The assembly line is a manufacturing process that has been perfected over the years to enable mass production and standardised work. Using a conveyor belt system, parts are added step-by-step, sequenced in a particular order, to assemble the final product. Each station in the line performs a specific task, which is either completed by a machine, or a human worker. This highly efficient system dramatically increases production speed, making it possible to mass-produce items such as cars, appliances, and electronics.
Origins of the assembly line
Prior to the industrial revolution, manufactured products were typically made by hand using craft production. Craft production is where a craftsman, or a team of craftsmen would create each individual part of the product before assembling them into the final product.
Using the idea of division of labour, dating back to Ancient Greece, the Venetian Arsenal, operated similar to a production line. Around the 14th century this Arsenal created an early form of the assembly line to build their ships. They would move a vessel along a canal, stopping at different stations to install parts.
In 1785, Oliver Evans built an automatic flour mill. By using a leather belt bucket elevator, screw conveyors, canvas belt conveyors, and other mechanical devices, he automated the process of making flour, an innovation which quickly spread to other mills and even breweries.
The evolution of the assembly line
Later, in 1799, Whitney developed the “American System of manufacturing,” using interchangeable parts for muskets, making the process more efficient and quicker. During the early 19th century, interchangeable parts became a practical reality with all manufacturers. This was due to the development of machine tools including the milling machine, screw-cutting lathe, metal planer, and toolpath control, and this provided the prerequisites for the modern assembly line.
In the late 19th century we saw the rise of steam and electric conveyors. Steam lifts were used for loading and unloading ships and a sketch from 1885 depicted an electric-powered conveyor moving cans in a canning factory.
Perfecting the automated assembly line
In comparison to their predecessors, Fords assembly line was incredibly successful and efficient.
After visiting Swift & Company’s slaughterhouse in Chicago and witnessing their “disassembly line”, where carcasses moved along a conveyor for butchering, William “Pa” Klann realised the potential efficiency in one person removing the same piece again and again without moving to another station. Upon his return to Ford Motor Company, he put the idea to Peter E. Martin who encouraged him to proceed, with the backing of Henry Ford who saw great potential. Ford, along with his team consisting of Peter E. Martin (the factory superintendent), Charles E. Sorensen (Martin’s assistant) Clarence W. Avery; C. Harold Wills (draftsman and toolmaker) Charles Ebender; and József Galamb, went through trial and error, to create the modern automated assembly line concept.
Why Ford’s implementation was so successful
The implementation of Fords modern automated assembly line had significant benefits making them a much stronger competitor in the automotive industry. In comparison to traditional conveyor systems other manufacturers were using, Fords flow manufacturing allowed them to:
- Significantly increase their throughput and reduce cycle time. Increasing production by eight to one, while decreasing required manpower time from 12.5 hours, to 1.33 hours.
- Labour specialisation, i.e. assigning each worker to a specific location instead of allowing them to roam about, dramatically reduced the rate of injury, creating a much safer work environment.
- Due to mass production, faster throughput and fewer required manpower, there was a massive cost reduction in manufacturing. This allowed Ford to reduce the price of their cars, to make them more affordable to more people.
- The gain in productivity enabled Ford to increase wages for his workers, while reducing the hourly work week. This, coupled with the safer work environment, reduced employee turnover.
Now, the assembly line has become an integral part of the manufacturing process, with manufacturers across the globe heavily reliant on the effectiveness and efficiency that the assembly line provides.
