Henry Ford revolutionized manufacturing

From page 70
automobiles.

Olds planned to make a car that
would sell for around $1,250 but
found that the public wanted
something strong, simple and less
expensive — a car that would be
within the reach of the average
American. Olds abandoned the
higher priced car.

When his plant burned to the
ground in 1901, all he was able to
salvage was an experimental model
of the now famous curved-dash
runabout. To get his car into pro-
duction, he made patterns of each
part and contracted with local
shops and factories to make the
components for him.

in so doing, Olds became a pio-
neer of the ‘‘supplier systemn’’ in
manufacturing. He converted a
small building into a factory to
assemble the parts and began
quantity production of the run-
about.

Oids production methods were
the first sieps in the development
of a modern assembly line. He
placed the frame of his car on a
movable stand and passed it down
a line of workmen who added cer-
tain parts until the car was com-
pleted. Along this hand-to-hand
assembly line, supplies of parts
were conveniently located to
eliminate time-wasting movements.

By the end of 1905, the Olds
Motor Works had produced 18,500
cars.

Olds found he could keep costs
down and sell the car for $650 by
concentrating on a single model,
using efficient production
methods, and producing cars in
large quantities. His success in
placing inexpensive cars in the
hands of average people heiped
popularize the automobile and
remove the label of ‘“‘rich man’s
toy.’”

He also helped to establish
Detroit as the Motor City since
many of his suppliers went on to
become auto manufacturers.

At this time cazs were being
produced in many states but
automobile manufacturing did not
rate as a major industry in
America. There was still much to
be done in perfecting manufactur-
ing techniques and setting up sales
Organizations. When a car owner
needed to replace a part, he
ordered it directly from the fac-
tory. On its arrival he took it toa
blacksmith who would fit it as best
he could since very few parts were
completely interchangeable.

When Henry Leland became
general manager of the Cadillac
Motor Car Company in 1904, he
brought with him a manufacturing
background based on the precision
tool industry. By more accurately
machining and fitting the parts,
Leland raised the power of his
engine from 3 to 10 horsepower.

He applied the principles of

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precision manufacturing to
automobile production and
became widely recognized as a
perfectionist in his work.

In 1908, Leland entered a com-
petition sponsored by the Royal
Automobile Club of England and
helped improve the reputation of
American cars abroad. To prove
that Cadillac parts were completely
interchangeable, he had the indi-
vidual components of three cars
piled indiscriminately about an
open shed.

In a short time his mechanics
had built three complete
automobiles from the assortment
of parts. The cars easily completed
a 500-mile test run and Cadillac
was awarded the Sir Thomas
Dewar Trophy for the most
meritorious automotive perfor-
mance of the year.

It was about this time that

another inventor, Henry Ford,
made some outstanding contribu-
tions to the progress of a young
and struggling industry. Ford had
been experimenting with autos for
several years and in 1903 formed
the Ford Motor Company.

During his first few years, Ford
produced a variety of different
cars bui noticed that it was always
his less expensive modeis that sold
best. Late in 1907 he decided to
concentrate,on the mass produc-
tion of just one model — a low
priced car of simple design with
standardized parts.

He redesigned his assembly plant
to obtain the smoothest flow of
production and simplified the
work of each man and machine.
Instead of buying his parts from
suppliers, he found that he could
save money by manufacturing
many of the components himself.

In 1909 Henry Ford soid over
10,000 Model T’s — a staggering
figure in those days. The ‘‘Tin
Lizzie’? was a success and sales in-
creased.

By using mechanically-driven
conveyors, Ford introduced the
moving assembly line and further
improved his production processes.
While Model T sales soared to
almost a quarter million cars in
1914, Ford gradually reduced the
price from $950 ta $490. By 1925
the basic price of his car had been
Jowered to $290. But sales of the
relatively unchanged Model T were
declining.

Customers who wanted more
than just basic transportation
turned to a choice of better
designed cars that offered comfort
and convenience features. By the
time the Model T was discontinued
in 1927, Ford had sold some 15

milfion cars.

As the automobile became a part
of more American households, a
young Ohio engineer named
Charles F. Kettering invented a
device that eliminated one of the
most aggravating nuisances of ear-
ly motoring. Many men lost their
tempers and sometimes broke an
arm while hand cranking those
early vehicles to get them started.
tt took a lot of muscle to turn the
crank so women seldom drove.

Kettering developed an electric
self-starter that would set the
engine going by merely pushing a
button. It was part of an ignition
system that drew its electricity
from a storage battery which was
charged by a_ generator. The
Cadillac Motor Car Company in-
stalled the Kettering self-starter on
its 1912 models and was again
awarded the Dewar Trophy.

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