Henry Ford standing beside one of his vehicles. (Image courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)
The first moving assembly line at Henry Ford's Model T factory in Highland Park went into operation on Oct. 7, 1913, with 140 assemblers installing parts on chassis dragged across the floor with a winch and rope along a 150-foot line.
In early January 1914, 104 years ago, the rope was replaced with an endless chain, and Ford launched the $5 work day, revolutionizing automotive production.
Ford was able to take the 3,000 parts of a Model T and divide its the production into 84 steps performed by groups of workers along the line.
With the assembly line, Ford could make a Model T every 24 seconds, selling more than 15 million worldwide by 1927 - then half of all automobiles sold.
Here's a look back in photographs at the early days of Ford's assembly line, through wartime production, all the way to modern factory operations, with workers donning exoskeleton vests.
First Ford Motor Company factory, 1904. 8x10 black and white photograph of the first Ford Motor Company factory located at Mack and Beaufait, image inscribed "The First Factory of the Ford Motor Company Mack Avenue, Detroit," also includes added painted clouds. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Ford Motor Company factory, 1911. 7.5x9.25 black and white photograph of Ford Motor Company Highland Park factory located at Woodward and Manchester showing rear exterior of building. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Interior of Ford Motor Company factory, 1911. 7.75x10 black and white photograph of Ford Motor Company Highland Park factory showing assembly line. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Ford Motor Company flywheel magneto assembly line, 1913. 8x10 black and white photograph of workers assembling flywheel magnetos. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Ford Motor Company Model T assembly line, 1913. 8x10 black and white photograph of workers assembling a Model T automobile. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Final assembly line at Ford Motor Company factory, 1913. 8x10 black and white photograph of factory exterior showing workers using a ramp to put bodies onto chassis. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Ford Motor Company factory assembly line, 1913. 8x10 black and white photograph of workers on assembly line. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Assembly line at the Ford Motor Company's Highland Park plant. ca. 1913. "Photograph shows unfinished Model T's rolling on the assembly line." (Library of Congress)
Interior of Ford Motor Company factory, 1913. 7.5x9.25 black and white photograph of Ford Motor Company Highland Park factory located at Woodward and Manchester showing interior. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Employees leaving the Ford Motor Company factory at Detroit, Mich. 1916. (Library of Congress)
Ford Motor Company factory, 1917. 7.5x9.5 black and white photograph of Ford Motor Company Highland Park factory located at Woodward and Manchester showing front exterior of building. (Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Ford Motor Company factory, 1917. 7.5x9.5 black and white photograph of Ford Motor Company Highland Park factory located at Woodward and Manchester showing front exterior of building.(Detroit Public Library, The Making of Modern Michigan)
Ford Motor Company, Detroit, Mich. Detroit Publishing Co., between 1910-1920. (Library of Congress)
Setting all magnet screws. 1919 Dec., 31. Detroit Publishing Co. Possibly made for Ford Motor Company automobile industry (Library of Congress)
Motor block ready for assembly. 1919 Dec., 17. Detroit Publishing Co. Possibly made for Ford Motor Company automobile industry. (Library of Congress)
Pouring castings. 1922, Oct. 30. Detroit Publishing Co. Possibly made for Ford Motor Company automobile industry. (Library of Congress)
Four o'clock shift, Ford Motor Company, Detroit, Mich. Detroit Publishing Co., between 1910-1920 (Library of Congress)
Ford Motor Company plant, Highland Park, Detroit, Michigan. Detroit Publishing Co., between 1910- 1920 (Library of Congress)
"Interior of the tool and ie building, Ford River Rouge plant, Dearborn Michigan. Here radically new techniques of mass production have been developed and put in use. Machine tools and dies produced at this plant themselves make mass production easier and more rapid in other factories throughout the country. The building covers 8 1/2 acres; employs 4,500 skilled workers; equipped with 3 million dollars worth of machinery. Many machinists are being trained for the Navy, here by mechanics, tool and die makers. " May 1941 (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Dearborn, Michigan. Workers in the River Rouge Ford plant bending metal strips to form window frames for automobiles" June 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Dearborn, Michigan. A typical worker in the River Rouge Ford plant." June 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Fabric for automobile tires in the process of manufacture. The fabric here is being wrapped around a collapsible drum. Ford River Rouge plant" May 194. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"A few of the 10,000 tires produced each day at the Ford plant for cars, trucks, and tractors. Ford River Rouge plant" May 194. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Converting to war production. Steel workers make structural changes as a big automobile plant is entirely changed over to volume production of army tanks and "jeeps." Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"One step in the job of conversion. Machine repair experts of a big automobile plant overhaul and reassemble a planner mill for tank engine production. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Machine tool experts set up a fixture to be used in drilling tank engine cylinder bores. The no. 4 Cincinnati horizontal mill which will do the work is one of many fine machines in a big automobile factory now being converted to tank production. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Preparing for tank production. A temporary machine shop is set up in a big automobile plant. A large drill press , a radial drill press, a vertical mill and a horizontal mill are background for an engine block of the type to be used in the tank motor. