Abstract
Henry Ford is widely known as the car constructor, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, the pioneer of mass production and the inventor of the moving assembly line, which many consider as the world’s greatest contribution to manufacturing. In 1908, Ford started production of the Ford Model T, which has become one of the most successful automobile in automotive history. But his contribution far surpasses these excellent accomplishments. What are not well known are Ford’s contributions to the just-in-time production, product platforming, mass customization, vertical integration, designs for maintainability, ergonomic considerations, employee management and other features of the manufacture. The Ford’s production system has become the characteristic American mode of production widespread all over the world.
Highlights
Henry Ford’s vision was to build a motor car for the great multitude, constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise, so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one and enjoy with his family the blessing hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces [1]
Henry Ford was the first of the five children born to Irish immigrants in 1863
He reached to be ranked seventh on the list of the richest men in the history of mankind, while in popular polls in that time, he was ranked as the third greatest man: just below Napoleon and Jesus Christ (27)
Summary
Henry Ford’s vision was to build a motor car for the great multitude, constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise, so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one and enjoy with his family the blessing hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces [1]. Experimental cars were driven in all conditions varying from snow, slush covered roads to country roads It was completely a new car with a new chassis and a new engine. The Model T was a strong but a relatively light car; it did weight only 544.31 kg It could have been at the same time a personal car, tractor and portable engine. It could pass over a rocky, muddy farm road, cross a shallow stream, climb a steep hill. It could be parked on the side with a rear wheel removed and a pulley fastened to the hub to make a conveyor belt drive a water pump, electrical generator, band saw, thresher, baler, silo blower, conveyor for filling silos, and many other applications [6]. Some have been used only partially, while, today, some have been completely forgotten
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