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Each machine was allotted a form on which the operators recorded daily thenecessary data such as job No.—operator No.—the time from start to finishof the operation performed, etc. Once a month these data were transferred topunched cards, from which summaries for analysis were produced by automaticmachine processes. Analysing these statistics soon revealed certain differenciesin the manual records. The operators either forgot to make recordsor made them up afterwards from memory. The impression gained was that therecords had been adjusted, even if unintentionally- As a result of checking andsupervision, improvements occurred periodically, but after a time the initialweaknesses again became apparent.Another important disadvantage of these statistics was that no time factorsexisted for re-running, machine fault, repairs, etc.The Punched Card Department tried, therefore, to discover a means ofobtaining the required information more rapidly and with greater certainty.Fig. 2Centralograph recorderX 2517In our opinion the Centralograph system has proved to be the solution to ourproblems. The system, installed by L M Ericsson in the autumn of 1958, consistsof1. Centralograph recorder2. Dials3. Relay set4. Impulse transmitter5. Power unitThe power unit, impulse transmitter, and relay set need not be discussedfurther in this connection. The all-important component is the recording instrument—theCentralograph itself, fig. 2.This has 20 units which print short lines and digits on a continuouslymoving paper strip (the Centralogram). The principle of recording is the sameas for a typewriter. The Centralogram is fed at a speed of 60 mm/h and isdivided into 20 vertical columns (channels).Ten machines are connected to each Centralograph via a network. Whencards are being processed in the connected machine, electrical impulses aretransmitted to the Centralograph recorder, which prints short lines on thediagram paper. Since the lines are printed under one another, the result formsa continuous vertical column, the length of which corresponds to the runningtime of the machine.Digits are recorded on the Centralogram when the machine operator dials acode number, fig. 3. With single-digit code numbers, 20 machines can beconnected to one Centralograph. Esso uses a two-digit code, however, so that2 channels are necessary for each machine, resulting in 10 machines perCentralograph.When processing starts and card feeding begins, the operator dials 2 digitscorresponding to the job code, e.g., 56 = tabulating and summary-punchingfor billina.Fig. 3Report dial128When the job is completed, the operator dials a single code digit, e.g. 8,followed by the operator's number, e.g., 5 = 85, which then indicates that theprocessing is completed or that there is normal stoppage.