RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND PRODUCTION OF ELECTRON TUBES AT NII-160, FRYAZINO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 5, 2013
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: March 8, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
s.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
50X1
SECRET
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
USSR (Moscow Oblast) REPORT
Research, Development, and Production DATE DISTR.
of Electron Tubes at 1111 -160, Fryazino
NO. OF
50X1
50X1 -HUM
8 March
PAGES 10
1954
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
50X1 -HUM
STATE
iht
ARMY I fix
NAVY
AIR
SECRET
km.
FBI
Note: Washington Distribution indicated By "X", Field Distribution By "*".)
AEC
Declassified in Part - Sanitized CopyApproved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
&Soot k?Era
SUIVECT
SECRET
50X1
lassarab, ilayelepaent, and 'pradaatian of
flsaarom 'Taboo at Institute 160, Fryazine
ampliammortrion!iii,00...
'Nile It UNEVALUATED INFORNiATION
,
REPORT
- 50X1-HUM
,
sAn
No, OF PAGES
a Of "la&
ONO MAW
, .
SUPPLEFABG SER
REOGIT?110.
50X1-HUM
,
E ,C RE T
-
' ? 7'11. ? ? !! ?: !I
?
, 0 N
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009 4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
SECRET
-2-
It appears to have been the Russian intention to set up a
'central valve group at Fryazino, near Moscow, but it seems now
that the-organization at.Fryazino? is only one of several simi-
lar plants in Russia. .
The organization at Fryazino was the development and pro-
duction center for electronic tubes (not equipment) and was
referred to as Russia's equivalent to the R.C.A. Laboratories
at Frindeton. kthe parallel is only
partly correct since R.C.A., Princeton, is a research labora-
tory, 'whereas Pryazino includes development and a certain seal.
of miss"produotien. For example, there appears to be a vertical
tube drawing plant.which would support rather large scale manu-
facture of. receiving and other tubes although the present Out-
lout of the plant is Very, low.
,
the plant it Pryazino carries out the development and
manufacture ot.receivinetubes, transmitting valves, mercury
rectifiers, ;.VOBO?. tubes, etc.., but no lamp manufacture.
No detailed information was available about the scale.
of development other than a remark that work was progressing
on 8 me klyetions and magnetrons. This might indicate a
wide field of developsentactivities, similar indeed to the .
U. e. A. at Princeton, or the Mallard organization at Mitcham.
sons 6,000
?toe,300- people 'ere already employed there. This is indeed
?planing for an organization which had few machines and per-
,Moneak in 1946. The rapid build-up to such a degree would
L.
SECRET
lassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05 CIA-RD1381-010301Rnnni nn,p2nr,-- .
Sc
50X1 -H
50X1-HUA
50X1 -HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05 : CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
SECRET
-3-
certainly account for inefficiencies
but the potential in such an organization, when fully trained,
would be extremely high. This?is referred to later,
estimated production from Fryazino at about
200,000 electronic tubes per month, which having regard to '
certain mass production equipment there would indicate inef-
ficient manufacture. resulting from the rapid build-up of the
trganiiation. The average efficiency of manufacture of re-
ceiving tubes apparently does not exceed about 40% (comparable
figuee for America and Britain is about 90%).
In general the plant was organized on single-shift work-
? ing, and double-shifts and overtime were only necessary 'for
bottlenecks or abnormal breakdowns.
Mr. FAME was concerned exclusively with the development
and operation of machines for American type miniature valves
(originated by R.C.A. in 0391
Apparently it was the intention of the Soviet Union to
develop and manufacture sub-miniature valves at Fryazino, but
this was never implemented and no knowledge of
any work on sub-miniature tubes for guidsd weapons miniatur-
ised equipment or proximity shell fuses, etc. (
such manufacture had commenced at Kalinin
Some of the equipment at Fryazino was of American manu-
facture given to Russia under the "Lane-lend" arrangments
in 1944 or 1945, and similar or identical to the plant im-
ported into Great Britain. How much technical assistance was
given is not known, but lack of this would acoeuntefor the
difficulties in miniature tube manufacture
:4-B-E-C\R-14
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05 : CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
50X1
50X1-HUN
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
50X1 -HUM
50X1 -HUM
50X1 -HUM
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
SECRET
-4-
1. Sealing machines for miniature valves were of 12, 16, or
24-head varieties and it was known that four Suez
(R.C.A.) machines were used in production. In addition
two units existed for the manufacture of metal tubes - a
method of manufacture very coMmon.in America in 1939, but
now largely superseded by -miniature tubs manufacture.
These six units alone operatingat the reported low effic-
iency of 40% would have a capacity of approximately
3,000,000 tubes per annum on single shift, but were
probably not fully loaded.
The sealing machines used the conventional method with the
exhaust stem pointing upwards, but development was in hand
to design a machine which would permit sealing with the
stem pointing downwards. The necessity for such a devel-
opmeat would seem to indicate difficulties in production
with thermionic emission.
