Engineering Research Associates

Pioneering American computer firm (1946–1952) Engineering Research AssociatesIndustryTechnologyFounded1946; 80 years ago (1946)FoundersWilliam Norris, Howard EngstromDefunct1952 (1952)FatePurchased by Remington RandProductsComputers Engineering Research Associates, commonly known as ERA, was a pioneering computer firm from the 1950s. ERA became famous for their numerical computers, but as the market expanded they became better known for their drum memory systems. They were eventually purchased by Remington Rand and merged into their UNIVAC department. Many of the company founders later left to form Control Data Corporation. ERA Memorial Plaque, installed 2023-06-15, Ramsey County Historical Society Wartime origins of ERA The ERA team started as a group of scientists and engineers working for the US Navy during WWII on code-breaking, a division known as the Communications Supplementary Activity - Washington (CSAW). After the war, budgets were cut for most military projects, including CSAW. Joseph Wenger of the Navy's cryptoanalytic group was particularly worried that the CSAW team would spread to various companies and the Navy would lose their ability to quickly design new machine