The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation Season 8 Episode 18 Standard Sizes

The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation season 8 episode 18 explores the idea of standard sizes. Many everyday objects, such as milk jugs or light bulbs, are designed with a specific size and shape. This episode dives into the history and innovation behind the development of these standard sizes.

The first segment focuses on the standardization of the shipping container. In the early 1950s, shipping goods by sea was a costly and inefficient process as they would need to be individually loaded and unloaded from ships. Malcolm McLean, a trucking magnate, came up with the idea of standardizing shipping containers so that they could be easily transported from truck to ship and vice versa. This innovation dramatically reduced the cost of shipping goods and revolutionized the industry.

The next segment explores the standardization of paper sizes. In the early 20th century, paper sizes varied greatly across different countries and industries, making it difficult to print documents that could be easily shared and distributed. A German engineer named Walter Porstmann came up with the idea of a standardized paper size system based on the aspect ratio of √2. This led to the development of the A-series and B-series paper sizes, which are now used in most of the world.

Another segment looks at the history of standard screw threads. Prior to the development of standard threads, screws varied in size and pitch, making it difficult to find replacements and causing compatibility issues. The episode follows the evolution of screw threads from the early wood screws of the 1700s to the development of the American Standard Thread in the early 1900s.

The episode also delves into the world of standardized clothing sizes. Prior to the 20th century, clothing was largely made to measure, but with the rise of mass production, standard sizes became necessary. The episode follows the development of standard clothing sizes and the controversy surrounding the different sizing systems used by different countries.

Finally, the episode explores the standardization of musical pitch. In the early 18th century, there was no standardized tuning system, making it difficult for musicians to play together. A French scientist named Jean-Philippe Rameau came up with the idea of using a reference pitch of 440 Hz, which became the standard tuning system used today.

Overall, this episode of The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation demonstrates the far-reaching impact of standardization on our everyday lives and the innovative thinking that went into developing these systems. From shipping containers to musical pitch, standardization has helped to streamline processes, increase efficiency, and make our lives easier.