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AEE (Brand), Australasian Engineering Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd.; Melbourne VIC

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Name: AEE (Brand), Australasian Engineering Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd.; Melbourne VIC    (AUS)  
Abbreviation: aee
Products: Model types
Summary:

Australasian Engineering Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd.
Evans House, 415 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC (1930
476 Latrobe Street, Melbourne VIC (Factory) (1934-1959)
AEE Capacitors Ltd. (1963 – 1977)
202 Bell Street, Preston, VIC.

Brand: AEE

Distributors and importers of electrical components, IRC resistors and equipment from 1920 and from the July 1931 manufactured TCC capacitors in their factory at Latrobe Street, Melbourne.

Founded: 1920
Closed: 1977
Production: 1931 - 1977
History:

Australasian Engineering Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd., was registered in May 1920.[1]

After as acting as agents for TTC capacitors in Australia, the Managing Director Mr. D.J. Dougton sailed to the UK in 1930 to inform the Telegraph Condenser Co., Ltd. (TTC) of the conditions in Australia and the advantages of manufacturing capacitors in Australia.[2]

On July 1st, 1931, the company started making capacitors at their premises in Little Latrobe Street, Melbourne and managed to produce 600 in their first month. The new factory in Latrobe Street opened in July 1934 and by July 1935 the monthly capacity reached 100,000 capacitors. They employed 65 workers at this time.[3]

The company manufactured a large range of capacitors including wet electrolytic, mica moulded, dry type in a wide range of voltages, all with the TCC brand.[4]

The Latrobe Street factory closed around 1960 and they moved to Preston, Melbourne, Victoria.

They changed the company name to A.E.E. Capacitors Pty. Ltd. in July 1963.

A.E.E. Capacitors Pty. Ltd. became a subsidiary of L.M. Ericsson (Aust) Pty. Ltd. in the early 1970’s. [5]

The subsidiary’s name changed to RIFA Pty. Ltd. in 1977.[6]

[1] Duns Gazette May 24, 1920, Page 325.
[2] The West Australian (WA) Jul 29, 1930, Page 8.
[3] Amateur Radio Jul 1935, Page 14.
[4] Radio Trade Annual 1933, Page 118.
[5] LM Ericsson 1973 Annual Report, Page 27.
[6] Electronics Australia, Feb 1977, Page 52.

This manufacturer was suggested by Gary Cowans.


Some models:
Country Year Name 1st Tube Notes
AUS  65 PMG-5102 Series Capacitors   PMG-5102 Series is a range of 250 V DC capacitors with a metal film & paper oil d... 
AUS  74 AEE Long Life Electrolytic Capacitors PEG124   AEE “Long Life” Electrolytic Capacitors are designed for a minimum of 25, 000 hours at +85... 

[rmxhdet-en]

Further details for this manufacturer by the members (rmfiorg):

[1] Company registered in May 1920. Duns Gazette May 24, 1920, Page 325. Image sourced from Trove – National Library of Australiatbn_aus_aee_1_duns_gazette_may_24_1920_page_325.jpg
[2] The West Australian (WA) Jul 29, 1930, Page 8. Image sourced from Trove – National Library of Australiatbn_aus_aee_2_the_west_australian_wa_jul_29_1930_page_8.jpg
[3] Amateur Radio Jul 1935, Page 14. With permission of Americanradiohistory.comtbn_aus_aee_3_amateur_radio_jul_1935_page_14.jpg
[4] Radio Trade Annual 1933, Page 118. With permission of Americanradiohistory.comtbn_aus_aee_4_radio_trade_annual_of_australia_1933_page_118.jpg
[5] LM Ericsson 1973 Annual Report, Page 27. Image sourced from Internet Archive.orgtbn_aus_aee_5_lm_ericsson_1973_annual_report.jpg
[6] Electronics Australia, Feb 1977, Page 52. Image sourced from Internet Archive.orgtbn_aus_aee_6_electronics_australia_feb_1977_page_52.jpg
1976 Advert for AEE PME271 RFI suppression capacitors. Electrical Engineer Nov 1976, Page 34tbn_aus_aee_electrical_engineer_nov_1976_page_34.jpg
1925 advert for imported TCC condensers. Wireless Weekly, 1925, Nov 27, Page 10 Image sourced from Trove – National Library of Australiatbn_aus_aee_wireless_weekly_nov_27_page_10.jpg

Forum contributions about this manufacturer/brand
AEE (Brand), Australasian Engineering Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd.; Melbourne VIC
Threads: 1 | Posts: 1
Hits: 562     Replies: 0
TCC Mica & tubular capacitor manufacturing in Australia 1935
Gary Cowans
22.Apr.21
  1

