Ford has always been at the leading edge of new technology.
During the past century, Ford engineers have made numerous contributions to the world of industrial automation. The technology behind many production tools that people take for granted today, such as conveyors, electropneumatic screwdrivers, flexible fixtures, high-speed machine tools, stamping presses, welding robots, computer-numeric controls and machine vision systems, were developed and perfected in Ford Motor Co. plants. In fact, the words "automation" and "mass production" trace their roots to Ford.
Although he didn't have a formal engineering education, Henry Ford made sure he surrounded himself with people who shared his fascination with mechanization and automation. As a child, Ford was very inquisitive and often probed the workings of mechanical objects. Ford often made his own tools, such as a screwdriver out of a shingle nail.