20 - Modern industrial and Commercial practise Flashcards
1
Q
What are the different types of scales of production? (3)
A
- One-off, bespoke production
- Batch production
- Mass/line production
2
Q
What is bespoke (one-off) production? (3)
A
- Products are designed and manufactured to individual specifications
- Products are unique and individually designed
- Is sometimes referred to as job production
3
Q
What are the increased costs and more complex production of one-off, bespoke production due to? (4)
A
- Individual client consultation and design work
- More skilled workers being required
- Setting up individual manufacturing processes
- Fewer economies of scale (e.g no bulk discount on materials)
4
Q
What is batch production?
A
Products are manufactured in groups with an aim of improving efficiency and economy (cost effective)
5
Q
Examples of batch production
A
- Pottery
- Wooden furniture
- High quality loudspeakers
- Jet engines
- Electric guitars
6
Q
Examples of one-off bespoke production (4)
A
- Luxury cruise ship
- Chair for a physically disabled child
- Wedding cake
- Virtuoso player’s violin
7
Q
What is mass/line production
A
- Is where large number of products are made in highly mechanised factories
- Pioneered by Henry Ford to reduce the production time for cars
- Line production refers to the linear nature of most production lines
8
Q
Examples of mass production (7)
A
- Cars
- Robin Day PP chairs
- Clothing
- Mobile phones
- TVs
- Ready meals
- Ikea Billy bookcases
9
Q
Quick response manufacturing (4)
A
- QRM is a manufacturing strategy for reducing lead-times
- Lead time is the time taken to respond to orders which must be as short as possible to complete successfully
- Rapid completition of the product design and development process is vital to minimise delays
- Creativity, Quality and customer needs are given high priority throughout the process
10
Q
Define flexible manufacturing systems (FMS)
A
Is production that is mainly using CNC and robot-based cells to carry out bespoke and batch production to suit demand
11
Q
What are the two main features of flexible manufacturing systems?
A
- Modular/cell production
* Single minute exchange dies (SMED)
12
Q
Single minute exchange dies (SMED) - two features of flexible manufacturing systems (3)
A
- Means changing dies/mould in machines in a target time of under 10 minutes
- Involves quick-release locking devices and multi-purpose, interchangeable elements
- Minimum downtime is required to obtain he maximum possible revenue from investment in machines - as before SMED machines were idle for many hours during mould/die changes (Downtime)
13
Q
Examples of single minute exchange dies (SMED) (2)
A
- Pressed sheet metal car radiators
* Various injection-moulded parts
14
Q
Modular/cell production - two features of flexible manufacturing systems (4)
A
- Manufacturing cells combine CNC machines in a group which is programmed to carry out a sequence of operations to make parts such as car engine components
- Automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) transport materials/parts to and from buffer zones
- Robots with six axes (direction of movement) load and unload machines
- Devices are programmed along with the CNC machines they are servicing
15
Q
Define modular/cell production
A
CNC machines, robots and AGV’s organised in groups for efficient, flexible manufacturing
16
Q
Define sub-assembly
A
A self-contained element of a product that is made separately and incorporated in the final assembly stages
17
Q
Examples of bicycle sub-assemblies (4)
A
- Gear cassette
- Derailleur year-changing mechanism
- Braking system
- Chain
18
Q
Why do bike manufacturers use sub-assemblies?
A
They often concentrate on producing their own frames and then incorporate bought-in-sub-assemblies from a range of specialist suppliers to suit their requirements
19
Q
Advantage of sub-assemblies (2)
A
- Can simplify and speed up the manufacturing process
- For example, drawer sun-assemblies being made at the same times as a wood cabinet (concurrent manufacture) and then being fitted in the finished cabinet
20
Q
Define unit production systems (UPS)
A
Involves the use of overhead transporter devices to improve factory efficiency
21
Q
Features of Unit production systems (4)
A
- Is used in textile product manufacture
- Employs an efficient, organised and synchronised, computer-controlled, overhead transporter system
- Incorporates appropriate hanging carriers to convey the garment components between workstations
- Reduces handling operations, optimises labour and equipment use, and improves quality
22
Q
Define vertical in-house production/vertical integration
A
Involves setting up to manufacture parts and sub-assemblies rather buying them in
23
Q
Features of vertical in-house production/ vertical integration (5)
A
- Means that a company owns its own supply chain
- The manufacture of complex products involves decisions regarding sourcing parts and sun-systems
- Manufacturers have to decide if external suppliers are to be used (outsourcing)
- Vertical in-house production minimises the need for external suppliers
- Factories must therefore include the facilities for manufacturing all the components required
24
Q
Advantages of vertical in-house production/ vertical integration (4)
A
- Reduced risk of components price increases
- Less susceptible to suppliers going out of business
- Protects a brand and improves the security of intellectual property rights (IPR)
- Quality assurance (QA) strategies are easier to implement
25
Disadvantages of vertical in-house production/ vertical integration (3)
* Specialisation reduced, potentially diluting expertise
* Increase in administration
* Reduction in flexibility
26
Efficient use of materials (2)
* Cost-effective and profitable manufacturing depends on the efficient use of materials and the most appropriate selection of manufacturing methods
* Related sustainability issues are increasingly important consideration
