Tolerance

[Jolly]

Ford vs. Rolls - Royce...

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-when-ford-uk-refused-to-build-rolls-royce-merlin-engines-because-the-tolerances-rolls-royce-allowed-were-looser-than-ford-was-willing-to-work-with/

[Doctor Phibes]

@Jolly it's a good story, but I'm not sure I understand.

If somebody asks you to build something to 5% tolerance, and you always work to 2% tolerance, then you automatically meet their requirements. So what was Ford's issue? I guess the Rolls-Royce drawings didn't allow for easy mass production, so needed re-doing.

I've put the book on my Amazon wishlist - it looks like a good read.

[Jolly]

It says in the piece, that Ford did not want to hand fit any parts and wanted all parts to have complete interchangeability.

That's one of the great secrets of American WW2 production.