Mass Production and Industrialization - Research Paper Example

Technology-Mass Production al Affiliation Industrial revolution refers to the transition or the change that involved adoption of new manufacturing processes, technologies as well as advancement in machineries. This period was experienced in the early days, dating back to around seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The transition was characterized by massive changes involving ditching hand production methods and adopting machineries in production activities. Industrial revolution also led to the emergence of the increased usage of steam power engines as well as improved efficiency of water power (Ross, 2008). In addition, it is of crucial significance to state that the industrial revolution ensured manufacturing of new machines and new tools, sophisticated, efficient and effective for nearly all purposes. It is of critical importance to highlight that the industrialization period played a greater role in the field of technology. It is during the period of industrialization that major world nations started coming up with sophisticated tools that could easily make work easier as opposed to the initial tools. It is a fact that in the period of industrializations, major technological developments, including mechanization took place. This made it easy to use the highly improved machines in carrying out the chores that were initially performed by those previous machines. It is of critical significance to acknowledge the fact that Industrial Revolution began in the Great Britain (Willbanks, 2004). However, within a span of few decades, the revolution had already gotten its roots in majority of other Western nations, as well as the United States of America. During this period, it is critical to mention that a number of things were affected by the Industrial revolution. This included the people’s lifestyles, economic progress as well as other socio-political issues related to the impacts that the Industrial Revolution was associated with (Gutowski, 2010). It is significant to highlight that the Industrial Revolution was in two phases. The first phase covered the seventeenth century. This paved way for the second phase of Industrial Revolution. The second phase of industrial revolution took place in eighteenth century, between the years 1840 and 1870. This was marked by major technological developments as well as improvement in the initial technologies that existed in the First Industrial Revolution period. The major technological advancements, as well as, improvements included the chemicals, textile manufacture as well as metallurgy. In addition, other technological advancements included steam power, paper machines as well as mining. Moreover, other technological advancements that marked the industrial revolution included the gas lighting, glass making as well as the machine tools (Grayson, 2011). It is of critical importance to note that the industrial revolution, together with the associated advancement in metal parts, created escalating demands for metal parts. Such metal parts were to be used in machineries. As such, there was a rapid response to the demand created. The result was increased development and production of machine tools that were mainly used for cutting the metals. This partly prompted the emergence of the American System of manufacturing. The story of origin of American System of manufacturing dates back to the 19th Century. This was a set of method and techniques that were massively used in manufacturing in America by the time of the Second Industrial Revolution (Ross, 2008). It is of crucial significance to note that the manufacturing encompassed two critical features as were practiced by the Americans at that time. These were totally divergent and different from the system used by the British at that time. The features comprised the massive and widespread usage of the interchangeable parts of the machineries (Gutowski, 2010). Another feature that was massively used by the American was the widespread application of mechanization to produce the interchangeable parts that were necessary for the manufacturing activities. As such, the system could also be referred to as the armory practice basing on the fact that it majorly borrowed on, and concerned the use of armories. These armories were known as the Springfield and Herpes Ferry United States of America Federal Armories. It is of critical importance to understand the origin of the name “American Style” of manufacturing. This name was coined from the fact that for a good period of time, the system was majorly used by the Americans. As such, the Americans had familiarity with the system for a long time. Therefore, based on the fact that the system was strongly associated with the Americans for quite a long period of time, it was prudent to coin the name from there. As such, the name “American Style of Manufacturing” was developed. This marks the origin of the name. It is of crucial importance to highlight that the American style was characterized by quite a good proportion of semi-skilled, as well as skilled labor. These people used the machine tools as well as the jigs to manufacture standardized interchangeable parts that were used in the armories. Such interchangeable parts were so identical, as well as manufactured with such a high level standard that made assembling quite easy. The assemblage could take as minimal time as possible, with nearly no fitting required for the manufacture of the armories (Grayson, 2011). The industrialization period played a great role in the field of technology. It is during the period of industrialization that major world nations started coming up with sophisticated tools