

The traditional example of mass production is the automobile industry, which has continued to refine the basic principles originally laid down by Henry Ford and other pioneers of mass production techniques. Today's automobile is the result of a large number of mass production lines established in a multitude of manufacturing and assembly facilities throughout the world. The assembly plant from which the finished automobile emerges is only the final element of a mass production operation that, for many companies, includes plants in several different countries. Into the final assembly plant flow large subassemblies such as the automobile chassis, the engine, major body components such as doors, panels, upholstered seats, and many electronic, electrical, and hydraulic systems such as brakes, lighting systems, and sound systems. Each of these, in turn, is usually the product of a mass production line in another factory. Stamping plants specialize in producing the formed metal parts that constitute the body of the automobile. Radio assembly plants, in turn, depend upon other assembly plants for components such as transistors and integrated circuits. There are glass plants for windows, transmission plants, tire plants, and many others, each specializing in the mass production of its own product, which is, in turn, fed into the final assembly plant. The control of the flow of material into and out of final assembly plants, including the scheduling of production from feeder plants and the timing of rail and truck shipments, is among the major engineering tasks that make the total mass production system for automobiles work.

 

In the final assembly line one can see clearly how machinery and human effort in assembly are divided into many specialized skills. The special tooling and machinery developed to handle assembly parts and to aid operators in their tasks can also be observed. At a given point on the line a robot welder—unaided by a human operator—may weld body parts together. At another position the motor is mounted on the chassis by a large machine guided by an operator. In other places body panels and doors are assembled to the chassis, and dashboard instruments and wiring are added by hand with simple tools. Each operator learns his task in detail and uses tools specialized for that task. The total operation is paced by the speed of movement of the conveyor that carries the partially assembled automobiles. The number of operators, machine stations, and flow of materials to the conveyor have all been planned so that the conveyor can maintain an essentially constant speed with each operator and machine functioning near optimum effectiveness.

 

In Ford's early lines, parts and product were precisely standardized. Only one car model was manufactured, and each unit was identical to every other unit in all aspects, including colour—black. Today's automotive manufacturing engineers have learned to mass produce a highly customized product. The same assembly line may turn out a variety of models with many colours and options. This is achieved by continued insistence on standardization of critical elements such as the methods by which parts are held together internally. Thus, the operator who specializes in assembling doors can handle a variety of models and colours equally well. In addition, the flow of materials to the various line positions is carefully scheduled and controlled so that the specific part required for a given model, colour, oroption list arrives at the line at the precise moment that the partially assembled unit requiring the part has arrived along the conveyor. The exquisitely designed production-control systems operating in the automotive and other industries make it possible for the consumer to obtain a greatly enhanced variety of product without sacrificing the cost advantages of mass production techniques.

Text D

The Modern Auto Industry

 

By 1980, more than 300 million cars and 85 million trucks and buses were operating throughout the world, forming an indispensable transportation network. In the United States, automobile registrations stood at about 114 million, with 30 million commercial vehicles in operation. Germany's Volkswagen sent its first shipments of autos, popularly known as Beetles, to the United States in the early 1950s and eventually became a major force in the U.S. auto industry, opening a U.S. assembly plant in Pennsylvania in 1978 and planning another for Michigan for 1983. British and French automakers also enjoyed growth in exports to the United States during the 1950s. In 1959 the French shipped in a record 187, 000 units and the British a record 208, 000 units. In that year, U.S. auto manufacturers introduced their first lines of small “compact” cars to compete with imports, and initially they were successful. In later years, however, size and weight were added to these models, once again leaving the smallest-size market to exporters, notably the Japanese.

The first Japanese imports to the United States—16 compact pickups—arrived in 1956. Ten years later Japanese vehicle imports reached 65, 000 units. By 1980, the Japanese claimed 2.1 million sales in the United States. The Japanese firm Honda built an assembly plant in Ohio that began production in 1982, and another Japanese firm, Nissan, constructed a plant in Tennessee that began producing compact pickup trucks in 1983.

Words and expressions

 

network - 1) сеть, сетка; 2)сеть дорог, каналов;

3) радиотрансляционная сеть;

4) энергосистема;

5) многополюсник, четырехполюсник.

export - вывоз, экспорт. экспортирование; предметы вывоза, статьи экспорта.

import - ввоз, импорт; предмеры ввоза, ввезенные товары.

Exercise 1

Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What was the estimated amount of cars, trucks and buses operating throughout the world by 1980?

