New Dimensions for Designing and Testing the 1963 “Delcotron” System

A new “Delcotron” charging system is standard equipment on 1963 General Motors passenger cars. By utilizing (1) a “programmer” test to simulate actual car operation, (2) a computer to realize economies of iron versus copper versus diameter, (3) an electron microscope to determine failure modes, (4) a dynamic endurance test to determine diode lot acceptance, and (5) statistical control of a comprehensive field test, the new dimensions which characterize the designing and testing of the 1963 “Delcotron” charging system have been established. Together they provided a vital expansion of engineering and reliability data and made possible a dramatic and highly effective compression of time from the drafting board to volume production.