2. Pumping machines for the manufacture of miniature valves
were of the American variety with 24-heads running at
750 per hour. A new pump was under develoyment in which
oil diffusion pumps were used directWy Under the valves
on the rotating head - similar .Io the Bullard system ex-
cept that we use mercury diffusion pumps. Such a devel-
opment with oil diffusion pumps seems to indicate some
lack of knowledge of the properties of oil diffusion
pumpe on mass production systems.
3. The manufacture of steal, or bases, for miniature tubes
was carried out on 12 or 24-head machines made in Russia,
but similar to the American R.C.A. equipment. The
24-head madhines, as far as we can gather, appear to be
identical with R.C.A. type machines. Very many difficul-
ties were experienced with these machines, particularly
with the automatic feeding of electrodes and glass rings.
Apparently hand feeding was the practice in production.
4. Electrode manufacturing machines. It would appear that
the machines for the manufacture of three-piece leads for
miniature valves were of American origin (General Elec-
tric), identical to the four machines supplied to Great
Britain in 1945.
It seems that eight or tf4.imehiees.shipped to'Russis
stood in one factory and were apparently forgotten for
three or four years. When found they were in poor con-
ditioa and all the factories were informed, Pryaisino
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
50X1
50X1-H UM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
?
SECRET
-5-
was allocated one such maShine. After this machine was re-
paired and drawings made by the Russian engineers, it. was
installed for manufacture at the end of about one year.
Operating this machine incurred great difficulties and it
seems that similar troubles were experienced with the other
machines, as one. of the Russian engineers from Pryasino was
sent in 1949 toTaskinnt to assist in operating the machine,
or machines, there.
This engineer remained for two to three months until the
machines operated successfully. One machine at Fryasino
has been in production since 1951 and would have a capacity
of about 11 million valves per annum on M.R.V.. standards.
The metal 'pins used for this electrode manufacture were
apparently mads On German ?Osram machines using burners,
but we regard this as highly unsatisfactory.
5. Welding machines were copies of those obtained from Tele-
funken and were fitted with time controllers.
6. Beaters were made by both the cataphoretio and drag coat-
ing processes, which is quite understandable in view of
the American and European techniques current in Russian
occupied countries at the end of the war.
7. The manufacture of bulbs for miniature valves was done on
standard Anbeg machines, no doubt with tubing of the
requisite disaster made on a vertical tube drawing plant
et FryaGino. The fact that the plant had a vertical tube
drawing machine in addition to the Danner would indicate
a substantial glass works and could certainly, support
mass production quite easily of millions of tubes per
annum (ono such vertical tube drawing system at Blackburn
is capable of supporting some 50,000,000 tubes per annum).
GENERAILOBSERVATIONS
the mechanical engineering department
which includes electrical plant building such as test gear and
accommodated about 500 people in 45,000 square fest. This area
included planning, testing, library, etc. The drawing office
? itself consisted of 150 designers. The apprenticeship scheme,
including all grades, covered-some SOO people - such a scale of
apprenticeship training is extremely high and could not be pant-
led in free enterprise in Britain or America and would indicate a
vigorous attempt to bring about a rapid build-up of the organi-
sation at Bryasino.
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
50X1
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
a
SECRET.
-6-
The only other information available as regards space was an
estimate of 40,000 square feet which is used for valve production.
This included wire drawing, but not basic tungsten and molybdenum
manufacture from natural ores.
The known facts about space and personnel are tabulated below,
1. Number of people in the engineering de-
partment (including 150 people in the
drawing office) 500
2. Area occupied by mechanical engineering
department 45,000 sq. ft.
3. Area occupied by mass production of
small receiving valves
4. Total number of people employed
40,000 sq. ft.
6,000 to 8,000
5. Annual produotiOn of all types 2,400,000
For comparison the following figures are given for that part of
the X.R.V. Co. at Mitcham, which we consider to be a close parallel
to the organizationiatFryasino, although.muoh smaller in personnel
strength:
1. Number of people in the engineering de-
partment (including 25 people in the
drawing office) 165
2. Area occupied by'mechanioal engineering
department 20,000 sq. ft.
3. Area occupied by mass produotion of
small reoeiving'valves 60,000 Sq. ft.
:1" '.i.?!!v,
4.
5.
6.
At first,sighi it would .appear that the organisation at ?rya..
sine is about three times as large as that part of the Ma.V. Co.,
situated at Mitcham.
Total number of people employed, in-
cluding canteen, administration staff,
etc.
2,200
Annual production of all types
8,000,000
Total area (including stores, etc.)
350,000sq. It.
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05 : CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
?
SECRET
-7-
The ratio of total personnel to the number of people engaged-,
in the engineering iiparteent is approximately the same at Fr7*-,
zinc as it is at Eibthae, and is the acceptable
proportion for an electronic tube industry engaged in research.
development, and manufacture. It would, of course, be capable -
only of developeent-and manufacture on single machines, and repeat
orders for quantities of the machines for mass production would have
to be made in appropriate machine factories. Apparently this:I is the
case at flyazino which does the development and prototype manufacture
and prepares drawings for the actual building at machine building
factorievelsewhere. This would account for the large number (150)
of draughtiest end designers in the drawing office. The M.R.T. Co.
at Mitcham is under-staffed in this respect and in any case is less
concerned with, new mass production plant.