2. When did Germany's Volkswagen send its first shipment of autos to the USA?

3. Why do we consider that Volkswagen in the early 1950s became a major force in the U.S. auto industry?

4. What do you know about British and French automakers exports to the United States during the 1950s?

5. What were the Japanese exports of cars to the USA by 1980?

6. How did Japanese reach a huge figure of 2.1 million sales in the United States?

7. What do you know about assembly plants of Honda and Nissan in the USA?

8. What models of cars Nissan began to produce in 1983?

Exercise 2

Заполните пропуски недостающими по смыслу словами, используя текст:

 

1. In the United States commercial automobile registrations stood at … million vehicles in operation.

2. In the early 1950s Germany's Volkswagen sent its first … of autos to the USA.

3. Germany's Volkswagen a U.S. … plant in Pennsylvania in 1978.

4. British and French automakers also enjoyed growth in … to the United States during the 1950s.

5. In 1959 the French … a record 187, 000 autos and the British a record … units.

6. To compete with imports in 1959 U.S. auto manufacturers … their first lines of small “compact” cars.

7. The smallest-size market in the USA was left to … notably the Japanese in 1970s.

8. The first Japanese …. to the United States were 16 compact pickups—arrived in 1956.

9. By 1980 the Japanese claimed 2.1 million … in the United States

10. The Japanese firm Honda built an … … in Ohio that began production in 1982.

Exercise 3

Соответствуют ли данные предложения содержанию текста:

1. By 1980 more than 500 million cars and 35 million trucks and buses were operating throughout the world.

2. In the United States automobile registrations stood at about 30 million, with 114 million commercial vehicles in operation.

3. Germany's Volkswagen sent its first shipments of autos to the United States in the early 1970s.

4. Germany's Volkswagen opened the U.S. assembly plant in Pennsylvania in 1978.

5. British and French automakers failed in exports to the United States during the 1950s.

6. To compete with imports U.S. auto manufacturers introduced their first lines of medium-size cars in 1959.

7. In later years, however, size and weight of American models were decreased thus giving a chance to American manufacturers to increase production for export.

8. The first Japanese imports to the United States took place in 1959—1600 compact pickups were discharged in San-Francisco port.

9. In 1966 Japanese vehicle imports reached 65, 000 units.

10. The Japanese firm Toyota built an assembly plant in Ohio in 1982.

Exercise 4

Используя текст, составьте высказывания с данными словами и выражениями:

Indispensable transportation network - automobile registration - commercial vehicle – shipment - to become a major force - assembly plant – to enjoy growth in exports – to leave the market – to begin production – small size car – pickup - to construct a plant – to begin production.

Exercise 5

Кратко передайте содержание каждого абзаца.

 

Exercise 6

Выделите пять основных идей текста.

 

Exercise 7

Составьте предложения, используя данные выражения:

 

· Network of pipes (трубопроводная сеть); adjustment network (цепь настройки); communication network (сеть связи, система связи); compensating network (выравнивающий контур); distribution network распределительная сеть); electrical network (электрическая сеть, электрический многополюсник, электрическая схема); radio network (радиосеть).

· Volume of exports (объем экспорта); articles of exports (предметы вывоза); value of m exports (стоимость экспорта); state regulation of export (государственное регулирование экспорта); export of vast sums of private capital (вывоз частных капиталов за границу в огромных размерах); to increase exports (увеличить экспорт); to step down exports (урезать экспорт); to curb US exports to Europe (приостановить экспорт американских товаров в Европу).

· Articles of imports (статьи импорта); value of imports (цена импорта); import control (контроль над импортом); import restrictions (импортные ограничения); import expenditures (расходы по импорту).

 

Exercise 8

Переведите на русский язык следующие предложения:

1. Kazans’ transportation network was considerably improved before celebration of the 1000 anniversary of the city.

2. Commercial vehicles have to pay higher transport taxes.

3. Shipments of European autos to the Russian market increased recently.

4. Major force in the U.S. auto industry is a tremendous auto market in the country.

5. BMW auto manufacturer opened an assembly plant in the Russian city of Kaliningrad.

6. British and French automakers enjoyed growth in exports to Russia in late 1990s.

7. “Lada” automanufacturer introduced its first assembly line in late 1960s.

8. Japanese exporters are the monopolists in the smallest-size cars market to Europe.

9. The first Soviet imports of timber products to the United States took place in late 1950s.

10. The auto assembly plant in Elabuga began production in 1995.

Exercise 9

Переведите на английский язык:

 

1. Регистрация автомобилей является обязательной для всех владельцев автотранспорта.

2. Транспортная сеть Москвы значительно выросла за последние 10 лет.

3. Производство собственных автомобилей и увеличение импорта привело Москву и другие крупные города к серьезным транспортным проблемам.

4. Компания Фольксваген отгрузила свои первые автомобили в США в начале 1950 годов.

5. Наша компания имеет более 200 единиц транспорта, в том числе 20 легковых автомобилей.

6. Основной движущей силой развития Российской автомобильной промышленности является Волжский автомобильный завод в Тольятти.

7. Сборочный завод автомобилей Форд был открыт в Санкт-Петербурге в 2004 году.

8. Европейские автомобильные производители в последние годы увеличили объемы поставок автомобилей в Соединенные Штаты.

 

Exercise 10

Текст на самостоятельный перевод:

Honda Motor Company, Ltd.

Japanese Honda Giken Kō gyō Kk, leading Japanese manufacturer of motorcycles and a major producer of automobiles for the world market. Headquarters are in Tokyo.

