 One of the most significant committees was that on Industrial Preparedness, which drew up an inventory of manufacturing capacity and sought to develop common manufacturing standards.On 10 February 1917 the Board established a Special Problems Committee with a Subcommittee on Submarine Detection by Sound.This led to the collaboration of the Submarine Signal Company, engaged in acoustic research and producer of submarine signals devices since 1901, the Western Electric Company and General Electric Company in experiments on the problem.