CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

[cedmagic]

A Farewell to Electroplating Pioneer Marshal Whitehurst
by Jill Robbins

Marshal Whitehurst, former Chemical Engineer at RCA Records, passed away on January 19, 2006 at age 85. He was a chemical engineer who worked in the RCA electroplating department in Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1946 to 1981. His work at RCA improved the quality of the plating process to produce audio records and later, video discs. A co-worker, Ralph Fox, says that “Marshal spent endless hours on a binocular microscope looking at the miles of grooves on a master to find out where a problem had occurred.” Whitehurst’s methodical attention to detail and problem-solving ability was a very important contribution to the quality of records that RCA was able to produce. RCA produced records more rapidly and of a higher quality than any of its competitors; in fact some competitors had their records pressed for them by RCA, then put their own labels on them. RCA’s quality was the standard for whole industry; European manufacturers visited the Indianapolis lab quite regularly to learn their techniques.

Whitehurst’s efforts were key to developing the nickel electro-forming process used to produce stampers for pressing the audio records. He was instrumental in translating that technology to the matrix operation for video discs which RCA began developing in the early 70s. (See footnote). Bob Huck, another RCA colleague, reminisces: “Marshal was instrumental in moving the technology from the audio recording industry to the manufacture of the video disc. The grooves were a hundred times smaller, so it required a higher level of cleanliness and better solutions.”

Whitehurst also helped develop the amorphous copper substrate used in producing RCA's CED Video Disc masters in the mid-1970's. Prior to that time, the audio record industry used lacquer-coated substrates for recording purposes. When the video disc process was being developed, it was soon found that lacquer would never be able to be used for the 4000Å deep, 2.5-micron-wide video disc grooves. Marshal was the primary developer of the copper plating process. (See US Patent # 4,259,166). Use of amorphous (non-crystalline) copper substrates allowed video bandwidths to eventually be recorded at real-time. (Previously, the video had to be 'slowed-down' up to 30 times to be able to record the desired wavelengths necessary for real-time playback of video discs.)”

In an article describing the history of the video disc, Huck explains, “Jerry Halter’s electro-mechanical mastering process initially involved a diamond-tipped PZT cutterhead (on a precision lathe) used to ‘over-cut’ spiral grooves in lacquer-coated substrates. The major developments in electro-mechanical mastering took place over a 5-year period. The first reasonably good video recording with the electro-mechanical recording technique was made at Indianapolis in July 1972. It was recorded at 30 times slower than real-time at a groove pitch of 2,000 grooves per inch. The first color video recording with sound was made in November 1972. The first good recording from 35mm film was made in March, 1973. Continuing improvements were made in cutterheads and by December, 1974, test recordings were made at 20 times slower than real-time and at 5555 grooves per inch. The first electro-mechanical recording in a metal substrate (copper), a significant process enhancement, was made in March, 1974. The electro-plating process for producing the amorphous copper substrate used in the mechanical recording, was developed by Marshal Whitehurst. Fox says, “Marshal found a way to eliminate the tiny pockets (of occluded hydrogen) in the deposited copper that would form at the bottom of a groove.” (See US Patent # 4,316,778)

By February, 1977, the first 30-minute composite video & audio recording was made at real-time. This meant that the video signals no longer needed to be '‘slowed down" for the recording or mastering process. Also, by this time, the groove pitch was almost 10,000 grooves per inch! In August, 1977, the first 1-hour recording was successfully mastered.”

Another RCA co-worker, Joann Fox, remembers Whitehurst’s willingness to tackle any problem presented to him. Fox said, “Every time one of the managers was given a farewell party, Marshall would gold-plate something for him. Once he was asked to gold-plate a toilet seat – and he did it.” We can imagine the pleasure he must have taken in figuring out how to meet that challenge!

After retiring from RCA, Whitehurst devoted his energy to helping others in a number of ways. He applied his engineering skills to maintaining a drop-in center for inner-city youth, operated by Indianapolis’ Area Youth Ministry. Another volunteer duty was building and maintaining two storefronts and keeping a food pantry stocked for The Sharing Place, an outreach of Lutheran Child and Family Services. He was good at finding things that had been discarded, like home appliances, and repairing them to give to people in need. That was how he furnished a home for a family of Laotian refugees he helped to sponsor. He delivered meals to the elderly for Meals on Wheels for 20 years. Among numerous awards for his service, he received the “Living Saint” Award from Lutheran Child and Family Services and a “Thousand Points of Light” award from George H. W. Bush. At age 79, he learned the art of stained glass. He designed and assembled beautiful works of art and donated them to local churches or gave them to friends and family. He enjoyed teaching others, so he tutored local students who were struggling with math and science. He taught plating courses at Ivy Tech Community College and patiently taught anyone who was interested in learning to do stained glass. Local charities will greatly miss his energy and enthusiasm, but expect to benefit for many years to come thanks to the continuing efforts of those he mentored in how to “love your neighbor as yourself.”


Footnote:
The following link (on the CEDmagic website) shows the copper substrate as well as the other electro-plated metal replicas, including the metal stampers used in the disc pressing operation. Photos #1 - #12 show these electroplated parts and items related to the mastering process. The write-up below Photo #8 describes the process well.
http://www.cedmagic.com/disc-manufacturing/00-disc-manufacturing.html

Reference:
Huck, R. article (unpublished)

Patents awarded to Marshal Whitehurst and assigned to RCA:
# 4,259,166 for a shield used in plating the surface of a substrate of a master disc.
# 4,316,778 for a method of adding an amphoteric fluorocarbon surfactant to eliminate hydrogen bubbles in the copper layer deposited on a recording substrate.
# 4,341,613 for an apparatus for electroplating two materials together
# 4,470,940 for a bath used to help the stamper release a molded disc which is being stamped.

[cedmagic]

Here's an article in the Indianapolis Star:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006601250430

This is the Whitehurst Family photo album page:

http://whitehursts.us/

Here are some of Marshal's stained glass creations:

http://whitehursts.us/pictures/celebration/windows/windows.html

--Tom Howe