Production Flashcards
Define production
The total number of units produced in a given period of time
What are the three methods of production
Job, batch and flow
Define job production
The production of one off items to met the needs of each individual customer
Describe job production
Cheap and easy to set up but production is more expensive, often a specialist service, time consuming to produce, meet specific needs of customers
Define batch production
Identical items are produced in groups (batches), each item passing through the same production process
Describe batch production
Allows for cheap and quick production of items, products are more uniform, variations can be made in different batches
Define flow production
Items flow along the production line in a continuous process, suitable for mass production
Which two key steps are workers responsible for in flow production
Specialisation and division of labour
What are the advantages of flow production
Efficient due to specialisation of workers, machinery and division of labour, low cost per unit, consistent quality and continual output reducing the need to hold stock
What are the disadvantages of flow production
High initial costs (machinery, computers and training), Errors can shut down the whole process, repetitive work demotivates workers and only standardised products can be manufactured