Optimizing flow and minimizing waste are two of the basic elements of lean manufacturing. Those concepts also play a critical role in laying out assembly lines.

President Roosevelt stunned millions of listeners when he announced during a May 26, 1940, fireside chat that government must "harness the efficient machinery of America's manufacturers" to produce 50,000 combat aircraft over the next 12 months to confront the "approaching storm" of global war.

Carlisle Brake and Friction is 101-year-old company that manufactures braking products for construction, aerospace, agriculture, military, racing, mining and highway uses.

When lean tools are used effectively every day, manufacturers eventually arrive at a destination: lean culture. All the continuous improvement efforts along the way will drive a cyclical culture that's sustainable.

Auto-Kabel, the global automotive supplier, manufactures cable and lead sets for power supply applications. The friction welding machines deployed in the process must always have an adequate supply of material without excessive safety stocks.

Before the availability of electric lights, early automobiles were equipped with gas lamps for headlights and oil lamps for taillights. Electric lights did not become commonplace until the 1920s.

With nearly a century of experience manufacturing trucks, it's no surprise that Kenworth is one of PACCAR's most successful arms. Kenworth, along with fellow PACCAR brand Peterbilt, achieved a record 30.7 percent of retail market share for Class 8 trucks in the U.S. and Canada in 2017, up from 28.5 percent in 2016.

Trucks moved roughly 71 percent of the nation's freight by weight in 2016, according to the American Trucking Association. That's 10.55 billion tons of freight or $738.9 billion in gross freight revenue. To move all that stuff around, some 34 million trucks logged more than 450 billion miles.

Aerospace manufacturing continues to soar. For example, through March 31, Boeing's commercial aircraft division had a backlog of 5,835 orders, while rival Airbus had a backlog of 7,189 jets.

Parts come in all sizes, shapes and weights. But, any type of part isn't good until it's at the right location, at the right time and at the right height on assembly lines.