Henry Maudslay was an English machine tool innovator, tool and die maker, and inventor. He is considered a founding father of machine tool technology. His inventions were an important foundation for t
Portrait by Pierre Louis ('Henri') Grevedon 1827
Rigging block from HMS Victory
A model of the Maudslay-built twin side-lever engines installed in the 1832 paddle steamer Dee
Interior of the Thames Tunnel, mid-19th century
Interchangeable parts are components that are identical for practical purposes. They are made to specifications that ensure that they are so nearly identical that they will fit into any assembly of th
Henry Maudslay
…invention of a metal lathe to cut metal, circa 1800, enabled the manufacture of standard screw thread sizes. Standard screw thread sizes allowed interchangeable parts and the development of mass production. Maudslay was the fifth of seven children of Henry Maudslay, a wheelwright in the Royal Engineers, and Margaret…
Ford would often use interchangeable parts between car models to save costs, but slowly decreased after it lost market share to Chevrolet.
A pulley block for rigging on a sailing ship
A wooden gear from one of Terry's tall case clocks, showing the use of milled teeth