Mechanisation

Mechanisation is the use of machinery to perform tasks that were previously done by human or animal labor. It is a stage in industrial and agricultural development characterized by the introduction of powered machines and devices that augment production capacity, reduce physical effort, and often improve consistency and safety. Mechanisation emerged gradually during the Industrial Revolution, with the adoption of steam power and later electricity, enabling factories to operate larger, more complex processes. In agriculture, mechanisation began with devices such as mechanical seed drills, threshers, and reapers and spread with tractors and combine harvesters in the 19th and 20th centuries, transforming field work and farm economics. In industry, steam engines, power looms, and later internal combustion engines and electric motors enabled mass production and new factory layouts, culminating in assembly lines and automated equipment.

Mechanisation is distinct from automation. Mechanisation replaces or supplements human work with machines; automation adds feedback control and decision-making to allow machines to operate with reduced human input. As mechanisation progressed, capital costs and skill requirements rose, influencing labor markets and economic structure. Modern mechanisation often blends mechanical, hydraulic, and electronic systems, and continues to drive productivity in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and transport, while raising considerations such as safety, maintenance, capital intensity, and environmental impact.