Manufacturing has existed since time immemorial. The early Egyptians applied their knowledge of physics to create pyramids and developed systemsfor the mass production of pottery and papyrus.
Until about the middle 18th century, manufacturing was carried out by single skilled craftsmen who worked alongside an apprentice. The craftsmen passed on their knowledge and skill to the apprentice, who then took on their own apprentice. Manufacturing occurred in rural areas, usually in homes and personal workshops, where ‘cottage industries’ were established using simple machinery and hand tools.
2. Manufacturing has existed since time immemorial. The early Egyptians applied their knowledge of
physics to create pyramids and developed systemsfor the mass production of pottery and papyrus.
Until about the middle 18th
century, manufacturing was carried out by single skilled craftsmen who
worked alongside an apprentice. The craftsmen passed on their knowledge and skill to the
apprentice, who then took on their own apprentice. Manufacturing occurred in rural areas, usually in
homes and personal workshops, where ‘cottage industries’ were established using simple machinery
and hand tools.
The birth of the factory system
During the Industrial Revolution, the factory system arose, replacing the domestic system.
Manufacturing moved from the rural areas to the cities, where they were closer to sources of water,
power and transportation networks and infrastructure.
In the middle of the 18th
century, the use of waterpower and then the steam engine became
prominent. Interchangeable parts were introduced in the late 18th
century, greatly improving the
factory system.
3. Major improvements in the factory system occurred in the early 20th
century. Time management and
the concept of assembly line production were introduced. Manufacturing processes were made easier
through the elimination of unnecessary and duplicate tasks.
Factory owners introduced the new methods of manufacturing, where the fundamentals of physics
were applied to a specific manufacturing process. The new systemswere developed byanalysing
themanufacturing process and how the components of production were better coordinated to
improve efficiency. This gave way to more technological advancements and innovation.
The rise of automation
By the second half of the 20th
century, factory production increased with globalization. Different
component parts are manufactured using material produced cheaply in one country, by cheap labour
in another and then shipped to a third location for assembly.
4. In the 21st
century, automation is prominent. Machines and robots are replacing manual labourers in
accomplishing certain tasks, yielding faster and more consistent results.With the increasing use of
automated production, manufacture is cheaper and more efficient. This makes today’s workforce
available to be trained for more skilled and creative tasks.
Sources:
https://volumetrictechnologies.com/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/factory-system
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c3c8/b74ba719b65ba134120e21b4e120b104051c.pdf
