An assembly line is a manufacturing system where specialized workers focus on repetitive tasks, adding efficiency to the PRODUCTION of a PRODUCT. An assembly line is likely to be composed of numerous subassembly lines, taking raw materials and making parts and components, which are then used in producing the final product. The idea behind assembly lines is division and specialization, which was first articulated by Scottish philosopher Adam Smith. Considered the father of modern economics and author of The Wealth of Nations (1776), Smith used a pin factory to describe assembly line production: One man draws out the wire, another straightens it, a third cuts it, a fourth points it, a fifth grinds it at the top for receiving the head; to make the head requires two or three distinct operation; to put it on is a peculiar business, to whiten the pin is another; it is even a trade by itself to put them into the paper. As Smith noted, “it is even a trade by itself,” suggesting the assembly-line system was an alternative to the existing trade and craft system of production. In the 18th century most goods were produced by craftsmen who worked alone or with apprentices, producing small quantities of specialized products. For example, Paul Revere, before his famous ride, was a silversmith; Benjamin Franklin was a printer. As Smith suggested, specialization and division of labor could be used to increase output. Assembly-line systems used during the Industrial Revolution in Britain and then during the American Industrial Revolution dramatically increased manufacturing output, decreasing the cost of production. The most famous American assembly-line system was initiated in 1913 by automobile manufacturer Henry Ford at his Highland Park, Michigan, plant. Within two years, by using conveyor systems to bring materials to workers and dividing tasks, Ford tripled production and reduced labor time per vehicle by 90 percent. This allowed him to reduce car prices, forcing thousands of small-scale automobile manufacturers to leave the industry. Modern assembly-line production utilizes computerized coordination of materials and subassembly operations to maximize output. Managers at automobile factories know it costs thousands of dollars every minute the assembly line is not moving. Bells and whistles sound, and repairmen and managers run whenever the system stops. Assembly-line systems have added just-in-time (JIT) delivery systems, where suppliers ship parts and components to factories on an as-needed basis, reducing inventory costs for assembly-line manufacturers. Today, assembly-line efficiency is achieved in many organizations. Engineers and production managers constantly look for wasted time and motion, whether producing automobiles or hamburgers. One of the problems associated with assembly-line production is repetitive stress syndrome. Workers doing the same task repeatedly often develop physical ailments.