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The 19th Century: Machine-Assisted Manufacturing |
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Eli Whitney's proposal for a simplification and standardization of component parts marked a further milestone in the advance of the  automation of work processes. In 1797 he suggested the manufacture of muskets with completely interchangeable parts. As opposed to the older method under which each gun was the individual product of a highly skilled gunsmith and each part hand-fitted, his method permitted large production runs of parts that were readily fitted to other parts without adjustment and could relatively easy be performed by machines.
By the middle of the 19th century the general concepts of division of labor, assembly of standardized parts and machine-assisted manufacture were well established. On both sides of the Atlantic large factories were in operation, which used specialized machines to improve costs, quality and quantity of their products.
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DuPont Company
American corporation engaged primarily in the manufacture of chemicals, plastics, and synthetic fibers. The company was founded by éleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771-1834) in Delaware in 1802 to produce black powder and later other explosives, which remained the company's main products until the 20th century, when it began to make many other chemicals as well. Today DuPont has plants, subsidiaries, and affiliates worldwide. Its headquarters are in Wilmington, Del.
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