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Exhibits Past Exhibits 2006: The Cutting Edge
Exhibits Past Exhibits 2006: The Cutting Edge
| 2006: The Cutting Edge |
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Machine Tools and Mass ProductionAt the Robbins & Lawrence Armory--in the building that now houses the American Precision Museum--a new system of manufacturing came of age.In the 18th century, manufacturing had begun to move from cottage and shop into factories. Work was divided among laborers, but parts were still mostly made by hand. Then in the early 19th century, mechanics began to develop powered machines capable of producing wooden and metal parts quickly and accurately, hour after hour, with great precision.  Most of these early machine tools were produced by firearms manufacturers. Before there were machine tools, even guns built by the finest gunsmiths were not uniform. The parts for each weapon fitted only that weapon, and a gun that failed in the field became entirely useless until it could be repaired by a skilled gunsmith. Governments and arms makers recognized a solution to this problem: interchangeable parts. The concept of interchangeable parts and the accuracy of new machine tools made possible a new mode of manufacturing. The "American System" would quickly spread across industries as well as oceans, creating a revolution in the production of consumer goods. In the 1840s and '50s, the armory in Windsor was at the head of this movement. |
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