Where and How the Gadgets are Made

No. 1. — T.C.C. CONDENSERS

In this article, the first of a series designed to impart to Hams some information as to where and how the multitudinous gadgets of the radio world are made, a description is given of a visit paid to the works of the Australasian Engineering Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd. The works comprise a fine two-storied modern factory, at 476 Latrobe Street, Melbourne. Here are made, from start to finish, the famous T.C.C. condensers, which are distributed at 415 Bourke Street.The writer was taken in hand by Mr. D. J. Doughton, who shares with Mr. Hipgrave the management of this truly progressive concern. The works manager, Mr. D. Murphy, received us and the interesting story of the making of the condenser was unfolded.

The whole of the eastern side of the top floor is occupied by girl workers who are assembling the parts. Bright sunshine and fresh air combine to make their lot a happy one. They are deftly putting together the foil and the mica which form the component parts of the wonderful little T.C.C. gadget. At this stage it is interesting to learn that all the mica used is mined in Australia. In fact, wherever possible, local material is utilised, and where not possible, British. These girls work on the mica in such a way that any defects in the mica is revealed.

The next processes are the closing, trimming of the edges, and cutting, all delicate operations leading up to the electric welding on of the lugs. This is a most interesting sight, and no less than 7000 condensers a day can be turned off the two welding machines.From here the partly built condensers are chuted downstairs, where they are scientifically dried in thermostatically controlled ovens. From there they receive a further handling to prepare them for the well-known bakelite jacket.

The bakelite is an extremely important factor of the outfit. It is imported from England, in powder form, in large iron drums. The powder passes through clever little presses which compress it into the tablet shape. Each tablet becomes the coat of the mica and foil contraption already assembled upstairs, coated with a special hot wax, and then placed on trays, from which boy workers scrape and clean them off for the final process.

At this stage, the writer is shown the foil passing along from the original reels through an ingenious machine which ceaselessly and almost noiselessly clips it into the required lengths. This machine, which does its important job without any unnecessary fuss, was designed, and manufactured at the works.

Upstairs again, where the all-important testing takes place. Along a face are rows of metal hooks, connected up with a 1200 volts testing board. Each single condenser is hooked up, and should there be a shorting or other defect, a miniature fireworks display takes place on that particular hook, a light flashes out, a bell rings, and, altogether, quite a funeral service is held over the faulty condenser which is at once relegated to the scrap heap. The testing board accommodates 1500 condensers at a time.

But "you ain't heard nothin' yet!" Each single one has yet to be tested for capacity. For this momentous job, visual reading capacity meters tick them off at 1, 2, 5 and over, per cent. Anything exceeding 10 per cent, is scrapped. At a bench sits an expert wearing headphones, whose job it is to still further detect any discrepancy, which, at this critical stage, is disclosed by a faint whistle heard through the earphones.
Capacity being declared A1 at Lloyds, the harassed and badgered condensers are next rushed along to a thousand-volt motor-driven "megger," where they are required to "hold" the shock for a necessary period.
This last scene of all that ends their strange eventful history is the O.K., and it only remains to place on each the hallmark of approval—the capacity stamp—inscribed under heat.

So is made the T.C.C. mica condenser that all the talks about. The making of the paper dielectric tubular condenser is another story.

This, still in the infancy stage, is rapidly becoming an important part of the company's activities. Dried in ovens for specified periods, each tube passes to a hot vacuum, where for many hours, all air is excluded. At the end of the period, a cock is opened, and an impregnating solution invades the vacuum. Emerging, the ends of the tubes are sealed with a Bitumen content, then dipped to provide an insulative coating. The tin lugs, having been already affixed by electric soldering irons, the by this time greasy and much abused looking tubular passes to the finishers, who bring it to a sense of respectability in the marketable form by which it is so well known.

The concern started operations on 1st July 1931, in Little Latrobe Street, and was mighty proud of the fact that, during the first month, no less than 600 condensers were turned out; Last year, almost to the date, the present freehold factory was opened for business. To-day, the monthly capacity of the factory is over 100,000 condensers, and the store holds an average of £2000 worth of material at a time; 65 workers are employed, and the T.C.C. condensers are used by the "A" and "B" class broadcasting stations throughout Australia, as well as by leading amateurs, and hopefully the bosses of the concern say: "You ain't heard nothin' yet!"

Extracted from Amateur Radio July 1935, Pages 12-14.
With permission from Americanradiohistory.com

 

 
AEE (Brand), Australasian Engineering Equipment Co. Pty. Ltd.; Melbourne VIC
End of forum contributions about this manufacturer/brand

  

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