Here at Flex Technologies, we consider ourselves to be on the leading edge when it comes to the manufacturing of our silicone products. We have perfected our processes and silicone hose and silicone tubes manufacturers to a T, and think it shows in every product that we ship. But we are standing on the shoulders of giants, making use of and perfecting the inventions that have come before us. To honor all of the inventors out there, here are some of the best inventions in the 1900s.

Tanks

The tank revolutionized warfare, even when it was still an unwieldy hunk of malfunctioning metal as was usually the case during WWI. However, at the turn of the 20th century, it was still in the realm of science fiction. Early prototypes of the tank were made by the British, Austrian, and German militaries starting around the year 1908. Though unwieldy at first, these massive machines were used to deal with entrenched soldiers. Before tanks, once the enemy had dug trenches and barricaded themselves, it was almost impossible to make headway by conventional means. Tanks were able to take the punishment on concentrated munitions until they got close enough to attack the trenches.

Toaster

It may seem counter intuitive, but the electric toaster revolutionized how we use electricity. That is because it was the first gadget to use electricity in the home for something other than lighting. It was made possible through the invention of "chromel" by Albert L. Marsh in 1906. This invention, four parts nickel and one part chromium, took power from the then expanding electricity grid. This paved the way for all modern appliances, from vacuum cleaners, to garage door openers, to the kitchen blender!

Automobiles

Quite literally at the turn of the century, in 1901, the first "horseless carriage" was brought to market with the gas powered Mercedes. It had a six liter, four cylinder engine with a maximum output of 35 horsepower. It actually ended up being one of the lightest, fastest, most technically advanced vehicles for its time. However, it was far from the most popular. Actually, the most popular and well performing cars of the time were all electric, like the Red Devil, which set the overall land speed record in its time. This changed when Henry Ford brought the Model T Ford to the market, which due to his introduction of assembly line manufacturing had a much lower price point.

Radio

Radio revolutionized communication in the early 20th century. Technically, the first radio transmissions were broadcast in 1905. However, these were just wireless Morse code messages, and was just referred to as wireless telegraphy. The modern radio broadcast system as we know it today first came to be in 1906, when Lee de Forest invented a triode that could convert these messages from chemical signals into physical sounds.

Kodak Brownie

Photography went from a professional to a personal hobby in the year 1900 when the Kodak Brownie camera hit the market. It was only one dollar (equivalent to about 30 dollars today), was made mostly of a cardboard box, and had a lens and shutter attached inside. It was named after popular Disney characters at the time, and marketed towards children. This was part of a marketing plow (it is so easy your kid can use it!), and essentially created the possibility for amateur photography to take hold.

Hopefully these fun invention facts have piqued your interest. If you would like to take advantage of the state of the art methods of silicone product manufacturing used here at Flex Technologies, then check out our products available for order online. We are on the leading edge of innovation for silicone hose and tube manufacturers around the world. Want more information on why our products are better? Feel free to give us a call at your earliest convenience. One of our friendly and knowledgeable representatives will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.