MTFCA Forum

I watched a YouTube video titled the Origins of Precision last night and was surprised to learn that Henry Ford partnered with Johansson to make Jo gage blocks. They were probably more important to industry than the assembly line because the assembly line would not work without an accurate measurement system.

I would post the link if I could figure out how to do it.

Here's a description of a neat museum devoted to early precision manufacturing: https://americanprecision.org/

It used to be in Fred's backyard, jb

I had fished this sign out of a trash can at least 50 years ago (correction, I picked this out of a trash can when I worked for Ex-Cell-O so that would have been 70+ years ago), been hanging in the basement ever since. Measures 18" x 14", original frame and backing, the original glass was cracked and broken. I always thought it was much less of a "partnership" and Ford just bought C.E. Johansson sometime before 1920.

In 1884, Carl Edvard Johansson attended my alma mater, Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN before returning to Sweden.

In 1932, the college gave him an Honorary Doctor of Science degree.

If you are a reader, see if you can find this book: Exactly by Simon Winchester (William Collins 2018). It has been a fascinating Christmas gift delving into the topic of precision and its development. Recommended read.

Apparently Ford's connection to JoBlocks stared when the factory had issues with SKF bearings which factory staff complained were causing problems as they were not consistently true. SKF strongly denied this and called on JoBlocks to prove the point. Ford had to eat humble pie when it was proven the problem was in his factories, not SKF bearings.
Henry's response was to persuade Johansson to move his factory into a Ford building in Detroit, then to eventually persuade Johansson to sell out to him.

i was under the impression that Pratt & Whitney developed the standard gauge system.

John Codman wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 22, 2022 5:34 pm

i was under the impression that Pratt & Whitney developed the standard gauge system.

A similar story. In 1918 Pratt &Whitney purchased the rights to produce Hoke blocks from Major William Hoke, of the US Army, who perfected a means of manufacturing precision gauge blocks. Hoke blocks differ in that they are square, with a hole in the center. Most blocks in use today are Hoke style blocks.