The amount of space allocated for the production of small re-
ceiving-type valves (409000 square feet) would, on British and
American standards-, be sufficient on single-shift working for
some 5,0009000 to 6,000,000 valves per annum at 90% efficiency
And about 2,500,000 at the alledged low efficiency of 40% at Frye-
mine.
If we assume that a large percentage ef the 2,4009000 annual
tube output at Fryazino covers receiving valves, the apace alloca-
tion at that plant, hiving regard to low efficiency, etc., is coma
Perable to. that at;iitcham, but this would not justify the employ-
ment of sore than approximately 1,000 total personnel: It would
appear, thereto/41,H and it is not improbable - that the remainder
of the personnel at Fryazino (5,000 to 70000) are engaged on re-
search and development activities, manufacture of special tubes
(hat is, tubes other than those produced on mass produotion units),
glass factory, administration, time study, etc. etc., and it is in-
teresting to compare the production which would be achieved at .
Mitcham from lees person's'. The total production annually from
Etches from 2,200 people amounts to about 7,0009000 small mass
Production types, 500,000 large television tubes, and 400,000 spec-
ial tube/iv-including transmitting valves, gas discharge tubes/0
Irray tubes, etc. .This last category at Mitcham requires approx-
Sately 800 people.
that some 5,000 or 6,000
people at Fryazino are engaged on research and development, to-
gether with the production of similar special tubes and, further,
that the manufacturing efficiency and output per tanhour is in both
oases about half the British and American figures, then the-esti-
sited.output of Fryazino would be approiimately 750,000 tubes per
inane.- ? .
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
50X1
50X1-HUN
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
SECRET
-8-
These dedAnticns. lead to the following assessments of the plant
at Pryazinot
Number of people engaged on mass pro-
duction of small receiving valves 1,000
Production of small receiving valves
(per annum)
Number of people engaged on research,
development, engineering, etc., and
production of special tubes
Output of special tubes (per annum)
1,750,000
5,000 to 6,000
750,000
the special tube manufacture in Russia is on
the whole comparable to that at Mitcham and taking into acoout the
lower efficiencies to be expected from such new plant,/
\the space for these special.tutii-enuld perhaps be about
300,000 square feet, which figure includes, of course, research, de-
velopment, and technical departments, and if we add to this the al-
lowance for stores, canteen, small soars mass production, engineering
departments, administrationl.etc. oto., the total area of the plant
light quite well be over 500,000 square feet. The density of popu-
lation would then be between 70 and 100 square feet per operator,
which compares with the Mitcham figure of about 150 square feet per
operator.
SMART OF A88888XERT OF PLANT, AT YETAZ;NO
3.. In the manufacture of miniature valves, the 178811 appears to be
several yeal*behind Britain aid America. The intensive train-
ing "obits with 800 apprentice', bourn., will result in
speedstip of progress. The present efficiency' of manufacture of
mindtture valves is 40 96 and ii rather less thanlaatt tHat Of
Britain and America.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
50X1
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
a
SECRET
. The output of 200,000 tubes per month from a total population of
6,000 to 8)000 and (having regard to the available mass produc-
tion equipment for receiving valves) ip indeed low, but quite ex-
plainable if we accept the low efficieMoy, the small area of
40,000 square feet allocated to mass production types and as-
edit of the organization is working on research,
devAleiment, and production Of special tubes.
?
-
The organiZatiot of the engiteering department.\
L_ _die in agreement with this interpreta-
tion of the plant.
5. The assumption that the center is intended as a research and
development organization, similar to R.C.A., Princeton, or
M.R.V. Co., Mitcham, is supported by the remark that work was
proceeding on 8 mm Klystrons and Magnetrons. These are indeed
quite advanced developments, but is work which could certainly
be embarked upon in a nationalized industry because of the de-
tailed information available on such developments in such
things asMtI.T publications, etc.
6. The existence of glass tube drawing would indicate activities
other than research and development and would obviously be in-
tended for use at Fryazine when fully developed.
7. When fully developed and operating efficiently to British and
American standards and assuming, of course, more space al-
located to mass production units, the plant may have quite
formidable outputs.
If the plant is set up on similar lines to the M.R.V. Co., at
Mitcham, which does research and development together with,
only a scale of mass production necessary for Os successful
progreme of development and machine designs, the output from
Pryazino could be 25,000,000 small valves, 750,000 television
,
tubes and 1,200,000 special tubei.-
8. The apprenticeship scheme in which 800 people are covered, in-
dicates the vigorous attempt to bring the plant to normal out-
put and efficiency irrespective of cost.
?SECRET
-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/05: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100430009-4
50X1
4.
50X1-HUM