 

The engineer Honda Soichiro founded the Honda Technical Research Institute near Hamamatsu in 1946 to develop small, efficient internal-combustion engines. It was incorporated as Honda Motor Company in 1948 and began producing motorcycles in 1949. The Honda C-100, a small-engine motorcycle, was introduced in 1953 and by 1959 was the largest-selling motorcycle in the world. In 1959the company also established a U.S. subsidiary, the American Honda Motor Company, which began producing motorcycles in the United States in 1979 and automobiles in 1982.

 

While Honda is a world leader in producing motorcycles, the bulk of the company's annual sales comes from automobiles, which the company began manufacturing in 1963. Among its lightweight, fuel-efficient passenger cars have been the popular Civic and Accord models. The company's other major product areas include farm machinery and small engines. Honda is a major Japanese exporter to the United States and to other parts of the world. It also has assembly plants in a number of other countries and is engaged in joint ventures and technology-licensing agreements with several foreign companies.

Text E

Pollution and Oil Shortage

 

In 1966 separate legislation was enacted requiring exhaust-emission control devices on all cars built after January 1, 1968. The federal exhaust-emission control law followed the enactment of similar standards in California, where unburned hydrocarbons polluting the atmosphere over the city of Los Angeles had been a problem for many years.

The automotive industry introduced two exhaust-emission systems designed to control the emissions of the internal-combustion engines. One of the systems involves injecting air into the exhaust gas as it flows from the cylinder to the exhaust manifold. The introduction of fresh air at combustion temperatures continues the oxidation process in the exhaust system, so that more of the hydrocarbons and the carbon monoxide are burned before being emitted into the atmosphere. The other system involves engine modifications to improve carburetion, distributor calibration, and combustion, measures that effectively control exhaust emissions.

The 1970 Clean Air Act required U.S. automobile manufacturers to design more efficient and “clean” engines in order to reduce harmful emissions by 90 percent before 1976. But the deadline for meeting these standards was postponed to the 1980 model year because of the fuel crisis of the mid-1970s and technological difficulties. The government also stipulated that the average mileage for all cars be 11.7 km/liter (27.5 mi/gallons) by 1985.

Rising gasoline prices led to an increased demand for small cars, and U.S. manufacturers turned out their own models to compete with foreign ones. But the future lay in “downsizing” even standard models to reduce weight and increase economy. High-strength plastics and aluminum replaced steel in many components, and smaller, more efficient engines were designed. Chief among these were dual displacement engines, stratified charge engines, and engines aided by turbochargers. Small computers began to be used to control carburetion. Plans for volume production of electric cars were under study for the mid-1980s, but cash shortages hampered development work.

In 1994 the EPA allowed 12 states to adopt automobile emissions standards that were above the national standard and that required the automobile industry to introduce a new class of cars by 1999. The automobile industry objected to the stricter, more expensive standards but the EPA allowed the states to impose them.

Exercise 1

Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

 

1. How do you understand 1966 separate legislation requiring exhaust-emission control devices to be installed on all cars?

2. Did automotive industry introduce exhaust-emission systems to control the emissions of the internal-combustion engines?

3. What is the role of fresh air at combustion temperatures and how it improves operation of exhaust system?

4. Do engine modifications improve effectively exhaust emissions?

5. What did the 1970 Clean Air Act require from U.S. automobile manufacturers?

6. Did increasing in gasoline prices lead to higher demand for small cars?

7. Why did the U.S. manufacturers turn out their own models to compete with foreign ones?

8. What materials replaced steel in many components of American cars to make them more efficient?

9. What was the main reason of termination of broad scale electric cars development in mid-1980s?

Exercise 2

Заполните пропуски недостающими по смыслу словами, используя текст:

 

1. A separate legislation requiring exhaust-emission control devices on all cars built after January 1, 1968 was enacted in ….

2. The federal exhaust-emission control law followed the enactment of similar standards in ….

3. … … problems were a big problem for many years for the atmosphere over the city of Los Angeles.

4. The automotive industry introduced two … … systems designed to control the emissions of the internal-combustion engines.

5. One of the systems involves … air into the exhaust gas as it flows from the cylinder to the exhaust manifold.

6. The introduction of … … at combustion temperatures continues the oxidation process in the exhaust system.

7. The 1970 Clean Air Act required U.S. automobile manufacturers to design more efficient and “clean” … in order to reduce harmful emissions.

8. Rising gasoline prices led to an increased demand for … cars.

9. High-strength plastics and aluminum replaced … in many components of cars.

10. Plans for volume production of … cars were under study for the mid-1980s.

 

Exercise 3

Соответствуют ли данные предложения содержанию текста:

 

1. In 1956 separate legislation was enacted requiring exhaust-emission control devices on all cars built after January 1, 1968.

2. The federal exhaust-emission control law followed the enactment of similar standards in Canada.

3. The State Department introduced two exhaust-emission systems designed to control the emissions of the internal-combustion engines.

