Robert had a memorable “aha” moment while in his next role in quality control, which led to solving a problem on a tape production line. There were three-feet-long stretches of defects in the tape that vibrated and had a sound pattern that couldn’t be erased. Those sections of tape had to be searched for and cut out – a labor-intensive process that wasn’t foolproof.

One day, Robert was in the room where the tape dried after being coated. Workers were moving large pallets containing 55-gallon drums. When they moved them through the swinging door, they made a distinctive “bang – tap, tap, tap” sound. The pallet banged on the door and then the door continued to swing, creating a replica of the sound he heard on the defective tape. After a few tests to determine if the cause was sound waves or seismic – from the shaking of the floor – he determined the problem was sound waves. He was able to solve a huge quality issue with a few simple steps.

Robert’s successes in magnetic tape technology led to significant improvements in magnetic performance and longer lasting tapes. The data cartridge he helped invent was a breakthrough for computer applications. For his work, he was inducted into 3M’s prestigious Carlton Society – which recognizes the very best in scientific achievement.