Question

What are the reasons that gave rise to mass production systems? What were the stages of this process? What places were produced and in which time periods?

Answer 1

Mass production systems mainly started with the ascent of ford motor's interchangeability and use of production line, although people weren't completely unaware of this but realised it's importance after Henry Ford brings it to use in 1914. This is also called as fordism sometimes.

This technique has also been applied to many other products, including "white goods" such as refrigerators and washing machines.
Ford's famous model T automobile displayed drastic price drops and rapid production increases.
According to statistics in 1908 ford's model T automobile's retail price was 850 dollars. Ford sold 5,986 units and in 1916 after the revolutionary assembly line model T cost, 360 dollars and 577,036 units were sold.

Mass production methods are based on two general principles:

(1) the division and specialization of human labour and

(2) the use of tools, machinery, and other equipment, usually automated, in the production of standard, interchangeable parts and products. The use of modern methods of mass production has brought such improvements in the cost, quality, quantity, and variety of goods available that the largest global population in history is now sustained at the highest general standard of living.

these productions can be divided into various stages,

1) developing and understanding the right concept.

2) turning an idea into a 3 D model.

3) making a real prototype that resembles the 3 D model.

4) looking into the market aspect of the product.

5) mass production.

The so-called quartz shock in the wristwatch industry in the 1970s offers another example. Japanese watchmakers came up with a way to mass-produce quartz watches which were much cheaper and more accurate than traditional mechanical watches. which was also a major breakthrough in this industry.

................Hope it helps...............