4. The introduction of fresh air at combustion temperatures terminates the oxidation process in the exhaust system.

5. The 1970 Clean Air Act required U.S. automobile manufacturers to design bigger cars to reduce harmful emissions.

6. The Russian government stipulated that the average mileage for all cars be 11.7 km/liter by 1985.

7. Rising gasoline prices lead to an increased demand for bigger cars.

8. High-strength plastics and aluminum replaced rubber in many components of modern cars, and bigger less efficient engines were designed.

9. Volume production of electric cars started actively in the USA in mid-1980s.

 

Exercise 4

Используя текст, составьте высказывания с данными словами и выражениями:

Exhaust-emission control device - polluting the atmosphere - internal-combustion engine - injecting air - exhaust gas - combustion temperatures - oxidation process - exhaust system - carbon monoxide - engine modification - exhaust emission - harmful emission - technological difficulty - to reduce weight - increase economy - high-strength plastic.

Exercise 5

Кратко передайте содержание каждого абзаца:

 

Exercise 6

Выделите пять основных идей текста.

 

Exercise 7

Составьте предложения, используя данные выражения:

Introduction of exhaust-emission systems – to control the emissions of the internal-combustion engines – to inject air into the exhaust gas - engine modification - Clean Air Act - to reduce harmful emissions - fuel crisis - an increased demand for small cars - to reduce weight – to increase economy - high-strength plastics.

 

Exercise 9

Переведите на русский язык следующие предложения:

 

1. The mass use of motor vehicles was bound to have some unforeseen and undesirable consequences of which three can be singled out: traffic congestion, air pollution, and highway accidents.

2. The constantly growing number of automobiles throughout the world adds to the difficulty of finding remedies for congestion.

3. The heart of the problem is that few city street systems have been designed for automobile traffic.

4. The widespread use of automobiles for business travel has also led in many cities to a decline in public transit systems.

5. Automobile exhaust commonly contributes half the atmospheric pollutants in large cities.

6. At the end of the 20th century, many scientists believed that emissions from motor vehicles, industrial processes, and power plants were leading to a buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

7. Many automobile manufacturers also have undertaken development of alternative, less-polluting power sources.

8. Highway accidents create a distressing toll of fatalities and injuries wherever there is widespread use of automobiles.

9. Each year there are hundreds of thousands of motor vehicle fatalities worldwide.

10. The social and economic cost of car accidents is incalculable.

11. Efforts to improve highway safety have been successful in most countries.

12. Today many vehicles are equipped with multiple air bags to protect occupants.

13. Most countries of the world have set speed limits ranging from about 65 km per hour in some island nations to 120–130 km per hour in many European countries.

14. In some parts of the world, such as areas of Germany, India, and the Philippines, speed limits traditionally are not prescribed.

Exercise 8

Переведите на русский язык следующие предложения:

 

1. In 1996 separate legislation was enacted requiring all traders to present balance sheets to taxation departments.

2. Exhaust-emission control devices should be installed on all cars built after January 1, 1968.

3. The automotive industry recently introduced a new generation electric car.

4. Turbo-jet engine involves injecting air into the burning chamber of the engine.

5. More of the hydrocarbons and the carbon monoxide are burned before being emitted into the atmosphere in well designed engines.

6. The Clean Air Act requires all European manufacturers to design more efficient and “clean” engines.

7. Rising gasoline prices led to an increased inflation in Russia in late 1990s.

8. Plans for volume production of refrigerators are under study in our factory nowadays.

9. The new bridge was under construction since late 1990s but at the end of 1999 cash shortages hampered construction work.

Exercise 9

Составьте по 5 вопросов к каждому из предложений:

 

1. The mass use of motor vehicles was bound to have some unforeseen and undesirable consequences of which three can be singled out: traffic congestion, air pollution, and highway accidents.

2. The constantly growing number of automobiles throughout the world adds to the difficulty of finding remedies for congestion.

3. The heart of the problem is that few city street systems have been designed for automobile traffic.

4. The widespread use of automobiles for business travel has also led in many cities to a decline in public transit systems.

5. Automobile exhaust commonly contributes half the atmospheric pollutants in large cities.

6. At the end of the 20th century, many scientists believed that emissions from motor vehicles, industrial processes, and power plants were leading to a buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

7. Many automobile manufacturers also have undertaken development of alternative, less-polluting power sources.

8. Highway accidents create a distressing toll of fatalities and injuries wherever there is widespread use of automobiles.

9. Each year there are hundreds of thousands of motor vehicle fatalities worldwide and more than 40, 000 in the United States alone.

10. The social and economic cost of car accidents is incalculable.

11. Efforts to improve highway safety have been successful in most countries.

12. Today many vehicles are equipped with multiple air bags to protect occupants.

Exercise 10

Переведите на английский язык:

1. Федеральный закон о контроле над окружающей средой был принят в 1984 году.

2. Установка приборов по контролю над выхлопными газами автомобилей была введена законодательно в США в 1966 году.

