Turboencabulator
Encyclopedia
The Turboencabulator or turbo-encabulator (and its later incarnation, the retroencabulator or retro-encabulator) is a fictional machine whose alleged existence became an in-joke
and subject of professional humor among engineer
s. The explanation of the supposed product makes extensive use of technobabble
.
The original technical description of the turboencabulator appeared dated 24 August 1942 in a pamphlet published by Arthur D. Little
and signed by Arthur Dehon Little
.
An early reference to the turbo-encabulator appeared in an article by New York lawyer Bernard Salwen in Time
on April 15, 1946. Part of Salwen's job was to review technical manuscripts. He was amused by the jargon and wrote the classic description of a non-existent turboencabulator.
Time got with the gag, featuring the device in a May 6, 1946 issue, described as "An adjunct to the turbo-encabulator, employed whenever a barescent skor motion is required."
A month later a response to reader mail on the feature appeared in the June 3, 1946 issue:
In 1955 the turboencabulator was supposedly described by a "J.H. Quick" in "The Institution of Electrical Engineers, Students Quarterly Journal" 25 (London), p184 in 1955. (Other sources give vol 15 no. 58 p. 22, December 1944.)
In 1962 a turboencabulator data sheet was created by engineers at General Electric
's Instrument Department, in West Lynn, Massachusetts. It quoted from the previous sources and was inserted into the General Electric Handbook. The turboencabulator data sheet had the same format as the other pages in the G.E. Handbook. The engineers added "Shure Stat" in "Technical Features", which was peculiar only to the Instrument Department, and included the first known graphic representation of a "manufactured" turboencabulator using parts made at the Instrument Department.
Circa 1977 Bud Haggart, an actor who appeared in many industrial training films in and around Detroit, performed in the first film realization of the description and operation of the "Turboencabulator", using a truncated script adapted from the 1955 "The Institution of Electrical Engineers, Students Quarterly Journal". Bud convinced director Dave Rondot and the film crew to stay after the filming of an actual GMC Trucks project training film to realize the Turboencabulator spot.
Circa 1988 the former Chrysler Corporation "manufactured" the Turboencabulator in a video spoof.
Circa 1997 Rockwell Automation
"manufactured" the renamed Retro-Encabulator in another video spoof.
The technical descriptions of all these turboencabulators remain remarkably similar over the years.
manufactures controls. Dodge Power Transmission manufactures gears and bearings. Reliance Electric manufactures motors, and Rockwell Software is a division of Rockwell Automation
.
The equipment shown in the original Chrysler video are a real Chrysler front-wheel drive transaxle (A604) and diagnostic equipment, and the Rockwell video uses real parts that can be ordered from Allen-Bradley, including the motor control center (MCC) that is being described as the retro-encabulator.
Most generators
operate by the "relative motion of conductors
and fluxes". On the other hand, the Retro-Encabulator is said to use the "modial interaction of magneto-reluctance and capacitive
directance". As plausible as this may sound to non-engineers, "modial" and "directance" are not even words, much less meaningful engineering terms. Some of the other parts mentioned in the video, (e.g., "differential girdle spring" and "dingle arm") help signal even the technically non-proficient that it is a joke.
In-joke
An in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
and subject of professional humor among engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
s. The explanation of the supposed product makes extensive use of technobabble
Technobabble
Technobabble , also called technospeak, is a form of prose using jargon, buzzwords, esoteric language, specialized technical terms, or technical slang that is incomprehensible to the listener...
.
History
Arthur D. Little
Arthur D. Little is an international management consulting firm originally headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and formally incorporated by that name in 1909 by Arthur Dehon Little, an MIT chemist who had discovered acetate. Arthur D. Little pioneered the concept of contracted...
and signed by Arthur Dehon Little
Arthur Dehon Little
Arthur Dehon Little was an American chemist and chemical engineer. He founded the consulting company Arthur D. Little and was instrumental in developing chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology...
.
An early reference to the turbo-encabulator appeared in an article by New York lawyer Bernard Salwen in Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
on April 15, 1946. Part of Salwen's job was to review technical manuscripts. He was amused by the jargon and wrote the classic description of a non-existent turboencabulator.
Time got with the gag, featuring the device in a May 6, 1946 issue, described as "An adjunct to the turbo-encabulator, employed whenever a barescent skor motion is required."
