How did John Wilkinson improve the boring of steam-engine cylinders in 1775?

In 1775, British industrialist John Wilkinson revolutionized the production of steam engines by inventing a new boring machine capable of boring engine cylinders and cannon barrels with unprecedented accuracy.12

Prior to this innovation, early steam engines were often plagued by the imprecision of existing machine tools, which were typically powered by waterwheels and originally designed for boring cannons. Wilkinson’s machine addressed these limitations, providing the high level of precision necessary for James Watt to successfully perfect his steam engine design. By enabling the creation of dimensionally accurate cylinders, Wilkinson’s work became a foundational development in the history of machine tools, ultimately helping to pave the way for the Industrial Revolution and the future of mass production.21