Henry Ford (1863 – 1947) is the quintessential American industrialist. No doubt, his vision of a “horseless carriage” for every American family has come true. However, some people think he may have fallen short of that goal.
Still, had Henry Ford not stepped up, we may have a different America now. It’s highly likely someone else could have picked up the clues about making better cars. But Henry was the business magnate who put things in motion, despite the seemingly insurmountable odds. The one who made the “Car of the Century” possible. Indeed, before the Larry Paiges, the Mark Zuckerbergs, the Elon Musks of today, there was Henry Ford. And America became a better place to be.
Now, why limit such success of Henry Ford to the industry? Why don’t we bring it home? Yes, we believe that your precious abode could be better using Henry Ford’s methods of efficiency. It should. And while you’re at it, why not put up a business? At a time when the pandemic is in full swing, it might just work. Right? Let’s lay down our prospects on the table.
The Power of the Assembly Unit
When it comes to industrial efficiency, the assembly line is king. The majority of the industries today rely on it for a far more productive season. Imagine how tedious it will be to make a product without an assembly line.
Before the Industrial Revolution changed the face of the Earth, goods were made by hand. An artisan would take one part of the product. As each one had a different task, it took really a long time to finish one product.
Fast forward to today, and the picture is entirely different. Because of the assembly line, a car can be made in less than an hour. And thanks to the assembly line, new motor vehicles number over 92 million in 2019.
We can’t really overemphasize how much a single line has simplified work in the 21st century. But one thing’s certain; the assembly line is a Henry Ford concept.
Yup, you got that right. It was on December 1, 1913, that Henry Ford started using assembly lines in his plants. It was the first-ever moving assembly line on the planet. And the results say it all.
The time to build a car was greatly minimized. Instead of the usual half-a-day time to produce one car, Ford got one brand-new car out less than two hours. Specifically, Henry Ford’s assembly lines produced a car in as little as one hour plus 33 minutes. Imagine that.
Business Possibilities Right at Home
Today, the assembly line has become an integral part of the manufacturing process. Superior machines have also been designed for that purpose. A concrete example is the Servo-driven piston filler. The Servo filler excels in filling containers accurately, even at high speed. Needless to say, these are speeds that achieve far more volume than any pair of hands can do.
Now, if you plan to integrate assembly line technology at home, it’s possible. Let’s assume you have the space to put up all the structures needed to fill the needs of a volume-centric business.
Of course, it’s a long shot. We’re not saying it’s impossible. What we’re saying is you can deploy industry-standard pieces of machinery at home. Again, this is assuming you are serving a large market.
For instance, the Servo filler can be configured to spread gravies and sauces. You’ll be amazed at its ability to fill 100 units or more per minute. That’s a lot of work done in so short a time.
Then again, homes aren’t usually volume-oriented when it comes to production. We only cook for a few people, right? Unless you’re planning to feed the whole county, volume results aren’t what you need.
Even so, you can still take advantage of Henry Ford’s philosophy. You can teach your kids the value of continuous improvement. There were many times that Henry faced big challenges. But he just went right through them, addressing them to avoid creating bigger problems.
In hindsight, you can also apply the assembly line technique in various facets of your home life. You can use such principles in washing clothes, for instance. You can have your kids, and you form an assembly line in washing your clothes. In the process, you may not use your washing machine altogether. This way, there is continuous progress in the task.
In the end, Henry Ford would be happy his legacy didn’t end up for naught. By applying his techniques in your daily life, you made Henry Ford live again.
