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Industry History 1
- Thread starter Zpotlight
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Zlpotlight:
Interesting question. Which industry?
When I was working for Manufacturing Engineering magazine in the 1980s, I kept finding that many "recent" ideas were far older than I thought. The wing root of the North American P-51 Mustang was modeled mathematically, for example (though I'm sure the production dies were taken from hand-carved maple models)... a step or two away from computer-aided design... if there had been computers and CRTs dedicated to this back then.
Textbooks and industrial magazines might give you clues, but you're stuck doing your own research. The mags of the 1970s will have some things in their new products sections... but most were and are selected not by experts in industrial needs but by junior editors, so complex, new ideas might not be reflected.
Textbooks always lag at least 18 months and more likely 3 years or more behind real life, so you might start by looking at the forewords for revised editions (which tell you what's new in the book) for texts on industrial engineering from 1972 on.
An engineering university library, especially one where the old stuff isn't thrown out, might be your best bet.
Dave G.
Interesting question. Which industry?
When I was working for Manufacturing Engineering magazine in the 1980s, I kept finding that many "recent" ideas were far older than I thought. The wing root of the North American P-51 Mustang was modeled mathematically, for example (though I'm sure the production dies were taken from hand-carved maple models)... a step or two away from computer-aided design... if there had been computers and CRTs dedicated to this back then.
Textbooks and industrial magazines might give you clues, but you're stuck doing your own research. The mags of the 1970s will have some things in their new products sections... but most were and are selected not by experts in industrial needs but by junior editors, so complex, new ideas might not be reflected.
Textbooks always lag at least 18 months and more likely 3 years or more behind real life, so you might start by looking at the forewords for revised editions (which tell you what's new in the book) for texts on industrial engineering from 1972 on.
An engineering university library, especially one where the old stuff isn't thrown out, might be your best bet.
Dave G.
Are you sure you want industry evolution over just the last 30 years or is this a typo for 1770 or 1870 try reading the journal of historical metallurgy. Several historical sites such as Nevada and Cornwall issue books and pamphlets on their historical sites.
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