How it Begun

The evolution of machine tools began in the first days of the Industrial Revolution. As early as 1725, knitting machines in England were controlled with punched cards. The patterns in cloth were woven according to a pre-punched set of cards that directed the weaving machine. Earlier still, rotating drums with pre-positioned pins were used to control chimes in the cathedrals of Europe and in some American churches. Music boxes operating on the same principle became popular shortly thereafter.

In 1863 M. Fourneaux patented the first automatic player piano. This used the principle of air passing through a perforated roll of paper, which in turn, actuated the piano keys. This method was improved to the point where the roll perforations were able to control tone, sound intensity and roll speed.

The "American System of Interchangeable Parts Manufacture" and the principle of mass production were ushered in by such developments as Eli Whitney's jigs and fixtures, and the development of a milling machine by which operations and control functions were transferred from the skilled handicraftsmen to the machine tool. In time, significant improvements in the precise operation of these machine tools were achieved.

This system was soon universally adopted by industry and has made it possible to produce large quantities of identical parts. Each of the parts produced by this process is so precisely like the others that any one part may be used in the assembly of the final product. This system was first used in making muskets and revolvers. The method was extended in the first half of the 19th century to the making of clocks, farm machinery, sewing machines, and other durable goods.