On December 1, 1913, Henry Ford installs the first moving assembly line for the mass production of an entire automobile. His innovation reduced the time it took to build a car from more than 12 hours to one hour and 33 minutes.

Where did the assembly line originate?

The moving assembly line was developed for the Ford Model T and began operation on October 7, 1913, at the Highland Park Ford Plant, and continued to evolve after that, using time and motion study.

What was the assembly line in 1920?

The assembly line sped up the manufacturing process dramatically. It allowed factories to churn out products at a remarkable rate, and also managed to reduce labor hours necessary to complete a product—benefiting many workers who used to spend 10 to 12 hours a day in the factory trying to meet quotas.