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Australian scientists... brought into the war picture a veritable romance of industry; a romance out of which grew Australian-made optical instruments

D.M. Dow, 'Optical Munitions Notes', Australian Archives MP 483/3 58

CSO Workshop - 37.3 K

Australian science and industry collaborated to achieve remarkable results

No centralised optical munitions production facility was established. Instead, the OMP coordinated the efforts of over twenty-five organisations around the country - including universities, government laboratories, and engineering and optical firms.

The design of instruments and the production of prototypes was often undertaken at the University of Melbourne or the Commonwealth Solar Observatory (CSO). After testing and assessment, orders were placed with industrial firms. The results were closely monitored by the Munitions Standards Laboratory (MSL) and the National Standards Laboratory (part of CSIR).

Australian firms were unused to the degree of accuracy required for optical instruments. The government laboratories provided them technical assistance and training, enabling them to meet the necessary standards. The process did not always go smoothly, but the results were remarkable. A totally new industry was established within a few short years.


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Published by the Australian Science Archives Project on ASAPWeb, 30 April 1997
Comments or corrections to: Bright Sparcs (bsparcs@asap.unimelb.edu.au)
Prepared by: Denise Sutherland and Elissa Tenkate
Updated by: Elissa Tenkate
Date modified: 19 February 1998

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