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The Charm of Mechanized Production: How did the United States lead the manufacturing revolution in the 19th century?
In the United States in the 19th century, a revolution in manufacturing methods quietly began. This revolution not only redefined the way of production, but also affected the global industrial process. The American manufacturing system, such as the widespread use of interchangeable parts and techniques of mechanized production, increased efficiency for industry and transformed the nature of labor.
The system was first fully developed in American arsenals, especially in places such as Springfield, Massachusetts, and Harpers Ferry, Virginia. In the 1830s of the 1800s, the name was also often referred to as "Ordnance Practice" because it first gained success with contractors serving the United States Armed Forces.
“The use of interchangeable parts has revolutionized production efficiency, resulting in a smoother manufacturing process.”
The so-called "American system" does not originate from the unique culture of the United States, but because during a certain period in the 19th century, this approach was closely associated with the earliest successful implementation by American companies and was in stark contrast to the methods of British and European companies at the time. contrast. Compared to the British factory system, the "American system" introduced semi-skilled labor, using machine tools and jigs to produce standardized, identical, and interchangeable parts that could be assembled with minimal time and skill.
When parts are interchangeable with each other, production, assembly, and repair can be carried out separately, a classic example of division of labor. This allows all three functions to be performed by semi-skilled labor: production in smaller factories, assembly on the assembly line in the main factory, and repairs in small specialist repair shops or on site.
“The efficient and high-quality products produced by this system represent the future development direction of manufacturing.”
With the advancement of technology, especially in the manufacture of textile machinery, the interchangeability of parts was successfully achieved in American arsenals in the 1820s, thanks to the development of many innovative and improved machine operations and machine tools.
In addition, British machine tool manufacturer Joseph Whitworth also pointed out in a report in 1860 that the United States' desire for mechanization in production allowed its industries to grow rapidly, which was one of the main reasons for the prosperity of the United States. . Advances in production technology and the widespread use of machine tools have brought significant economic benefits to the United States.
"Although the working class is relatively small in number, their initiative to replace manual labor with machinery is conducive to the prosperity of the United States."
The transformation of the American system was not limited to advances in mass production; it also promoted the division of labor, allowing small craftsmen's workshops to gradually transition into early factories. The employment of women and children also became more common in larger businesses, especially those making furniture and clothing.
Since the end of the 18th century, French general Jean-Baptiste Wacker de Gribeval had proposed that making rifles from interchangeable parts would speed up production and reduce costs, thereby making it possible to Making repairs in combat situations becomes easier. His ideas were eventually accepted by the U.S. government, thus promoting the establishment of the American system.
"The concept of interchangeable parts was gradually implemented in American armories and became an important reference for global manufacturing."
As early as 1803, Marc Isambard Brunel, working with Henry Modsley and Simon Goodrich, successfully achieved the mass production of interchangeable parts. The success of this method was The foundation was laid for the subsequent development of the American system.
With the advent of the mid-19th century, manufacturing technology in the United States further developed. By the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Henry Ford's production line model brought the widespread use of interchangeable parts to a whole new level, making cars affordable. Make it easy for the middle class to own it.
It is undeniable that the charm of mechanized production allowed the United States to lead the manufacturing revolution in the 19th century and profoundly influenced subsequent global industrial development. This revolution is not only a manifestation of technological progress, but also a profound mark left by a country in the long history. So, with the rapid development of technology today, how do you think we can redefine the way we manufacture?
