More is Better

Henry Ford's Model T changes everything. His wild success is evident to everyone, and so are his methods. The trick is to gear up for massive production rates, right from the start, and then focus relentlessly on efficiency.

For large products like autos, this requires a moving assembly line. But for smaller items, like radios and typewriters, it just means setting up on a grand scale. The era of true mass production has arrived.

At Ford's first giant plant, which introduces the moving assembly line, manufacturing rates rise slowly from about 100,000 per year, to one million by 1920. Sub-assemblies are produced in their own separate areas.

With sales rates rising so rapidly, Ford soon begins planning an even bigger facility, using mass production methods for all major sub-assemblies. The result is the monster plant shown here, begun in 1918 and completed 10 years later.
Moving assembly line, Rouge River

  Motor City
Ford's Rouge River complex (above) is built outside Detroit on a site 20 times larger than the previous plant, with dock access for large cargo vessels. Construction has barely begun when it's temporarily re-tooled to produce anti-submarine boats for the navy, near the end of World War I. At its completion in 1928, the plant employees 75,000 workers, including 5,000 just to maintain the buildings and grounds. Even before the 1929 crash, however, production begins to slump, as Ford continues to lose market share to its primary rival, General Motors.

Standardized Parts, 1920s

  Standardized Parts
The photos above show a few of the smaller assemblies that are built in their own locations, throughout the plant, before being moved to the main assembly line. Many have their own conveyor systems. Some are overhead, while others travel on a moving bed of rollers. Crankshafts and motor blocks each have two separate production areas. One produces rough castings, while the other machines surfaces to exact dimensions. Batteries, axles, mufflers and seat upholstery all have their own production areas.


Mass production, 1920s

  Efficient, but Mind-numbing
To maximize efficiency, every complicated task is broken down into a set of small sub-tasks, that only require a few simple operations, repeated all day. This produces workers who are highly skilled at specific operations. But it also results in deadening boredom and fatigue, especially on the main assembly line. Because the line moves at a constant rate, all workers on the line have to complete their tasks at the same rate, regardless of how they're feeling. It's no accident that Ford is forced to double his pay rate shortly after opening his first moving assembly line, to cut down on extraordinarily high turnover rates. After a month or two on the line, many workers simply quit.


Big industry, 1920s

  Heavy Equipment
Mass production methods require large factories and workforces. Frequently, they also depend upon over-sized machinery, such as the enormous hydraulic press used to forge large metal parts (center). This, in turn, often requires massive power transmission systems, with shafts and gears of enormous size. Big jobs demand big rigs.


Bigger corporations, 1920s

  Early Consolidation
Ford isn't the only manufacturer going big. Businesses all across America are getting larger, sometimes through expansion of plants, but often by merging with rivals, or simply buying them out. The two charts at left show the result. The top chart shows a steady increase in the number of workers, while the lower chart shows that the total number of establishments is declining rapidly, at the same time. There are fewer firms, but the average size of each is growing. In 20 years, the number of manufacturing establishments employing more than 500 workers increases by half. By 1930, there are 200 firms employing at least 2,500 workers. Among these, employment averages 5,000.


Manufacturing efficiency, 1920s

  Mass Production
While the trend is clearly towards larger enterprises, there are still plenty of smaller firms. But even small businesses recognize that greater efficiency leads to greater profits. This normally means investing in more equipment. The room full of sewing machines (center bottom) is typical of the result. Each machine requires a trained operator, repeating the same operations all day long.