" The
.IV-10
The Edison Phonograph Works was deliberately sited next
to the laboratory that Edison could manage production. The manufacture and assembly the
delicate diaphragms was also done the precision machine shop
of the lab, and this probably continued after the Phonograph
Works took over full-scale production. This was considered extremely important
to its success: Alfred Tate noted that all the manufacturing
operations had located close the lab possible in
17
order benefit from Edison's personal supervision. He
intended oversee all elements its work and monitor every
aspect manufacture. Here
was his strategy control work— Edison had only step
outside Building and walk few yards the Works. While
the factories were being built, phonograph manufacture was done
in the laboratory's machine shops which turned out small
batches phonographs under contract the North American
Phonograph Company.
Edison planned large output using interchangeable
parts, and claimed that much the estimated $1,000,000
expended the Works went into special task machinery. The
account records January 1889 show outlay around
$250,000 establish the Phonograph Works, including $65,000
on machinery and tools, and $20,000 "special" phonograph
tools. Edison had always intended manufacture phonographs
using interchangeable parts, stating 1878 that "this machine
can only built the American principle of
interchangeability parts like gun sewing machine