A month later a response to reader mail on the feature appeared in the June 3, 1946 issue:
In 1955 the turboencabulator was supposedly described by a "J.H. Quick" in "The Institution of Electrical Engineers, Students Quarterly Journal" 25 (London), p184 in 1955. (Other sources give vol 15 no. 58 p. 22, December 1944.)
In 1962 a turboencabulator data sheet was created by engineers at General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
's Instrument Department, in West Lynn, Massachusetts. It quoted from the previous sources and was inserted into the General Electric Handbook. The turboencabulator data sheet had the same format as the other pages in the G.E. Handbook. The engineers added "Shure Stat" in "Technical Features", which was peculiar only to the Instrument Department, and included the first known graphic representation of a "manufactured" turboencabulator using parts made at the Instrument Department.
Circa 1977 Bud Haggart, an actor who appeared in many industrial training films in and around Detroit, performed in the first film realization of the description and operation of the "Turboencabulator", using a truncated script adapted from the 1955 "The Institution of Electrical Engineers, Students Quarterly Journal". Bud convinced director Dave Rondot and the film crew to stay after the filming of an actual GMC Trucks project training film to realize the Turboencabulator spot.
Circa 1988 the former Chrysler Corporation "manufactured" the Turboencabulator in a video spoof.
Circa 1997 Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation is a global provider of industrial automation, power, control and information solutions. Brands in industrial automation include Allen-Bradley and Rockwell Software....
"manufactured" the renamed Retro-Encabulator in another video spoof.
The technical descriptions of all these turboencabulators remain remarkably similar over the years.
Typical technical description
The following quote is from the Time article. "General Electric", "Chrysler" and "Rockwell Automation" use many of the same words.Factual elements
While the turboencabulator is completely made up, most of the brands and divisions mentioned in the videos exist and are accurately described. Allen-BradleyAllen-Bradley
Allen-Bradley is the brand-name of a line of Factory Automation Equipment manufactured by Rockwell Automation . The company, with revenues of approximately US$4.5 billion in 2006, manufactures programmable automation controllers , human-machine interfaces, sensors, safety components and systems,...
manufactures controls. Dodge Power Transmission manufactures gears and bearings. Reliance Electric manufactures motors, and Rockwell Software is a division of Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation is a global provider of industrial automation, power, control and information solutions. Brands in industrial automation include Allen-Bradley and Rockwell Software....
.
The equipment shown in the original Chrysler video are a real Chrysler front-wheel drive transaxle (A604) and diagnostic equipment, and the Rockwell video uses real parts that can be ordered from Allen-Bradley, including the motor control center (MCC) that is being described as the retro-encabulator.
Most generators
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
operate by the "relative motion of conductors
Electrical conductor
In physics and electrical engineering, a conductor is a material which contains movable electric charges. In metallic conductors such as copper or aluminum, the movable charged particles are electrons...
and fluxes". On the other hand, the Retro-Encabulator is said to use the "modial interaction of magneto-reluctance and capacitive
Capacitance
In electromagnetism and electronics, capacitance is the ability of a capacitor to store energy in an electric field. Capacitance is also a measure of the amount of electric potential energy stored for a given electric potential. A common form of energy storage device is a parallel-plate capacitor...
directance". As plausible as this may sound to non-engineers, "modial" and "directance" are not even words, much less meaningful engineering terms. Some of the other parts mentioned in the video, (e.g., "differential girdle spring" and "dingle arm") help signal even the technically non-proficient that it is a joke.
Retroencabulator script
External links
- The first realization of the Turboencabulator (16mm with Bud Haggart) on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- The complete Chrysler video, circa ~1988-1990 on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Dodge video - 1997 on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Complete Rockwell video on Google VideoGoogle VideoGoogle Videos is a video search engine, and formerly a free video sharing website, from Google Inc. Before removing user-uploaded content, the service allowed selected videos to be remotely embedded on other websites and provided the necessary HTML code alongside the media, similar to YouTube...
- Another version on the Internet
- The Turbo-encabulator in Industry
- Retroencabulator website (contains Turbo-Encabulator text with "Turbo" replaced by "Retro"; does not contain the text from the Retro-Encabulator video)
- An Interview with actor Mike Kraft who starred in several videos, including the Chrysler one, playing the service instructor and a late Rockwell remake (available on his own site) Kraft even has vague plans of filming a retroencabulator sequel.
- Turboencabulator.info -- Turboencabulator Information Website