3. Два вида контроля были установлены на недавно смонтированном оборудовании.

4. Закон обязал всех автолюбителей проверять двигатель своего автомобиля на токсичность выхлопных газов.

5. Среднее потребление топлива на автомобилях данного класса составляет 10 литров на 100 километров.

6. При увеличении цены на бензин, уменьшается спрос на большие автомобили.

7. Для управления процессом впрыска топлива, в современных автомобилях используются компьютеры.

8. Чем меньше вес автомобиля, тем выше его эффективность.

9. Расход топлива на автомобиле во многом зависит от эффективности двигателя

 

Exercise 11

Текст на самостоятельный перевод:

 

Automobile Safety

In 1965 Ralph Nader, an American lawyer and consumer-protection advocate, published the book Unsafe at Any Speed, in which he argued that poor automobile design was a major contributor to 50, 000 highway deaths annually in the United States. The U.S. Congress responded in 1966 with legislation regulating automobile design for the first time and established the National Safety Bureau, later renamed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which was empowered to set standards for cars and trucks manufactured after January 15, 1968. Among early standards were those requiring collapsible steering columns; padded instrument panels; seat belts for all passengers; recessed or breakaway switches and handles; door side-beam reinforcement bars to absorb impacts from the side; front and rear bumpers designed to absorb 8-km/h impacts without damage; side-mounted reflectors or lights enabling drivers to see other cars better at night; dual brake cylinders; and improved fuel tanks to reduce leakage in accidents.

In the 1970s the NHTSA required that cars be constructed so that passengers could survive 48-km/h impacts against immovable barriers. A “passive restraint” standard was proposed that would require manufacturers to devise automatic passenger restraint systems. Air bags that, upon impact, automatically inflate in a fraction of a second were developed as one solution, but automakers resisted installing them because of high costs and concern over reliability. A second solution was “passive” seat belts that do not require passengers to fasten the belts themselves. In 1984, after years of debate over regulatory proposals, the Department of Transportation mandated the phasing in of automatic crash protection for American-built cars to begin in 1986; by 1989, unless states representing two-thirds of the populace made the wearing of seat belts mandatory, all cars would have to be equipped with the automatic devices. Improved automotive safety features, improved highways, and a national speed limit of 88 km/h helped reduce the nation's highway fatality rate from 5.21 per 100 million mi driven in 1969 to 3.46 a decade later.

 

UNIT 3

Text A

Iron and Steel Manufacture

 

Iron and Steel Manufacture is a technology related to the production of iron and its alloys, particularly those containing a small percentage of carbon. The differences between the various types of iron and steel are sometimes confusing because of the nomenclature used. Steel in general is an alloy of iron and carbon, often with an admixture of other elements. Some alloys that are commercially called iron contain more carbon than commercial steels. Open-hearth iron and wrought iron contain only a few hundredths of 1 percent of carbon. Steels of various types contain from 0.04 percent to 2.25 percent of carbon. Cast iron, malleable cast iron, and pig iron contain amounts of carbon varying from 2 to 4 percent. A special form of malleable iron, containing virtually no carbon, is known as white-heart malleable iron. A special group of iron alloys, known as ferroalloys, is used in the manufacture of iron and steel alloys; they contain from 20 to 80 percent of an alloying element, such as manganese, silicon, or chromium.

Exercise 1

Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1. What technology is used in the production of iron and its alloys?

2. What is the main element which influences the difference between the various types of iron and steel?

3. What materials are used in production of steel?

4. How do we call an alloy of iron and carbon?

5. What is the difference between commercial steels and iron?

6. What is the average content of a carbon in different types of steel?

7. What metallic materials contain carbonwithin the range of 2 to 4 percent?

8. What is the content of a carbon in white-heart malleable iron?

9. What special group of iron alloys is used in the manufacture of iron and steel alloys?

 

Exercise 2

Заполните пропуски недостающими по смыслу словами, используя текст:

 

1. Iron and Steel Manufacture is a technology used in the production of … and its alloys.

2. Various types of iron and steel are sometimes confusing because of the … used.

3. Steel is an alloy of… …, with an admixture of….

4. Some alloys that are commercially called iron contain more … than commercial ….

5. Open-hearth iron contain only a few hundredths of 1 percent of ….

6. Steels of various types contain from 0.04 percent to 2.25 percent of ….

7. Pig iron contain amounts of … varying from 2 to 4 percent.

8. Iron, containing virtually no carbon, is known as ….

9. Ferroalloys are used in the manufacture steel ….

Exercise 3

Соответствуют ли данные предложения содержанию текста:

 

1. Iron and Steel Manufacture is a production of iron and its alloys.

2. Iron and Steel Manufacture is a production of alloys containing large percentage of carbon.

3. The differences between the various types of iron and steel depend on the country they are produced in.

4. Pig iron in general is an alloy of ferroalloys and carbon, often with an admixture coal and gas.

5. Some alloys that are commercially called commercial steels contain more carbon than iron.

6. Open-hearth iron and wrought iron contain from 1 to 4 percent of carbon.

7. Steels of various types contain from 2 percent to 4 percent of carbon.

8. Cast iron and pig iron contain amounts of carbon varying from 0, 4 to 2, 22 percent.

9. Ferroalloys are used in the manufacture of iron and steel alloys.

10. Ferroalloys contain from 20 to 80 percent of an alloying element, such as manganese, silicon, or chromium

Exercise 4

Используя текст, составьте высказывания с данными словами и выражениями:

 

Iron and steel - production of iron – alloy – carbon - admixture of elements - commercial steel - open-hearth iron - wrought iron - cast iron - pig iron – ferroalloy - alloying element – manganese – silicon - chromium.

