From the first industrial revolution through to Industry 4.0 and beyond , Manufacturing Global looks at the past , present and future for industrial manufacturing
WRITTEN BY : GEORGIA WILSON
Dating back to the 1800s the first industrial revolution occurred when steam and water-powered machines were developed . As production increased so did small businesses becoming larger organisations .
“ The industrial revolutions are more than a sequence of events from machines to manufacturing ,” says Maddie Walker , Industry X . 0 Strategy and Consulting Lead at Accenture ( UK & I ). “ The impact of the first revolution in the 18th century is hard to overstate – agriculture was replaced by the manufacturing of key materials , powered by water and steam as the country ’ s main source of economic output , spurring a population boom and economic growth . It was a breakthrough for human productivity and production – particularly in textiles and steam powered transportation – where what was spun by hand , could now be done by machines , and distributed far more easily .”
The second industrial revolution was sparked with the use of electricity in the late 19th century - which became more efficient than the steam and water-powered machines - and the application of mass production and assembly lines by Henry Ford in the automotive sector increasing efficiency and decreasing costs .
“ During the second revolution , which took place in the late 19th / early 20th century , new energy sources emerged – gas , oil and electricity . Their presence in factories allowed for mass production and more sophisticated machines , along with new processes in the assembly line ,” adds Walker .
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