Since the inventing of the wheel back in the stone ages, humans have been creating things. The process in which we create these things is better known as manufacturing. As humans evolved, so did their inventions; and as their inventions evolved, as did the way they manufactured them. In modern times, more than 90% of manufacturers used some type of computer-aided design. More than two thirds of all manufacturers use computers in manufacturing as well as inventory and process control. Automation can drastically reduce human error, thus it is quickly becoming the wave of the future.
             Before we look too far into the future of manufacturing, it is imperative to understand its past. Manufacturing began with the first great human invention – the wheel. However, let's look at a more practical example. Back in the medieval times there were specialty craftsman. You had blacksmiths, glass blowers, carpenters, shoemakers, and furniture makers, ECT. If you wanted to buy, or even trade for back then, one of these items, you would go to them, specify all your requirements and sometime later they would give you a finished product. This process made specifically for that customer, or the "perfect fit", made a unique product. No two would be exactly alike. However, this brought inconsistency and long lead times.
             In the 1450s, there a need was established for the rapid production of documents. This is when Johannes Gutenberg appeared. He developed an idea that would change the way documents were produced forever. This was known as the beginning of the printing press. Perhaps his most significant innovation, however, was simply the idea of movable metal type. Each letter was carved into the end of a steel punch, which was then hammered into a copper blank. The copper impression was inserted into a mold and a molten alloy made of lead, and antimony and bismuth were then poured in. The alloy cooled quickly and t...