A Visit to a New Zealand Radio Factory

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 18, 13 November 1931, Page 12

A Visit to a New Zealand Radio Factory

An Up-to-date Plant: LASt week we had the very interesting experience of being taken over the embryo of a New Zealand radio factory-that of Messrs. Collier and Beale, who are manufacturing the "Radion" receivers. We were very interested to note that this new "Radion’ ’product-about which a laboratory report appears else-where-is wholly assembled in New Zealand. As far as possible British parts are used, and wherever possible the components are made in New Zealand. The cabinet work is the product of a Wellington firm and reflects great credit upon them. Indeed, it compares favourably with any manufactured article. The chassis is also made in the city and is stamped out in Cole lier and Beale’s factory ready for the mounting of the various components. Transformers and chokes are also manufactured by this firm. At the present time the factory is a hive of industry. One sees sets in all stages of manufacture. In one room the stampings are made and the chassis passed forward to the assembling room. where the various components are fitted into position. They then go forward to another section of the works, where each component is tested in position hefore the wiring is carried out, Experts proceed with the wiring and on the completion of this, a further test is made. At this stage, too, the condensers and coils-also made on tbe premises-are balanced up by precision instruments. A further stage is reached when the chassis are assembled in the cabinet and the final test made very set, before being released, is tested under several headings, including selectivity, sensitivity, and tone. It might be remarked that the speakers einployed are a well-known and proved American line of dynamics. The circuit for the receiver itself- . super-heterodyne employing pentode and multi-mus-was evolved by New Zealand engineers and, as we have re-

marked elsewhere, the performance compares favourably with our standard. It is interesting to see another New Zealand industry thus springing up. The radio industry, which is now well established in most of the larger countries of the world, is on a very sound footing in Australia, where a tariff prevents the importation of sets from overseas.. The result has been that the Australian industry has developed at a remarkable rate, and some very fine receivers, quite equal to the imported article, are now being manufactured. Although it is not proposed that so drastic a step as the imposition of a tariff in New Zealand be taken, yet it is indeed gratifying to see the New Zealand industry establishing itself. Already in other parts of New Zealand radio factories are to be found. ‘In Auckland there are two or three from which a very large number of excellent receivers are sent out to the market. It is to be hoped that the fullest support will be given to these New Zealand products, which appear to be quite on & par with those imported,