What is National Inventors’ Day?
U.S. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Inventors’ Day in the United States on February 11, 1983. Every year on Thomas Alva Edison’s birthday, the United States celebrates National Inventors’ Day to honor the contributions of inventors whose inventions have revolutionized innovation and growth in the United States.
Is National Inventors’ Day always on February 11?
Many other countries have established a National Inventors’ Day, but not always on February 11, as they often choose to highlight the birthday of an inventor or engineer from their own country. Ronald Reagan recognized the US holiday on Thomas Edison’s birthday for his fame and contributions as an American inventor and engineer in the United States.
There are over 1,000 patents in Thomas Edison’s name for inventions including the incandescent light bulb and the phonograph. The automobile battery he designed for the self-starter in 1912 for use in Henry Ford’s Model T vehicle was used in the auto industry for decades. He founded 14 companies, one that would become General Electric, and his inventions were considered breakthroughs for modernizing the world.
Which Inventors Revolutionized Manufacturing?
While the manufacturing industry (both domestic and global as industrialization grew) benefited from Thomas Edison’s inventions, there are many other inventors who have contributed to the manufacturing industry worldwide.
Today we will celebrate some of the inventors who have shaped the manufacturing world through our Heroes of Manufacturing series. Learn about the minds and origins behind the processes and products that shape manufacturing today!
- Henry Ford: Hero of Horseless Carriages, Zero Emissions and Driverless Cars
- Dr. W. Edwards Deming: Hero of Quality
- Eliyahu Goldratt: Hero of the TOC (Theory of Constraints and Lean Production)
- Dr. James P. Womack: Hero of Lean Manufacturing
- Taiichi Ohno: Hero of the Toyota Production System
- Frederick Winslow Taylor: Hero of Scientific Management
- Joseph Orlicky: Hero of Material Requirements Planning
- Frank Gilbreth: Hero of Efficiency Improvement
- Malcolm Baldrige: Hero of Quality Improvement
Adapting to Manufacturing Changes with Invention and Innovation
A new generation of Inventors is creating new products every day to keep up with the changing demands and policies of the world around them. In turn, the speed at which manufacturers are being asked to adapt their supply chains and shop floor processes continues to increase as well.
The heroes of manufacturing helped to provide the foundation on which our modern manufacturing processes are based, but the world continues to demand more from their suppliers. Manufacturers continue to turn to the inventors and innovators within their internal teams who work to find solutions to these new challenges.
The modern-day inventors and problem-solvers are now aided by adaptive software and digital technology to help them make smart, actionable decisions, improve existing processes and identify opportunities in real-time to meet the demand of next-generation manufacturing.
With this in mind, we celebrate inventors of all eras today and continue to look forward to the innovations they contribute to our changing world. Happy National Inventors’ Day!
