Mill vs Factory
The terms “mill” and “factory” are often used interchangeably, but there is a clear distinction between the two. A mill typically refers to a building fitted with a mechanical apparatus for grinding corn, while a factory refers to a building or buildings containing plant or equipment for manufacturing goods or machinery. This highlights the difference between the two concepts. In this article, we will discuss the various differences between these two terms.
What is a Mill?
A mill generally refers to a building fitted with a mechanical apparatus for grinding corn. In other words, it can be any machine or apparatus for grinding any solid substance to powder or pulp. Examples of mills include rice mills and pepper mills. In this sense, a mill can be considered a subset of a factory. The term mill was once used to refer to a factory because many factories in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution were powered by a watermill.
There are various types of mills, such as textile mills, paper mills, sawmills, gristmills, steel mills, cider mills, huller mills, powder mills, and so on. Each of these mills serves a specific purpose in grinding substances or producing substances. For instance, a sawmill cuts timber, a cider mill crushes apples to produce cider, a huller mill crushes rice, a powder mill produces gunpowder, and a grist mill grinds grain into flour. This gives us a clear understanding of what a mill is. Now, let’s move on to the next term.
What is a Factory?
A factory refers to a building or buildings containing plant or equipment for manufacturing goods or machinery. It is important to note that the machines or apparatus used in a mill are also manufactured in a factory. The machines produced in a factory are used in a mill to grind rice, pepper, or any other solid substance.
A factory is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Factories are equipped with large warehouses and heavy machines as well. Factories rely on resources such as laborers, capital, and plant, whereas a mill does not require such heavy resources. This distinction highlights that the terms “mill” and “factory” cannot be used interchangeably, as they refer to different things.
Key Takeaways
- A mill is a building fitted with a mechanical apparatus for grinding corn, while a factory is a building or buildings containing plant or equipment for manufacturing goods or machinery.
- Mills are used for grinding any solid substance to powder or pulp, while factories are where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another.
- Mills do not require heavy resources, large warehouses, or heavy machinery, while factories are equipped with these features.
