Research Paper

Richard Martinez

Mr. Skipper

Encounters 7

February 15, 2023

Henry Ford

Introduction

Ford is a very successful company that was made in 1903 and has lasted for over 100 years, a century. To put that into perspective the ford company has existed for 4 generations. But how has the Ford company lasted so long, what was the game changer that has made it last this long? Henry Ford, Henry Ford is a great inventor that thought of a way to make car production much faster and made unique cars that can handle many things plus are affordable. Henry ford was a great man who accomplished many things throughout his life. For example, his best friend was Thomas Edison another great inventor known for making the light bulb, or his determination that made the ford company and all the amazing things he has done become a reality. Henry Ford was a great man who accomplished many things and left his mark on the world.

Early Life

Henry Ford is the founder of the Ford Company, he thought of using an assembly line to create cars making much faster.``Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863, to Mary (Litogot) and William Ford. His father, an Irish immigrant, settled in America in 1847 on a farm in Wayne county. (“Investopedia”) He was the eldest of six children in a family of four boys and two girls.” (“Henry Ford Biography''). “As a kid, he spent most of his free time in self-built machine shops by the time he was 15, he had built a steam engine.” (“Investopedia”). At 16, he left home for the nearby city of Detroit, where he found apprentice work as a machinist. After three years, he returned to Dearborn to help on his family farm but continued to operate and service steam engines and work occasional stints in Detroit factories. (“History”) Then for a while, he ran a small lumber business selling timber from his father's land. Then in 1888, Henry Ford married Clara Jayne Bryant, whose father was also a farmer from Wayne county. He continued his sawmill business until 1891 when he got a job as an engineer in the Detroit Edison Illuminating Company, founded by Thomas Eddison who would go on to mentor Ford and become his long life friend. In November 1893, he was appointed their chief engineer. Also in 1983, Henry Ford had his first and only son Edsel Bryant Ford. (“History, Henry Ford'') Ford's First vehicle-related invention was a one-cylinder, gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine that he built in 1893. The engine would later be used for his first vehicle, which finished in 1896. The Quadricycle, a horseless carriage, comprised four bicycle wheels and a four-horsepower engine, downside was that the vehicle could not go in reverse. In 1899, Ford left the Edison Illuminating Company to become one of the founders of the Detroit Automobile Company, but left within a year; the company went bankrupt about 18 months after its founding. In 1901 he founded the ford company which became the Cadillac Motor Car Company, then he left one year later. He was working on racing cars that turned out to be successful, winning races and setting speed records. (“Investopedia”)`

The car industry and manufacturing

Beginning Of Career

“June 1903 saw the founding of the Ford Motor Company, which sold its first car in July, turned a profit in its first year, and expanded internationally.” (Investopedia) The Model T was introduced in 1908, and by 1927, 15 million of them were sold, setting an all-time car record for sales. The Model Tin, which is also known as the “Tin Lizzie,” was a cheap, reliable, and easy-to-maintain aspect that contributed to its major mass-market appeal. In 1913 the idea of using assembly lines for creating cars revolutionized the car industry and manufacturing more broadly. The assembly line was great for making the Model T being able to produce one in 90 minutes when it originally took 12 hours. Although it was good for the Model T it worked much more boring and repetitive causing workers to hate it, so many workers left for companies with competitors. The high turnover caused Ford to introduce the “$5 Day”. At that time $5 was double what they got paid, Ford also reduced their shifts by an hour. Through favorable to the workers, the change also allowed Ford to run three shifts per day, making the factory productions substantially more efficient.

Significant Accomplishment

Henry Ford was known for turning the assembly line into a car thing which reduced the time needed for making a car by 11hr and 30min which is great for production speed which is great for the company. The company was already doing good with the model T before the assembly line since it was cheap reliable and easy to maintain, but now with the assembly line he was able to sell 15 million in 19 years making a record, but the first five years where without the assembly line since the assembly line was made in 1913. The Model T was the first common car affordable to the average person selling for $850, the model T was released on October 1, 1901. Model T was a self-starting vehicle with a left-sided steering wheel, featuring an enclosed four-cylinder engine with a detachable cylinder head and a one-piece cylinder block. Model T was the first Ford with all its parts built by the company itself. After selling 10,607 Model Ts, Ford announced he is going to stop selling the Model R or Model S Cars, famously remarking that. “Any customer can have a car painted any color he wants So long as it is black.” The Model T was a great car that can handle many things, like the 4,411 feet mountain that it was able to climb. Starting at a nearby Fort the Model T drove over rocks, across bogs, and through the snow on a five-day journey trip. Although the Model T was a great car that’s not the greatest invention Henry Ford made. Henry Ford made for the assembly line which ended up being a game changer. Originally the assembly line was used for Other things like butcher houses where a conveyor belt moved the meat around to designated areas where they would do what they needed to do with it and send it to the next person so they could do what they needed and so on. Well, Henry Ford thought of using it for making cars and after much trial and error in 1913 Henry Ford and his employees successfully began using the invention at the Highland Park assembly plant. What made this assembly unique was the movement element. Henry Ford famously remarked that the use of the assembly line allowed the car to go to the workers rather than them moving around the car. At first, it was moved around by a rope then it became a simple moving chain machine but this allowed a car to be built in 90 minutes.

Impact on the world

Henry Ford greatly impacted the world in a good way by not only changing the way cars are manufactured but all types of goods. His innovation in work structures also contributed to the post-World War ll rise of the Americans Changing the economic landscape of the country.

Work Cited