had built facility
that had the machine tools turn out "anything from lady's
watch locomotive," and the extensive hoard supplies
offered significant economies scale the pursuit many
different experimental goals.^ Another important function the laboratory was
to find cheaper and better materials replace those already
in use. The lab carried
out basic research into the nature materials because this
knowledge could easily applied many different projects. The inventor truly believed that when came
to research, bigger was indeed better.
For example, Edison began experiments the laboratory 1888
to examine the properties hard materials that could used
for the filament his incandescent lamp and the stylus the
phonograph.
The great store supplies gave the West Orange
laboratory its comparative advantage over the laboratories of
Edison's rivals. Edison's interest metallurgy
was reflected the great collection different ores and
minerals that was housed the library.17
with every possible material case was ever needed the
height research project. The analysis of
materials was one his great strengths inventor; some
of his greatest breakthroughs had been the identification a
material that would perform important task invention,
such the bamboo for the filament his incandescent bulb or
the chalk button for his telephone microphone. The real savings large lab
were reducing the expensive delays caused waiting for