that could easily make work easier as opposed to the initial tools (Gutowski, 2010). It is a fact that in the period of industrializations, major technological developments, including mechanization took place. This made it easy to use the highly improved machines in carrying out the chores that were initially performed by those previous machines (Willbanks, 2004). In short, the American System of Manufacture was characterized with elements of division of labor. In addition, the system involved increased levels of mechanization and precision since it involved the use of skilled and experts who provided the labor force. Moreover, the American System was characterized by increased standardization and development of interchangeable parts (Gutowski, 2010). Therefore, based on the above, the name “American System” was coined the day of exhibition when the Americans presented guns that had interchangeable parts. This exposition took place in the year 1851 at the Crystal Palace Exposition, making the British become increasingly impressed by the innovation (Gutowski, 2010). It is of critical importance to acknowledge the fact that every technological innovation must have various impacts. These may range from social, technological as well as economic impacts. There are several impacts that were felt following the industrial revolution that led to the development of machineries and sophistication of technological tools (Willbanks, 2004). In the same sense, it is also prudent to acknowledge the fact that the American System also led to realization of several impacts. One of the impacts that were associated with the America System was increased production of guns. This involved the excessive utilization of special purpose machine tools that were specifically meant for that purpose. This was gradually transferred to other countries and their industries via the shops that majorly dealt with such machines. Again, the system ensured stabilization of the Lincoln miller in the late 1980s. Sewing machines were also manufactured as a result of the introduction and application of the American System of manufacturing. It is prudent to note that the new machine tools also had major impacts in the manufacture of the clocks, textile machinery as well as printing machines (Grayson, 2011). In the history of industrial revolution, it is crucial to acknowledge the fact that the nineteenth century was marked by mass production of complex products. This is the period that marks the transition from the guns to typewriters. Some of the most complex typewriters that were developed in this period include the QWERTY keyboard typewriters (Gutowski, 2010). These keyboards were meant for the clerical works as well as other associated activities. During the nineteenth century, the invention of the QWERTY keyboard typewriters was termed amongst the most complex. The QWERTY keyboard typewriters are amongst the most complex technological products that followed the manufacture of guns. However, the most notable complex innovation in the 19th century was the production of High Volume Aircraft. This was massively used in the World War II that took place between the year 1939 and the year 1945. It is of critical importance to note that in the year 1944, United States of America alone produced a total of one hundred and twenty thousand High Volume Aircrafts (Gutowski, 2010). This was the largest number of aircrafts produced within the shortest period during those days. In comparison, the United Kingdom produced a total of twenty thousand High Volume Aircrafts in the year 1944 that was used in the World War II (Willbanks, 2004). Germany only managed a total of forty thousand High Volume Aircrafts, half as much as that produced by the United Kingdom. During this period, it is of crucial significance to note that the mass production techniques of the most complex products applied even to military products. These involved the division of labor, interchangeable parts as well as the moving assemble line. Some of the machineries that satisfied the crafts men, making them proud included the Mechanical Marvel, a machine that took approximately fifteen years to pay back. In addition, engine blocks were also produced in large quantities at the GM Buick Division plant. Moreover, there was the Ford’s Cleveland Engine Plant that formed amongst others, the pride of the crafts-men as the most complex gigantic machine (Grayson, 2011). In conclusion, the period of industrial revolution marked major technological developments, including mechanization took place. This made it easy to use the highly improved machines in carrying out the chores that were initially performed by those previous machines. It is of critical significance to acknowledge the fact that Industrial Revolution began in the Great Britain. The industrial revolution, together with the associated advancement in metal parts, created escalating demands for metal parts that were later used in machineries and interchangeable parts. The industrialization period played a greater role in the field of technology. It is during the period of industrialization that major world nations started coming up with sophisticated tools and machineries, including High Volume Aircrafts and QWERTY keyboards. References Grayson, R. (2011). The U.S. industrial revolution. Edina, Minn: ABDO Pub. Gutowski, T . (2010) Introduction to manufacturing systems. Retrieved on 28 March 2014 from stuff.mit.edu/afs/athena/course/2/ 2.810/www/lectureO9/l1.pdf 10. Ross, S. (2008). The industrial revolution. London: Evans. Willbanks, J. H. (2004). Machine guns and submachine guns: An illustrated history of their impact. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO. Read More