Exercise 5

Кратко передайте содержание каждого абзаца.

 

Exercise 6

Выделите пять основных идей текста.

 

Exercise 7

Составьте предложения, используя данные выражения:

 

· Iron and Steel technology; computing technology; advanced technology; power production technology.

· Alloy; casting alloy (литейный сплав); hard facing alloy (твердый сплав); non-ferrous alloy (сплав цветных металлов); alloyage (легирование); alloyed (легированный); alloying (легирующий, легирование).

· Pig iron (чугун в чушках); open-heath iron (мартеновский чугун); foundry iron (литейный чугун); common iron (обыкновенный переплавленный чугун); malleable cast iron (ковкий чугун); wrought iron (пудлинговое железо).

 

Exercise 8

Переведите на русский язык следующие предложения:

 

1. Iron and Steel Manufacture technology is highly developed in Russia.

2. Iron and steel factories are engaged in the production of steel and its alloys.

3. The quality of steel produced depends on the content of carbon in it.

4. The less the carbon content in iron the better is the quality of steel.

5. Production of iron and its alloys at Iron and Steel mills require huge amounts of power.

6. High quality steel is an alloy of iron and carbon with an admixture of ferroalloys.

7. Commercial steels contain less carbon and more admixtures of ferroalloys such as: ferromanganese, ferrosilicon and others.

8. Tool steels contain up to 0, 05 % of carbon.

9. Alloying elements of ferroalloys are: manganese, silicon, or chromium.

 

Exercise 9

Переведите на английский язык:

1. Сталь это сплав чугуна и углерода с примесью других элементов.

2. Чугун, произведенный в мартеновской печи, содержит очень небольшой процент углерода.

3. Углерод практически отсутствует в закаленном ковком чугуне,

4. Ферросплавы используются в производстве сплавов чугуна и стали.

5. Ферромарганец - это сплав стали и марганца.

6. Содержание легирующих элементов, таких как кремний, марганец и хром, в сплавах стали составляет от 20 до 80 процентов.

7. Металлургическое производство – это технология, связанная с производством чугуна, стали и их сплавов.

 

Exercise 10

Текст на самостоятельный перевод:

History of Iron production

The exact date at which people discovered the technique of smelting iron ore to produce usable metal is not known. The earliest iron implements discovered by archaeologists in Egypt date from about 3000 BC, and iron ornaments were used even earlier; the comparatively advanced technique of hardening iron weapons by heat treatment was known to the Greeks about 1000 BC.

The alloys produced by early iron workers, and, indeed, all the iron alloys made until about the 14th century AD, would be classified today as wrought iron. They were made by heating a mass of iron ore and charcoal in a forge or furnace having a forced draft. Under this treatment the ore was reduced to the sponge of metallic iron filled with a slag composed of metallic impurities and charcoal ash. This sponge of iron was removed from the furnace while still incandescent and beaten with heavy sledges to drive out the slag and to weld and consolidate the iron. The iron produced under these conditions usually contained about 3 percent of slag particles and 0.1 percent of other impurities. Occasionally this technique of iron making produced, by accident, a true steel rather than wrought iron. Ironworkers learned to make steel by heating wrought iron and charcoal in clay boxes for a period of several days. By this process the iron absorbed enough carbon to become a true steel.

After the 14th century the furnaces used in smelting were increased in size, and increased draft was used to force the combustion gases through the “charge, ” the mixture of raw materials. In these larger furnaces, the iron ore in the upper part of the furnace was first reduced to metallic iron and then took on more carbon as a result of the gases forced through it by the blast. The product of these furnaces was pig iron, an alloy that melts at a lower temperature than steel or wrought iron. Pig iron (so called because it was usually cast in stubby, round ingots known as pigs) was then further refined to make steel.

Modern steelmaking employs blast furnaces that are merely refinements of the furnaces used by the old ironworkers. The process of refining molten iron with blasts of air was accomplished by the British inventor Sir Henry Bessemer who developed the Bessemer furnace, or converter, in 1855. Since the 1960s, several so-called minimills have been producing steel from scrap metal in electric furnaces. Such mills are an important component of total U.S. steel production. The giant steel mills remain essential for the production of steel from iron ore.