27
Examples of where designers are economical in materials use (5)
* Commercial use of dedicated software to plan how parts for products can be economically nested in a piece of sheet material to minimise unusable off-cuts
* Projects can be designed with the use of standardised sizes of board, timber and other materials to avoid wastage and additional machining
* Rotational and blow-moulded, one piece, hollow, polymer toys are inherently strong and use the minimum possible amount of material
* I-beams and cellular beams (with large holes along the web) are an economical, relatively lightweight and strong form of steel used for construction
* Many modern furniture designs employ lightweight, elastic, steel or wood frames and suspended seats, rather than using traditional materials and labour-intensive upholstery methods
28
What is the importance of accuracy and uniformity of components ? - manufacturing processes that reduce waste
They are assenting for effective functioning and seamless integration with other design elements
29
Examples of manufacturing processes that increase accuracy and reduce waste (4)
* Car engine parts must fit perfectly to function and to facilitate repair and maintenance
* Lack of accuracy of material thickness of soft drinks bottles would result in incorrect capacity and the screw-top dimensions must be within tolerance to ensure an effective seal
* Automated machinery uses cams (specially shaped resolving discs that operate other parts of the machine) and levers to make the millions of identical components that are needed, such as screws. They are always making the same components, so the flexibility of CNC is unnecessary
* CNC machines are used for flexible, automated production when a range of different parts may be required in a relatively short time
30
Comparing bulk and one-off production (2)
* Bulk production of large quantities means that automated manufacturing techniques become viable and bulk purchasing reduces material costs e.g Ikea Billy bookcases
* CAD/CAM facilitates mass customisation of products such as sport shoes, computers and cars, which are ordered online to facilitate the incorporation of personal touches and individual specifications without the level of expense normally associated with bespoke products
31
Define just-in-time production (JIT)
Is the manufacture of products as needed, in response to existing orders
32
Advantages of Just-in-time (JIT) production (3)
* Ideal for multiple configuration products, such as vehicles and computer but is also used in situations such as fast food restaurants
* Allows designers to react flexibly to customer requirements which means products are manufactured only when an order was received
* Higher quality and a ‘right first time’ approach followed on from the reduction of waste, continuous monitoring, manufacturing and error-reduction strategies implemented on the production line
33
What is needed in order to just-in-time production to be effective?(6)
* Increased management and worker co-operation
* Regular feedback meetings (kaizen)
* Careful selection of suppliers, preferably close to the assembly plant
* Reduction of waste and stock (Muda)
* Optimised layout of machinery
* Use of visual or electronic stock control systems (Kanbans)
34
Disadvantage of Just-in-time production
Heavily reliant on reliable suppliers and transport infrastructure
35
Define standardised components
Are components parts that are made to a common, interchangeable standard such as bolts and light bulbs
36
Features of standardised components (3)
* can be relied upon to fit correctly when adding or replacing elements of a design, such as using a refill in your ballpoint pen or punched A4 paper in your ring-binder
* Screw fasteners are one of the most important example of standardisation
* Bayoneg fittings dictate their dimensions, tolerances and other requirements
37
Define bought-in components
Are parts that are sourced from external suppliers - standardisation ensures that bought-in components integrate seamlessly in manufacturer’s products
38
Examples of bought-in components (7)
* Tyres
* Audio connectors
* Batteries
* Fuses
* Printer cartridges
* Ballpoint pen refills
* Memory cards
39
Reasons for manufacturers using bought-in components (6)
* High numbers involved (e.g screws, nuts, bolts and rivets)
* Availability of sub-assemblies (e.g electric motors, hydraulic valves and gearboxes)
* Suppliers Make standardised CAD files available for easy integration into CAD designs
* The components can be bought in bulk, which reduces the unit cost
* No need for their own expensive (expensive through specialist machinery and expertise of suppliers) and potentially time consuming manufacturing facility
* Greater level of consistency in the components
40
Using computer systems to plan and control (4)
* Planning and control software is used to organise complex manufacturing processes
* Spreadsheets and charts are always available, giving an instant overview of factory schedules and operations
* Barcodes and radio frequency identification tags facilitate the reliable transfer of components and stock information by scanning, which helps reduce waste and improve the speed of response to change in demand
* The integrated circuit (IC) in RFID tags also improves retail security
41
Define computer integrated manufacture (CIM)
Is the term often used to describe how computers are used to oversee all the stages of bringing a product to market, from design, through manufacture to distribution
42
Stages of computer integrated manufacture (7)
* CAD
* Prototyping, including 3D printing
* Material/parts monitoring costing and ordering (JIT, barcodes, RFID tags and kanbans, etc)
* QC checks
* Automatic warehouse organisation with AGVs, forklifts and narrow aisle stacking machines
* Distribution through optimum loading patterns for freight containers
* electronic point-of-sales (EPOS) systems record sales of products and automatic re-stocking
