Payne - Phalen in Saint Paul in Ramsey County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Machines, Tools, & Engineering
Engineering: Growing Facilities & Expanding Manufacturing
Photographed By McGhiever, September 18, 2020
1. Machines, Tools, & Engineering marker
Machines and Tools: An Important Part of the Production Process
In 1928, 3M established its first machine shop in the basement of Building 2. The three machinists and eleven millwrights repaired machines and production units in the abrasives and tapes factories and the minerals division.
When the first section of Building 14 was completed the next year, the department expanded to the basement.
There the crew of 40 began to produce new machine tools and to fabricate custom machinery devised by 3M engineers. The department continued to grow as demands for equipment increased. The shop moved again to Building 20 in 1938 and then to the Herzog Iron Works site, north of the railroad tracks, after 3M purchased the property in 1949.
At the new location, 3M's machine shop continued to fabricate tools and machines to produce 3M abrasives and tapes. The maintenance division provided service to all the Saint Paul factories.
3M continued to expand its machine shop operations on the Herzog Iron Works site, constructing its last building (Building 99) in 1990.
Engineering: Devising the Machines
The engineering division which also was established in 1928, and the machine shop have always been closely linked. The engineers designed the tools and
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The 3M engineering laboratory was established in 1931 for experiments in the electrostatic coating of abrasives. Besides electrostatics, the engineering laboratory worked in optics, sound and noise measurement, heating processes, radio waves, and the design of electrical control units for various manufacturing processes.
During World War II, 3M's New Methods Engineers developed machinery and abrasives to speed up production for the war effort.
3M mechanical engineers devised a "skyhook" system to suspend large abrasive rolls from the plant ceiling to alleviate a shortage of storage space.
Architectural Engineering
3M had a group of in-house architects and engineers who designed the company's factory and warehouse buildings. They worked closely with the engineers who were devising the machinery to promote efficient operating systems.
The 3M tape buildings and several of the buildings on the Herzog Iron Works site were the product of 3M architectural engineers.
Erected by Saint Paul Port Authority, Historic Saint Paul, 3M, United States Environmental Protection Agency. (Marker Number IP-9.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce
Photographed By McGhiever, September 18, 2020
2. Marker on the Bruce Vento Trail near 955 Wells Street
Location. 44° 57.999′ N, 93° 3.513′ W. Marker is in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in Ramsey County. It is in Payne - Phalen. Marker is at the intersection of Phalen Boulevard and Wells Street, on the right when traveling west on Phalen Boulevard. Located on the Bruce Vento Trail parallel to Phalen Boulevard, at the northeast corner of their intersection with Wells Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 955 Wells St, Saint Paul MN 55106, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 3M & Labor (a few steps from this marker); What Did They Do? (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Abrasives Products & Manufacturing (approx. 0.2 miles away); Getting a Job at 3M (approx. 0.2 miles away); Working Women at 3M (approx. 0.2 miles away); 3M & the Community (approx. 0.2 miles away); 3M & World War II: The Products (approx. ¼ mile away); Cornerstones & Time Capsules (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Saint Paul.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2021, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 110 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2021, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