Text B

Pig-Iron Production

 

The basic materials used for the manufacture of pig iron are iron ore, coke, and limestone. The coke is burned as a fuel to heat the furnace; as it burns, the coke gives off carbon monoxide, which combines with the iron oxides in the ore, reducing them to metallic iron. This is the basic chemical reaction in the blast furnace; it has the equation: Fe2O3 + 3CO = 3CO2+ 2Fe. The limestone in the furnace charge is used as an additional source of carbon monoxide and as a “flux” to combine with the infusible silica present in the ore to form fusible calcium silicate. Without the limestone, iron silicate would be formed, with a resulting loss of metallic iron. Calcium silicate plus other impurities form a slag that floats on top of the molten metal at the bottom of the furnace. Ordinary pig iron as produced by blast furnaces contains iron, about 92 percent; carbon, 3 or 4 percent; silicon, 0.5 to 3 percent; manganese, 0.25 to 2.5 percent; phosphorus, 0.04 to 2 percent; and a trace of sulfur. A typical blast furnace consists of a cylindrical steel shell lined with a refractory, which is any nonmetallic substance such as firebrick. The shell is tapered at the top and at the bottom and is widest at a point about one-quarter of the distance from the bottom. The lower portion of the furnace, called the bosh, is equipped with several tubular openings or tuyeres through which the air blast is forced. Near the bottom of the bosh is a hole through which the molten pig iron flows when the furnace is tapped, and above this hole, but below the tuyeres, is another hole for draining the slag. The top of the furnace, which is about 27 m in height, contains vents for the escaping gases, and a pair of round hoppers closed with bell-shaped valves through which the charge is introduced into the furnace. The materials are brought up to the hoppers in small dump cars or skips that are hauled up an inclined external skip hoist. The raw material to be fed into the furnace is divided into a number of small charges that are introduced into the furnace at 10- to 15-min intervals. Slag is drawn off from the top of the melt about once every 2 hr, and the iron itself is drawn off or tapped about five times a day.

The air used to supply the blast in a blast furnace is preheated to temperatures between approximately 540° and 870° C. The heating is performed in stoves, cylinders containing networks of firebrick. The bricks in the stoves are heated for several hours by burning blast-furnace gas, the waste gases from the top of the furnace. Then the flame is turned off and the air for the blast is blown through the stove. The weight of air used in the operation of a blast furnace exceeds the total weight of the other raw materials employed. An important development in blast furnace technology, the pressurizing of furnaces, was introduced after World War II. By “throttling” the flow of gas from the furnace vents, the pressure within the furnace may be built up to 1.7 atm or more. The pressurizing technique makes possible better combustion of the coke and higher output of pig iron. The output of many blast furnaces can be increased 25 percent by pressurizing. Experimental installations have also shown that enriching the air blast with oxygen can increase the output of blast furnaces.

The process of tapping consists of knocking out a clay plug from the iron hole near the bottom of the bosh and allowing the molten metal to flow into a clay-lined runner and then into a large, brick-lined metal container, which may be either a ladle or a rail car capable of holding as much as 100 tons of metal. Any slag that may flow from the furnace with the metal is skimmed off before it reaches the container. The container of molten pig iron is then transported to the steelmaking shop.

Modern-day blast furnaces are operated in conjunction with basic oxygen furnaces and sometimes the older open-hearth furnaces as part of a single steel-producing plant. In such plants the molten pig iron is used to charge the steel furnaces. The molten metal from several blast furnaces may be mixed in a large ladle before it is converted to steel, to minimize any irregularities in the composition of the individual melts.

Words and expressions

 

pig iron - чугун

iron ore - железная руда

coke - кокс

limestone - известняк

blast furnace - доменная печь

charge (мет) - загрузка, засыпка, завалка, шихта

slag - шлак

steel shell - стальной кожух

bosh - заплечики доменной печи

tuyere - фурма

hopper - бункер; воронка загрузочная

dump car - думпкар; опрокидывающаяся вагонетка;

самосвал

skip - скип; ковш; бадья; вагонетка (опрокидная)

open-hearth furnace - мартеновская печь

melt - плавка

Exercise 1

Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

 

1. What basic materials are used in pig iron manufacture?

2. What is burned as a fuel to heat the blast furnace?

3. What is used in the blast furnace process as an additional source of carbon monoxide?

4. Does ordinary pig iron produced by blast furnaces contain 50% of iron?

5. What does a typical blast furnace consist of?

6. Is raw material to be fed into the furnace charged in one big portion?

7. Is air used in a blast furnace preheated to temperatures between approximately 200° and 470° C.?

8. Is the weight of air used in operation of a blast furnace less than the total weight of other raw materials employed?

9. When pressurizing of blast furnaces was introduced?

10. What process can increase the output of blast furnaces?

Exercise 2

Заполните пропуски недостающими по смыслу словами, используя текст:

 

1. The basic materials used for the manufacture of … are iron ore, coke, and limestone.

2. Ordinary pig iron as produced by blast furnaces contains about 92 percent of ….

3. A typical blast furnace is lined by … bricks.

4. The height of the blast furnace is about … meters.

5. The air used to supply the blast in a blast furnace is … to temperatures between approximately 540° and 870° C.

6. The heating of air supplied to blast furnace is performed in stoves, cylinders containing networks of ….

7. The … in the stoves are heated for several hours by burning blast-furnace gas, the waste gases from the top of the furnace.

