Process design layout and Flow Flashcards
What is process design?
- “…A group of resources and activities which add value by turning specific inputs into outputs…”
- At its simplest the design of a process involves:
- Identifying all the individual activities that are needed to fulfil the objectives of the process.
- Deciding on the sequence in which these activities are to be performed.
- Who is going to do them or how will they be done?
What is layout and flow?
- Process made up of transforming resources.
- These are arranged in layout.
- Various tasks allocated to these resources.
- Work flows through layout from resource to resource.
If layout is poor, in what ways will work not flow properly.
- Customer queues
- Long process times
- Inflexible operations
- Lost work
- Inventories
- Unpredictable flow
- High cost
What are the 4 layout types?
- Fixed-position layout
- Functional layout
- Cell layout
- Product layout
What are the 4 manufacturing process types?
- Project processes
- Jobbing processes
- Batch processes
What is project processes?
One-off, complex, large scale ‘products’ with high work content; many different skills have to be coordinated e.g. a power station.
What is jobbing processes?
One-off, or only a few required; high variety, low repetition; skill requirements are usually very broad e.g. special tooling.
What is batch processes?
Standard product, repeating demand, but can make specials; specialised, narrow skills e.g. bakeries.
What are manufacturing types and their definitions?
- Mass (line) processes: Higher volumes than batch; standard, repeat products; Low and/or narrow skills e.g. cars.
- Continuous processes: Extremely high volumes and low variety: often single product; standard, repeat products; difficult and expensive to start and stop the process e.g. petrochemicals.
What are the 3 service process types
- Professional services
- Service shops
- Mass services
What are professional services?
Service processes that are devoted to producing knowledge -based or advice -based services, usually involving high customer contact and high customisation e.g. management consultants, lawyers, architects, GPs.
What are service shops?
Service processes that are positioned between professional services and mass services, usually with medium levels of volume and customisation e.g. banks, high street shops, holiday tour operators.
What are mass services?
Service processes that have a high number of transactions, often involving limited customisation e.g. Supermarkets, airports, libraries, telecoms services, call centres.
What is the volume variety process diagram?
If we consider this volume-variety spectrum as a continuum from high volume/low variety to low volume/high variety, we can place a process in a certain point in this continuum based on its volume/variety characteristics.
What is the product process matrix?
- A product-process matrix is a tool that helps companies analyse and improve their processes throughout the product life cycle.
- It’s a two-dimensional matrix that plots the product life cycle on the horizontal axis and the production process on the vertical axis. The matrix helps companies identify the best production approach for a product based on the volume and customisation needs