Henry Maudslay | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Pierre Louis ('Henri') Grevedon 1827 | |
| Born | 22 August 1771 |
| Died | 14 February 1831 (aged 59) Lambeth, London, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Engineering career | |
| Significant advance | Machine tool technology |
Henry Maudslay (pronunciation and spelling) (22 August 1771 – 14 February 1831) was an English machine tool innovator, tool and die maker, and inventor. He is considered a founding father of machine tool technology. His inventions were an important foundation for the Industrial Revolution.
Maudslay's invention of a metal lathe to cut metal, circa 1800, enabled the manufacture of standard screw thread sizes. Standard screw thread sizes allowed interchangeable parts and the development of mass production.