History of Machining

The history of machining could be traced back to the time of the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century. There was nothing like machining before that era. Hand tools were used to shape and cut materials for the production of goods at that time, such as ships, furniture, and many other products. The Industrial Revolution lead to the advent of the steam engine, which made it possible for materials and goods to be produced by machines.

Machine tools were capable of producing accurate parts in large quantities, no matter the dimension. However, these steam engines suffered from occasional imprecision from the early machine tools. It was within 50 years of the invention of the first steam engines, that the basic machine tools, with all the fundamental features required for machining heavy metal parts, were developed and designed. The history of machining could also be attributed to some great inventors of 18th century. In 1775, John Wilkinson of England, was known for building a precision machine for boring engine cylinders. Also, in 1797, Henry Maudslay of England and one of the greatest inventive geniuses of his day, was known for designing and building a screw cutting engine lathe. Henry Maudslay's outstanding invention was a lead screw for driving the carriage, which geared to the spindle of the lathe. The lead screw helped in advancing a constant rate of speed and guaranteed accurate screw threads.

The history of machining is the history of the Industrial Revolution. This era gave birth to machining.