The Ford Assembly Line
Clip: Season 25 Episode 2 | 2m 59s
In order to sell an affordable product, Henry Ford had to create more cars in less time.
Inspired by the moving lines used at meat-packing plants, Ford’s factory tested an assembly line in the flywheel magneto department. Rather than having one person build a coil at a time, the supervisor broke down the individual tasks into a sequence driven by a conveyor. The new system reduced the time it took to make a magneto from twenty minutes to thirteen minutes, ten seconds.
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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
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The Ford Assembly Line
Clip: Season 25 Episode 2 | 2m 59s
Inspired by the moving lines used at meat-packing plants, Ford’s factory tested an assembly line in the flywheel magneto department. Rather than having one person build a coil at a time, the supervisor broke down the individual tasks into a sequence driven by a conveyor. The new system reduced the time it took to make a magneto from twenty minutes to thirteen minutes, ten seconds.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Henry Ford's Experiments with Auto Design
Clip: S25 Ep2 | 2m 17s | Every few months, Henry Ford released another automobile in his alphabet line. (2m 17s)
Interview with Producer Sarah Colt
Clip: S25 Ep2 | 1m 51s | An interview with Sarah Colt, producer/writer/director for "Henry Ford." (1m 51s)
Clip: S25 Ep2 | 2m 35s | Henry Ford's Model T revolutionized the automobile industry in 1908. (2m 35s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
Support for PBS provided by:
Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.