Engineering Research Associates
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware, Defense contracting |
| Founded | January 1946 |
| Founder | William Norris, Howard Engstrom, Joseph Wenger |
| Fate | Acquired by Remington Rand in 1952; later merged into Sperry-UNIVAC |
| Headquarters | St. Paul , United States |
| Products | Numerical computing devices, Drum memory technology, Stored-program computers (ERA 1101) |
Number of employees | 40 (initially) |
Engineering Research Associates (ERA) was an innovative American computer company active during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Initially recognized for their numerical computing devices, ERA became well-known for creating sophisticated drum memory technologies. The firm was eventually acquired by Remington Rand and merged into their UNIVAC division. Several of ERA’s founders went on to launch Control Data Corporation, which became a major force in the computing sector.
Origins during wartime
ERA emerged from a team of scientists and engineers engaged in cryptographic work for the US Navy throughout World War II, specifically within the Communications Supplementary Activity - Washington (CSAW). After the war, reductions in funding threatened the continuation of this specialized unit, leading Navy leaders such as Joseph Wenger to worry about preserving the capacity for rapid machine development.
Post-war establishment
To ensure ongoing progress, Wenger collaborated with CSAW members William Norris and Howard Engstrom to seek financial backing for a dedicated computing enterprise. Following an unsuccessful approach to Kuhn, Loeb & Co., they connected with John Parker, an investment banker managing the dissolution of Northwest Aeronautical Corporation (NAC) in St. Paul, Minnesota. Although Parker did not fully understand their mission, his support was secured after visits from senior naval officers including James Forrestal.
In January 1946, ERA was officially formed, employing forty former codebreakers and moving operations to the NAC site. While initially handling various engineering assignments, ERA concentrated mainly on building specialized code-breaking machines for the Navy, increasingly incorporating magnetic drum memory technology. To protect sensitive information, the facility operated as a Navy Reserve installation guarded by armed personnel. ERA’s classified military developments played a key role in establishing Minnesota’s reputation as "the Land of 10,000 Top-Secret Computer Projects."
Goldberg and Demon code-breaking systems
ERA’s inaugural machine, Goldberg (1947), utilized a drum memory mechanism featuring magnetic tape wrapped around a metal cylinder rotating at 50 RPM. Over time, enhancements were made to increase drum memory capacity and speed along with improvements to paper tape readers. ERA later encountered significant patent litigation with Technitrol Engineering, which introduced its own drum memory device in 1952.
The subsequent system, Demon, was designed to decipher a particular Soviet code but became ineffective when that code changed in 1949. Navy officer James Pendergrass, inspired by lectures at the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore School of Engineering, championed the development of a reprogrammable computer. In 1947, the Navy awarded ERA ("Task 13") a contract to build America’s first stored-program computer—the Atlas—completed in 1950. ERA marketed this machine as the ERA 1101 (with 1101 representing binary 13). Later, the Navy requested a more advanced Atlas II model featuring Williams tubes and drum memory; delivered to the NSA in 1953, this system solidified ERA’s strategic position within military computing markets.
High-speed Computing Devices
In 1950, ERA released High-speed Computing Devices, an extensive 450-page textbook that compiled knowledge on digital logic elements, circuit design, and foundational computer engineering concepts. This publication, adapted from a prior Office of Naval Research report that omitted classified cryptographic details, demonstrated ERA’s expertise in the field. Importantly, it foresaw the transistor becoming more cost-effective than electron tubes, underscoring ERA’s strategic insight into advancing technology trends.
Legal troubles and the Remington Rand acquisition
As ERA aimed to broaden its market reach, it became entangled in political controversy when journalist Drew Pearson accused founders Norris and Engstrom of leveraging wartime affiliations for personal gain. This dispute consumed significant company resources and culminated in ERA’s purchase by Remington Rand in 1952.
At that time, Remington Rand already owned Eckert–Mauchly Computer Corporation (acquired in 1950), managing both entities as distinct divisions: ERA served scientific and military sectors, while Eckert–Mauchly catered to commercial clients with its UNIVAC product line. Following the 1955 merger with Sperry Corporation that created Sperry Rand, these divisions were unified under Sperry-UNIVAC. Most of ERA’s initiatives were discontinued except for their drum memory technology, which was incorporated into subsequent UNIVAC models. Key personnel such as Norris and Seymour Cray left to establish Control Data Corporation, driving significant progress in supercomputing technology.
Despite these challenges, ERA’s core team continued within a newly formed research unit—later known as the Aerospace Division—where they developed cutting-edge military computing systems for command and control operations, ICBM guidance, and satellite technologies, preserving their leadership in defense-related markets.
The new ERA
During the late 1970s, former employees of Rand purchased the ERA brand and initiated a modest government contracting enterprise. By 1989, this iteration of ERA became a wholly owned subsidiary of E-Systems. In 1995, it was merged into the Melpar division of its parent company, resulting in the retirement of the ERA name once again.