"Faster, better, cheaper" in the history of manufacturing : from the Stone Age to lean manufacturing and beyond / Christoph Roser.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Roser, Christoph, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Manufacturing processes--History.

Manufacturing processes.

History.

Genre:

History.

Physical Description:

xxi, 411 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Boca Raton, FL : CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, [2017]

Summary:

The industrial revolution, mechanization, water and steam power, computers and automation have given an enormous boost to manufacturing productivity, "Faster, Better, Cheaper" in the History of Manufacturing shows how the ability to make products faster, better, and cheaper has evolved from the Stone Age to modern times. It explains how different developments over time have raised efficiency and allowed the production of more and better products with less effort and materials, and hence faster, better, and cheaper. In addition, it describes the stories of inventors, entrepreneurs, and industrialists and looks at the intersections among technology, society, machines, materials, management, and-most of all-humans. "Faster, Better, Cheaper" in the History of Manufacturing covers not only the technical aspects (mechanization, power sources, new materials, interchangeable parts, electricity, automation), but organizational innovations (division of labor, Fordism, Taylorism, Lean), Most of all, it is a story of the people who invented, manufactured, and marketed the products. This essential book: Covers the entire history and evolution of "faster, better, and cheaper products" from the Stone Age to modem times and beyond, "Connects the dots" of the historic development to give an unique overarching view on why and where we are now in manufacturing, Includes insightful conclusions, lessons teamed from the past, and an outlook into the future The effect of good or bad management on manufacturing is a recurring theme in many chapters-This is a story of successes and failures. It is not only about technology but social aspects. Ultimately, it is not a book about machines but about people! Book jacket.

Contents:

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Preface : my grandparents workshop

Failure and success in manufacturing : the gm-toyota nummi joint venture

The age of the artisan

The stone age

The urban revolution : the emergence of society

Advances during antiquity

The middle-ages in europe

The industrial revolution : manufacturing gets mechanized

Early modern europe

Pioneers of a new age : the factory system

Fire is stronger than blood and water : steam power

Interchangeable parts : the end of filing in assembly

Social conflict

Modern times : mass production for the masses

Technological advances

Science meets shop floor

The assembly line and the era of the industrial empires

Centrally planned economies : war, communism and other catastrophes

*click* let-me-do-this-for-you *clack* : computers in manufacturing

The toyota production system and lean manufacturing

The cutting edge

Where are we now?

Things to come

Appendix

Timelines

Bibliography

Index

About the author.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781498756303

1498756301

OCLC:

960737256