8. The weight of … used in the operation of a blast furnace exceeds the total weight of the other raw materials employed.

9. The pressurizing technique makes possible better combustion of the … and higher output of … iron.

10. The output of many blast furnaces can be … 25 percent by pressurizing.

Exercise 3

Соответствуют ли данные предложения содержанию текста:

 

1. The basic materials used for the manufacture of pig iron are iron ore, coal and oil.

2. The oil is burned as a fuel to heat the furnace.

3. A typical blast furnace consists of a cylindrical aluminum shell lined with ordinary refractory bricks.

4. The air used to supply the blast in a blast furnace is precooled to temperatures between 10° and 80° C.

5. The weight of air used in the operation of a blast furnace is equal to the total weight of the other raw materials employed.

6. The pressurizing technique makes possible better combustion of the coke and higher output of pig iron.

7. The output of many blast furnaces can be increased twice by pressurizing.

8. Enriching the air blast with oxygen can increase the output of blast furnaces.

9. The container of molten pig iron is transported directly to the rolling mill.

Exercise 4

Используя текст, составьте высказывания с данными словами и выражениями:

 

To be burned as a fuel - to be produced by - the raw material - to be preheated to temperatures – the weight of materials used – to exceed - an important development – to make possible – to enrich the air - to increase the output - to be transported to - to be converted to - irregularities in the composition.

Exercise 5

Кратко передайте содержание каждого абзаца.

 

Exercise 6

Выделите пять основных идей текста.

 

Exercise 7

Составьте предложения, используя данные выражения:

 

· Iron ore (железная руда); merchantable ore (товарная, промышленная руда); pay(able) ore (промышленная руда); positive ores (достоверные запасы руды); probable ores (вероятные рудные запасы); prospected ores (разведанные рудные запасы); prospective ores (перспективные рудные запасы); proved ores (установленные рудные запасы); self-fluxing ore (самоплавкая руда); slid ore (рудный массив; нетронутая руда).

· Coke (кокс); blast furnace coke (доменный кокс); foundry coke (литейный кокс); coking (коксирование, спекание).

· Limestone (известняк); bituminous limestone (битумный известняк); dolomite limestone (доломитовый известняк); laminated limestone плиточный, тонкослойный известняк); magnesia limestone (доломит); straight limestone (чистый известняк, известняк без примесей).

· Furnace (печь); arc furnace (электродуговая печь); atomic furnace (атомный реактор); boiler furnace (котельная топка; топка котла); circular furnace (кольцевая печь); continuous furnace (печь непрерывного действия); continuous charge furnace (печь с непрерывной загрузкой).

 

Exercise 8

Переведите на русский язык следующие предложения:

1. Blast furnaces are used to produce pig iron from iron ore for subsequent processing into steel.

2. Blast furnaces produce pig iron from iron ore by the reducing action of carbon (supplied as coke) at a high temperature in the presence of a fluxing agent such as limestone.

3. Iron making blast furnaces consist of several zones.

4. Air that has been preheated to temperatures from 900° to 1250° C together with injected fuel such as oil or natural gas, is blown into the furnace.

5. Coke is ignited at the bottom and burned rapidly with the forced air from the tuyeres.

6. Hot gases rise from the combustion zone, heating fresh material in the stack and then passing out through ducts near the top of the furnace.

7. In Europe, the blast furnace developed gradually over the centuries from small furnaces operated by the Romans.

8. Charcoal was the only furnace fuel until the 17th century.

9. Modern blast furnaces range in size from 20 to 35 m, have hearth diameters of 6 to 14 m, and can produce from 1, 000 to almost 10, 000 tons of pig iron daily.

 

Exercise 9

Переведите на английский язык:

1. Железная руда, кокс, и известняк являются базовыми материалами, используемыми при производстве чугуна.

2. Для нагревания печи в качестве топлива сжигается кокс.

3. Для образования дополнительного источника угарного газа, в доменную печь загружается известняк.

4. В обычном чугуне, производимом в доменной печи, содержание железа составляет приблизительно 92%.

5. Корпус доменной печи футеруется огнеупорными материалами, такими как, огнеупорный кирпич.

6. Удаление шлака с поверхности плавки осуществляется каждые 2 часа.

7. Воздух, при продувке доменной печи, предварительно подогревается до температуры от 540° до 870° C.

8. Увеличение давления в печи улучшает процесс сгорания кокса и увеличивает объем производства чугуна в каждой отдельной плавке.

9. Обогащение продувки печи кислородом увеличивает производительность доменных печей.

10. Чугун, полученный в доменной печи, транспортируется в сталеплавильный цех.

 

Exercise 10

Текст на самостоятельный перевод:

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