Mass production | Description, History, Uses, & Limitations

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class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop infinite-pagination"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="368270"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/mass-production">mass production</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/technology/mass-production">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref68154"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/technology/mass-production#ref68154">The Industrial Revolution and early developments</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref68155"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/technology/mass-production#ref68155">Pioneers of mass production methods</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref68156"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/technology/mass-production/Manufacturing-pioneers">Manufacturing pioneers</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref68157"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/technology/mass-production/Manufacturing-pioneers#ref68157">A summary of mass production concepts</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref68158"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/technology/mass-production/The-mass-production-of-automobiles">The mass production of automobiles</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref68159"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/technology/mass-production/The-mass-production-of-automobiles#ref68159">Nonmanufacturing examples of mass production</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref68160"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/technology/mass-production/Mass-production-and-society">Mass production and society</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref68161"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/technology/mass-production/Economic-effects">Economic effects</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/mass-production/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/mass-production">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/mass-production/images-videos">Images & Videos</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/52/186052-050-0EB59F07/assembly-line-factory-Ford-Wayne-Michigan-2011.jpg" data-href="/media/1/368270/216427" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/52/186052-004-6A2EFEEA/assembly-line-factory-Ford-Wayne-Michigan-2011.jpg" alt="mass production: assembly line" height="50" /> 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Holstein</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Distinguished Service Professor of Business, State University of New York at Albany. Coauthor of <i>Production Planning and Control </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> William K. Holstein</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Morris-Tanenbaum/2913" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Morris Tanenbaum</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Vice-Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, AT&T Company, New York City, 1986–91. Coeditor of <i>Superconductors.</i></div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Morris Tanenbaum</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/mass-production/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/mass-production/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/money/Henry-Ford" topicid="213223">Henry Ford</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/William-P-Lear" topicid="333965">William P. Lear</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/William-Francis-Gibbs" topicid="233217">William Francis Gibbs</a></dd> <dd><a href="/money/William-Richard-Morris-Viscount-Nuffield-Baron-Nuffield-of-Nuffield" topicid="422175">William Richard Morris, Viscount Nuffield</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Seth-Thomas" topicid="592857">Seth Thomas</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/industrial-design" topicid="286993">industrial design</a></dd> <dd><a href="/money/Henry-Ford-on-mass-production" topicid="2247664">Henry Ford on mass production</a></dd> <dd><a href="/money/Fordism" topicid="1920809">Fordism</a></dd> <dd><a href="/technology/interchangeable-parts" topicid="290025">interchangeable parts</a></dd> <dd><a href="/technology/block-mill" topicid="1365531">block mill</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/mass-production"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref17833"></span>mass production</strong>, application of the principles of specialization, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/division-of-labour" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">division of labour</a>, and standardization of parts to the manufacture of goods. Such <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/manufacturing" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">manufacturing</a> processes <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="attain" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/attain" data-type="EB">attain</a> high rates of output at low unit cost, with lower costs expected as volume rises. Mass production methods are based on two general principles: (1) the division and specialization of human labour and (2) the use of tools, machinery, and other equipment, usually automated, in the production of standard, interchangeable parts and products. The use of modern methods of mass production has brought such improvements in the cost, quality, quantity, and variety of goods available that the largest global population in history is now sustained at the highest general <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/standard-of-living" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">standard of living</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><em><a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/Henry-Ford-on-mass-production" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">(Read Henry Ford’s 1926 Britannica essay on mass production.)