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Click on a state for a list of locations with machine shops in that state  Canada, Puerto Rico
Laser Cutting Machinery A Brief History of Machine Tools Prior to the late 18th century, metal was shaped by a man with a hammer, then a man with a bigger hammer. And then a man with a hammer and a man holding and positioning the workpiece. Then a few primitive machine tools were constructed out of wood. These early metal shaping machine tools did not last long, were highly inaccurate, and performed only the most rudimentary tasks. In 1769 in England, James Watt invented the world's first steam engine. His steam engine's large cylinders had to be precise so that steam coiuld not leak between the cylinder and the piston. In 1774, John Wilkinson invented a precision horizontal boring machine producing very precise cylinders for Mr. Watt's steam engine. In 1776, the first commercial steam engine was built and ushered in the industrial revolution. Another Brit, Henry Maudslay, shortly thereafter developed the first engine lathe. In 1818, the American, Eli Whitney, invented the first milling machine. Today, we have many machine tool builders manufacturing truly wondrous machines. Machine tools that are CNC guided metal forming and automated systems that have reduced the need for skilled laborers. Machine systems that produce extremely accurate, complicated metal parts at a very high rate of speed.
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