The SCIENCE of MANUFACTURING

  1. Growth of Manufacturing -- An online exhibit covering manufacturing and technology in Michigan through history. The site looks at the following topics: The Carriage Makers, Cereal and Consumer Goods, Furniture Cities, Iron and Steel Products, Roads, Rails and Waterways
  2. Manufacturing Adventure -- A great three-step introduction to the manufacturing process!
  3. The Statistics and analysis of the major manufacturing industries from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics -- Includes pages on the following industries: Aerospace Manufacturing, Apparel and Other Textile Products, Chemicals Manufacturing (Except Drugs), Drug Manufacturing, Electronic Equipment Manufacturing, Food Processing, Motor Vehicle and Equipment Manufacturing, Printing and Publishing, Steel Manufacturing, Textile Mill Products.
  4. Manufacturing in America -- An online essay on manufacturing history in America. From the site: "America was born with a respect for "rugged individualism," from the myth of the frontiersman to the myth of the self-made man. The rise of the Protestant work ethic also fueled the drive toward industrialization in American. A third cultural force was an underlying faith in the scientific method and reductionism, where tasks are broken down and separately optimized."
  5. A Brief History of Manufacturing Systems -- An overview of several models of manufacturing systems and the products that were built. Systems range from Taylor's principles of manufacturing, Ford's factory model, a Comparison of Traditional and New Flexible Automation Manufacturing Technologies, Computer-based Manufacturing Tools.
  6. Millennium of Work: Assembly Lines -- Essay chronicling the history of the assembly line in America. From the site: "Where was modern industry born? One place to look is behind Model T Plaza at the corner of Manchester Street and Woodward Avenue in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park. There, looming up behind a Farmer Jack supermarket is what remains of Henry Ford's massive Highland Park Model T factory."
  7. Balancing Assembly Lines -- An introduction to the concepts and principles of assembly-line manufacturing, and a discussion of different models of assembly line systems.
  8. BBC Guide to Textile Manufacturing -- A four-part series on the textile manufacturing process, including units on fibers and fabrics, quality, risk assessment, and safety.
  9. Ceramic Tile Manufacturing -- A detailed look at how ceramic tile is manufactured!
  10. Brief History Of Evolution In Composites Manufacturing Technology -- From the site: "The introduction of boron filaments in the early 1960s lead to the birth of advanced composites technology. High modulus, high strength continuous filaments, like boron and later carbon, have profoundly impacted today's aerospace airframe design and manufacturing." Learn much more about this topic at this site!
  11. Bic Pens
  12. Bottled Water
  13. Furniture
  14. Boats
  15. Electronics