Page "Assembly line" Paragraph 15

The assembly line concept was independently redeveloped throughout history and not " invented " at one time by one person.

Its exponentially larger development at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th occurred among various people over decades, as other aspects of technology allowed.

The development of toolpath control via jigs, fixtures, for machine tools ( such as the screw-cutting lathe, metal planer and milling machine ) during the early 19th century provided the prerequisites for the modern assembly line by making interchangeable parts a practical reality.

The transition to other methods began as manufacturers took advantage of the opportunities that the aforementioned machining developments presented.

Thus, before the modern assembly line took shape, there were prototypical forms in various industries, as outlined below.