alternative processes to manufacture products to different scales of production Flashcards
What is one off production and its advantages/disadvantages?
- One off production - single products made as prototypes or concepts
- Advantage – the user or owner will have an original product unlike any other
- Disadvantage – lots of manual labour will be used because no production line would be set up for one product.
What is batch production and its advantages/disadvantages?
- Batch production – products made in limited numbers at any one time
- Advantage – small numbers of similar items are made at one time to satisfy demand.
- Disadvantage – there may be a delay until the next batch is produced.
What is mass production and its advantages/disadvantages?
- Mass production – identical products made in large volume, normally thousands, with some use of automated machinery to achieve accuracy, efficiency and identical outcomes.
- Advantage – more profit for the manufacturer as materials are bought in bulk, and automated machinery is set up so less workers required.
- Disadvantage – initial set up costs are high, and not much flexibility once production line is set up
What is continuous flow production and its advantages/disadvantages?
- Continuous flow production – identical products constantly being produced 24 hours per day, 7 days per week without stopping. There will be heavily automated production lines in use for speed, accuracy and quality control purposes.
- Advantage – huge numbers produced identically, efficiently and quickly, saving time, energy and need for manual workers.
- Disadvantage – one single fault can stop the whole production process and be very costly.
What is a jig?
Jigs – a jig is a device used to hold or secure material and guide cutting or drilling tools to ensure accuracy and repeatability
What is a pattern?
Pattern – a pattern is a shape attached to the surface of the material to help to shape it.
What is a template?
Template – a template is a tool for marking out a shape repeatedly, so it is exactly the same each time.
What are the advantages of Computer aided manufacture (CAM)?
- faster than working by hand
- far more accurate and precise than what manual workers could achieve
- repeat tasks consistently and identically
- support production by making difficult components or parts while others are produced simultaneously
- produce multiple items in one go
- save material and reduce waste
- work without supervision or lunch breaks!
What is blow moulding?
Blow moulding – used for forming bottles, a soft plastic tube is inflated to fill a cavity
What is vacuum forming?
Vacuum forming – a sheet of HIPS or acrylic is heated and then pulled over a mould or former by extracting air using a vacuum
What is press moulding?
Press moulding – polymer sheets are heated, placed over the mould and pressed down onto the mould to take the shape.
What is compression moulding?
Compression moulding – a polymer is placed into a heated mould cavity, the mould is then closed with a plug and compressed with a hydraulic press.
What is pre press printing?
Pre-press printing – creates a print layout, a digital prepress machine then transforms electronic files onto paper.
What is on press printing?
On-press printing – a plate is covered in ink before paper is pressed against the plate then released.
What is die cutting?
Die cutting – metal cutters stamp out the desired shape from the material - like cookie cutters!