</a></em></p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref68154"> <h2 class="h1">The <span id="ref17834"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Industrial-Revolution" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Industrial Revolution</a> and early developments</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The principle of the <span id="ref17835"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/division-of-labour" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">division of labour</a> and the resulting specialization of skills can be found in many human activities, and there are records of its application to manufacturing in ancient Greece. The first unmistakable examples of manufacturing operations carefully designed to reduce production costs by specialized labour and the use of machines appeared in the 18th century in England. They were signaled by five important inventions in the <span id="ref17837"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/textile" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">textile</a> industry: (1) <span id="ref17838"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Kay" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">John Kay</a>’s <span id="ref17839"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/flying-shuttle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">flying shuttle</a> in 1733, which permitted the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="weaving" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/weaving" data-type="EB">weaving</a> of larger widths of cloth and significantly increased weaving speed; (2) <span id="ref17840"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edmund-Cartwright" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Edmund Cartwright</a>’s <span id="ref17841"></span>power <span id="ref17836"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/loom" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">loom</a> in 1785, which increased weaving speed still further; (3) <span id="ref17842"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Hargreaves" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">James Hargreaves</a>’s <span id="ref17843"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/spinning-jenny" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">spinning jenny</a> in 1764; (4) <span id="ref17844"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Arkwright" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Richard Arkwright</a>’s <span id="ref17845"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/water-frame" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">water frame</a> in 1769; and (5) <span id="ref17846"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Crompton" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Samuel Crompton</a>’s <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/spinning-mule" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">spinning mule</a> in 1779. The last three inventions improved the speed and quality of thread-spinning operations.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="237379" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/162644-050-821AC490/James-Watt-steam-engine.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/368270/237379"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/162644-050-821AC490/James-Watt-steam-engine.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/162644-050-821AC490/James-Watt-steam-engine.jpg?w=300" alt="James Watt" data-width="1345" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/44/162644-050-821AC490/James-Watt-steam-engine.jpg" data-href="/media/1/368270/237379">James Watt</a><span>James Watt, inventor of the steam engine.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">A sixth invention, the <span id="ref17847"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/steam-engine" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">steam engine</a>, perfected by <span id="ref17848"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/James-Watt" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">James Watt</a>, was the key to further rapid development. After making major improvements in steam engine design in 1765, Watt continued his development and refinement of the engine until, in 1785, he successfully used one in a cotton mill. Once human, animal, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/waterpower" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">water power</a> could be replaced with a reliable low-cost source of motive energy, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Industrial-Revolution" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Industrial Revolution</a> was clearly established, and the subsequent centuries would witness invention and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="innovation" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovation" data-type="MW">innovation</a> the likes of which could never have been imagined.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1776 <span id="ref17849"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adam-Smith" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Adam Smith</a>, in his <em><span id="ref17850"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/the-Wealth-of-Nations" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Wealth of Nations</a></em>, observed the benefits of the <span id="ref17851"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/specialization-economics" class="md-crosslink ">specialization</a> of labour in the manufacture of pins. Although earlier observers had noted this phenomenon, Smith’s writings commanded widespread attention and helped foster an awareness of industrial production and broaden its appeal.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/machinery-and-manufacturing" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/17/126517-131-AF180822/semi-semitrailer-truck-tractor-highway.jpg" alt="White semi truck on the Highway. Truck, lorry, motor vehicle to carry freight or goods or perform special services. Cab, carrier, semis trucks." class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Machinery and Manufacturing</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="52123" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/62108-050-BD97EB3A/Eli-Whitney.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/368270/52123"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/62108-050-BD97EB3A/Eli-Whitney.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/62108-050-BD97EB3A/Eli-Whitney.jpg?w=300" alt="Eli Whitney" data-width="1247" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/08/62108-050-BD97EB3A/Eli-Whitney.jpg" data-href="/media/1/368270/52123">Eli Whitney</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The next major advance was made in 1797 when <span id="ref17852"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eli-Whitney" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Eli Whitney</a>, inventor of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/cotton-gin" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">cotton gin</a>, proposed the manufacture of <span id="ref17853"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/flintlock" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">flintlocks</a> with completely <span id="ref17854"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/interchangeable-parts" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">interchangeable parts</a>, in contrast to the older method under which each <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/gun-weapon" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">gun</a> was the individual product of a highly skilled gunsmith and each part was hand-fitted.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="22867" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/93/30293-050-A2B37308/Marc-Brunel-detail-oil-painting-Samuel-Drummond.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/368270/22867"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/93/30293-050-A2B37308/Marc-Brunel-detail-oil-painting-Samuel-Drummond.