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"In moth balls" until the Axis is smashed. A special machine tool that helped make a popular American automobile is crated for storage as all facilities of a big plant are converted for exclusive production of army "jeeps" and tanks. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Blitz buggies. Finished motors on the conveyor line, which is taking them to the assembly point in the plant. This conveyor line is part of a conveyor system 135 miles long throughout the plant. Ford River Rouge plant" May 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Blitz buggies. This motor has just come off the conveyor line, and is being placed in the chassis. Ford River Rouge plant" May 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Blitz buggies. After the motor has been placed in the chassis and its connections made, the body is lowered into plane. Ford River Rouge plant" May 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Blitz buggies. The body is securely fastened to the chassis, and the headlights adjusted. Ford River Rouge plant" May 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"The body after being lowered, is securely fastened to the chassis and the headlights adjusted. Ford River Rouge plant" May 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Blitz buggies. After it has been totally assembled, the car is painted. Here the paint is being drilled under infrared rays, which process dries the paint from the inside out, thus giving it a slicker finish. Ford River Rouge plant" May 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Vast facilities are being used to train personnel for the U.S. Navy. Here trainees are being instructed in lathe operation by skilled instructor-mechanics. Note Navy machinists at upper left. Ford River Rouge plant, tool and die building" May 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Another blow for Victory. A cowl for an Army jeep is stamped from a flat steel sheet in one of the world's largest automotive plants. The giant 126-ton Bliss double-action press, exerting 350 tons pressure on the sheet, forms a cowl in one operation. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Striking telling blows at the Axis. Each blow of this machine stamps out a cowl for an army jeep from a flat steel sheet under 350 tons prssure. The 126-ton Bliss double-action press is regular equipment of one of the world's largest automobile plants. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"The jeeps are coming. Great stacks of hood tops are stamped out by a 100-ton Hamilton press in a plant that used to produce thousands of automobiles daily. The plant is working on an even faster pace now on war production. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Where the jeeps come from. A row of Fericute presses in a plant that had produced high-priced automobiles is now stamping out small parts for the tough little army machine. The parts are shipped to assembly plants all over the coutry. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Punching out the jeeps. Parts for these hard-boiled little army cars are punched out on presses that used to produce high-priced automobiles. Assembly plants all over the country get the parts. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Stepping up jeep production. Fericute presses in a plant converted from the making of high-priced automobiles stamp out small parts for shipment to various assembly plants where tough little army cars are made. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"On the jeep production line. An incline press in a big automobile plant stamps out body parts for the versatile little army car. Assembly plants throughout the country finish the job. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Soup line, 1942. Skilled workers, engaged in converting a huge automobile plant to army tank production, "freshen up" on an overtime job with hot soup and coffee. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"A meal on the march. Machine hands in the tool and die room of a converted automobile plant take lunch periods right on the job. The slotting machine behind them perforates metal shapes used in the production of army "jeeps" and tanks. Ford Lincoln plant, Michigan" February 1942. (Alfred T. Palmer | FSA-OWI)
"Detroit, Michigan. Roscoe Smith, superintendent of the Willow Run Ford plant." 1942. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
"Dearborn, Michigan. Karl Axel Westerberg, foreman of the rough stock department in the Jogansson Gage Division at work at the Ford Motor Company plant" September 1942. (Arthur Rothstein | FSA-OWI)
"Dearborn, Michigan. National Labor Relations Board election for union representation at the River Rouge Ford plant. Workers voting" 1941. (Arthur S. Siegel | FSA-OWI)
Ford team members, John Bizek (left) and Rob Hanson helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, Oct. 7, 2013. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
Ford team member Kurt Billmyer helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, Oct. 7, 2013. Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.
Ford team member Mark Lynett helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, Oct. 7, 2013. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
Ford team member Angie Tostea helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
Ford team members, helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
Ford team member Kurt Billmyer helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
Ford celebrates the 100th anniversary of the moving assembly line at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant. (Photo by: Sam VarnHagen/Ford Motor Co.)
Called EksoVest, this wearable technology elevates and supports a worker's arms while performing overhead tasks, Nov. 2017. (Courtesy Ford Motor Co)
Called EksoVest, the wearable technology elevates and supports a worker's arms while performing overhead tasks, Nov. 2017. (Courtesy Ford Motor Co)
Called EksoVest, the wearable technology elevates and supports a worker's arms while performing overhead tasks, Nov. 2017. (Courtesy Ford Motor Co)
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