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Production

• Production is defined as “the step-by-step conversion of one


form of material into another form through chemical or
mechanical process to create or enhance the utility of the
product to the user.” Thus production is a value addition
process. At each stage of processing, there will be value
addition.
Production system
Classification of Production System
Production system

Continues or flow Production system Intermittent Production

1. Mass production 1. Job production

2. Process production 2. Batch production


INTERMITTENT PRODUCTION
• In Intermittent Production, the basic product design changes from
time to time. The production facilities must be flexible to handle a
wide variety of product and of different shape and sizes.
• Characteristics
• The flow of production is Intermittent, not continuous.
• Wide variety and low volume of production.
• General purpose machines are used.
• Production planning is complicated. It is most complex type of
production system because every product has to be treated
differently.
• Material handling systems should be flexible to meet changing
product requirements and to accommodate variety of routes for
different inputs.
• It is necessary to provide storage facilities between different
production centers.
CONTINUES OR FLOW PRODUCTION
• The continuous or flow production refers to the manufacturing of
large quantities of a single or at most few varieties of products with
a standard set of processes and sequence. The processing is done
through a sequence of operation which forms a continuous
movement or flow.
Example- Steel mills, automobile plant, chemical plant, oil mill,
sugar mills etc.

• Characteristics
• 1. The volume of output is generally large
• 2. The product design and sequence of operations are standardized.
• 3. Equipments are arranged according to product layout.
• 4. Dedicated special purpose machines having higher production
capacities are used.
• 5. Materials are fed into the process and finished product received
at the same time on the other end.
JOB SHOP PRODUCTION
• Job shop production are characterised by manufacturing of one or
few quantity of products designed and produced as per the
specification of customers within prefixed time and cost. The
distinguishing feature of this is low volume and high variety of
products.

Characteristics
 The product is none standardized and according to customer
specification.
 Wide range of general purpose machines and facilities.
 Highly skilled operators who can take up each job as a challenge
because of uniqueness.
 High variety of products and low volume.
 Machine and equipment are arranged at one place i.e. fixed
position layout is used.
 Material handling systems are also flexible to meet changing
product requirements.
JOB SHOP PRODUCTION
• Advantages
1. Because of general purpose machines and facilities variety of
products can be produced.
2. Small investment in machinery and equipments.
3. It is a flexible and can be adapted easily to change in product design.
4. A fault on one operation does not result into complete stoppage of
the entire process
• Limitations
1. Highly competent and qualified workers and supervisor are
required.
2. Higher level of inventory at all levels and hence higher inventory
cost.
3. Production planning is complicated. It is most complex type of
production system
4. Larger storage space requirements and high material handling cost.
BATCH PRODUCTION
• It is characterised by the manufacture of limited number of
products produced at regular intervals. In this, the work on any
product is divided into few operation and each operation is
completed for the whole lot b4 proceeding to the next operation.

• Example- book printing, electrical motors, subcontractor who takes


component for processing from large manufacturing company.

• Characteristics
1. A large variety of product is manufactured in lots or batches.
2. General purpose and special purpose machines can be used.
3. Flexible material handling.
4. Manufacturing cycle time and cost are lower as compared to job
order production.
5. Machines are grouped on functional basis.
6. The workers are skilled in one particular mfg operation.
BATCH PRODUCTION
• Advantages
Following are the advantages of batch production:
1. It combines the features of both flow production and job production.
2. Promotes functional specialisation.
3. Cost per unit is lower as compared to job order production.
4. Lower investment in plant and machinery.

• Limitations
Following are the limitations of batch production:
1. Material handling is complex because of irregular and longer flows.
2. Work in process inventory is higher compared to continuous production.
3. Higher idle time between two operation. The work has to wait until a
particular operation is carried out in the whole batch.
MASS PRODUCTION
• Manufacture of discrete parts, components or assemblies on large scale using
a continuous process are called mass production. This production system is
justified by very large volume of production and low variety. The machines are
arranged in a line or product layout.
• Example- plastic goods, manufacture and assembly of automobiles, electronics
and electrical.

• Characteristics
Mass production is used under the following circumstances:
1. Standardisation of product and process sequence.
2. Dedicated special purpose machines having higher production capacities and
output rates.
3. Large volume of products.
4. Shorter cycle time of production.
5. Lower in process inventory.
6. Material handling can be completely automatic.
7. Flow of materials, components and parts is continuous and without any back
tracking
MASS PRODUCTION
• Advantages
Following are the advantages of mass production:
1. Higher rate of production with reduced cycle time.
2. Higher capacity utilisation due to line balancing.
3. Less skilled operators are required.
4. Low process inventory.
5. Manufacturing cost per unit is low.

• Limitations
Following are the limitations of mass production:
1. Breakdown of one machine will stop an entire production line.
2. product layout needs major change with the changes in the product design.
3. High investment in production facilities.
4. The cycle time is determined by the slowest operation
Process production
• Under this system the production is carried on continuously
through a uniform and standardized sequence of
operations. Highly sophisticated and automatic machine
are used. This process is employed in bulk processing of
certain materials.
• Process manufacturing is the production of goods that are
typically produced in bulk quantities, as opposed to
discrete and countable units.
• Example: crude oil is processed into petroleum, kerosene,
diesel and gasoline, sugarcane into sugar, chemical and
cement.
• The production of process goods usually requires inputs for
thermal or chemical conversion, such as heat, time and
pressure. The product typically cannot be disassembled to
its constituent parts. For example, once it is produced, a
soft drink cannot be broken down into its ingredients.

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