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/93/30293-050-A2B37308/Marc-Brunel-detail-oil-painting-Samuel-Drummond.jpg?w=300" alt="Sir Marc Isambard Brunel" data-width="1275" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/93/30293-050-A2B37308/Marc-Brunel-detail-oil-painting-Samuel-Drummond.jpg" data-href="/media/1/368270/22867">Sir Marc Isambard Brunel</a><span>Sir Marc Brunel, detail of an oil painting by Samuel Drummond; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">During the same period similar ideas were being tried out in Europe. In England <span id="ref17855"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marc-Isambard-Brunel" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Marc Brunel</a>, a French-born inventor and engineer, established a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/assembly-line" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">production line</a> to manufacture blocks (pulleys) for sailing ships, using the principles of division of labour and standardized parts. Brunel’s <span id="ref17856"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/machine-tool" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">machine tools</a> were designed and built by <span id="ref17857"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-Maudslay" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Henry Maudslay</a>, who has been called the father of the machine tool industry. Maudslay recognized the importance of precision tools that could produce identical parts; he and his student, Joseph Whitworth, also manufactured interchangeable, standardized metal bolts and nuts.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">By the middle of the 19th century the general <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="concepts" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/concepts" data-type="EB">concepts</a> of division of labour, machine-assisted manufacture, and assembly of standardized parts were well established. Large factories were in operation on both sides of the Atlantic, and some industries, such as textiles and steel, were using processes, machinery, and equipment that would be recognizable even in the early 21st century. The growth of manufacturing was accelerated by the rapid expansion of rail, barge, ship, and road <span id="ref17858"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/history-of-transportation" class="md-crosslink ">transportation</a>. The new transport companies not only enabled factories to obtain raw materials and to ship finished products over increasingly large distances, but they also created a substantial demand for the output of the new industries.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">At this point in the Industrial Revolution, the methods and procedures used to organize human labour, to plan and control the flow of work, and to handle the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="myriad" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myriad" data-type="MW">myriad</a> details on the shop floor were largely informal and were based on historical patterns and precedents. One man changed all of that.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker h3"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref68155"> <h2 class="h1">Pioneers of mass production methods</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1881, at the Midvale Steel Company in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a>, <span id="ref17859"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frederick-W-Taylor" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Frederick W. Taylor</a> began studies of the organization of manufacturing operations that subsequently formed the foundation of modern production planning. After carefully <span id="ref17860"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/time-and-motion-study" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">studying</a> the smallest parts of simple tasks, such as the shoveling of dry materials, Taylor was able to design methods and tools that permitted workers to produce significantly more with less physical effort. Later, by making detailed stopwatch measurements of the time required to perform each step of manufacture, Taylor brought a quantitative approach to the organization of production functions.</p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="207610" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/186849-050-7A0B16BD/Lillian-Evelyn-Gilbreth.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/368270/207610"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/186849-050-7A0B16BD/Lillian-Evelyn-Gilbreth.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/186849-050-7A0B16BD/Lillian-Evelyn-Gilbreth.jpg?w=300" alt="Gilbreth, Lillian Evelyn" data-width="1322" data-height="1600" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/186849-050-7A0B16BD/Lillian-Evelyn-Gilbreth.jpg" data-href="/media/1/368270/207610">Gilbreth, Lillian Evelyn</a><span>Lillian Evelyn Gilbreth.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">At the same time, <span id="ref17861"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frank-Bunker-Gilbreth" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Frank B. Gilbreth</a> and his wife, <span id="ref17862"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lillian-Evelyn-Gilbreth" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lillian Gilbreth</a>, U.S. industrial engineers, began their pioneering studies of the movements by which people carry out tasks. Using the then new <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/technology" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">technology</a> of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/motion-picture" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">motion pictures</a>, the Gilbreths analyzed the design of motion patterns and work areas with a view to achieving maximum economy of effort. The “time-and-motion” studies of Taylor and the Gilbreths provided important tools for the design of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="contemporary" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/contemporary" data-type="EB">contemporary</a> manufacturing systems.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD12 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In 1916 <span id="ref17863"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henri-Fayol" class="md-crosslink ">Henri Fayol</a>, who for many years had managed a large <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/coal-mining" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">coal mining</a> company in France, began publishing his ideas about the organization and supervision of work, and by 1925 he had enunciated several principles and functions of management. His idea of unity of command, which stated that an employee should receive orders from only one supervisor, helped to clarify the organizational structure of many manufacturing operations.</p><span class="marker MOD12 mod-inline"></span> </section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":5,"pageId":368270,"pageLength":980,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"D","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Mass production | Description, History, Uses, & Limitations | Britannica