"Order of the People's Commissar of Tank Production of the USSR #837s
Moscow
December 19th, 1942
Production using automatic welding under a layer of flux when producing armoured hulls at factory #183, UZTM, etc. proved itself as having several advantages over manual arc welding.
In addition to increased productivity, reduced electricity consumption, and the ability to use untrained workers, the high quality of the seams was proven. During proving grounds trials, they showed better resistance than welds made by hand.
Despite the progress made at individual factories, automatic welding did not reach the adoption rate it deserves at all hull factories of the NKTP.Considering that the automatic welding process is very important and that automatic welding under flux must become the main type of welding when producing armoured hulls, in addition to my order #649 dated September 9th I order:
- Gather a conference of the most qualified specialists in the field of automatic welding at factory #183 between January 20th and 25th from: the Electric Welding Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, NII-48, factory #183, UZTM, factory #200, factory #112, ESMA factory.
Discuss the following issues at the conference: - Equipment for automatic welding.
- Instructions for automatic welding developed by the electric welding institute, NII-48, and factories, list of main requirements.
- Electrodes and fluxes.
- Objects to be welded.
Conclusions should be reached on all four topics to be presented to me for approval through the 3rd Main Directorate of the NKTP. - Task director of NII-48 comrade Zavyalov with organization and preparations for this conference, ensuring that experience of the Institute of Electric Welding of the Academy of Sciences (Academy of Sciences Member Paton) is used for widespread introduction of automatic welding at the NKTP's factories.
- Director of factory #183 comrade Maksarev must cooperate and aid in the organization of the automatic welding conference at the factory.
People's Commissar of Tank Production, Zaltsman"