Mechanization is when human operators are given machinery that will assist them in their job. Many factories in the 1900’s underwent mechanization in order to increase production at factories. It was discovered the mechanization could help create more products than hand making the products. Mechanization does not mean that the entire process is fully automated. Instead you have automation in which the machines run by themselves. Then you have mechanization in which a human operator is needed like with power tools.
A lathe can be mechanized to help a worker. A lathe used to be hand driven or powered by steam. Today we have many tools that are mechanized as well as many factories that are automated, using less than half the employees the factory used to need.