production methods Flashcards
Job production
one-off number of items produced
made to costumer specifications
advantages- higher quality, more job satisfaction for employees
disadvantages- individual unit cost is high, labour intensive, requires high skilled employees
batch production
similar items produced together
goes through one stage of production process before moving onto the next stage
advantages- cost saving as buying in bulk, allow for unexpected order
disadvantages- tasks may become boring, requires high maintenance of stock and raw materials
flow production
product moves continuously through production process
when one task is finished next task must start immediately
advantages- costs per unit of production reduced through improved work and material flow, less need for training and skills
disadvantages- reliant on high quality machinery, goods are mass produced which means less differentiation for the costumer
process production
involves a series of processes which raw materials go through
end result is a large quantity of finished product
advantages- large quantities produced, ideal for products that need a consistent quality
disadvantages- heavy investment required in process design, little opportunity to make different versions of the product
