Scale of production Flashcards
What has the scale of production got an impact on upon designing and manufacturing decisions?
- the number of products or units manufactured
- the choices of materials and components
- The manufacturing processes, speed, availability of labour etc.
- Production planning - JIT, ICT systems
- production costs - bulk buying, retail price
What is one off production with examples?
relates to custom made or ‘tailor made’ solutions or products - Bespoke piece of furniture for a particular situation
What are some advantages of one off production?
- Made to exact specifications
2. Highly skilled craftspersons ensures high quality product
what are some disadvantages of one off production?
- Expensive
- Labour intensive
- Time consuming
What is batch production with examples?
identical products being made in there thousands - seasonal garden furniture
What are some advantages of batch production?
- flexible in adapting the product
- fast response to market trends
- lower unit costs compared to one off
what are some disadvantages of batch production?
- frequent changes can cost a lot
2. poor planning can result in lots of products being stored etc
What is mass production with examples?
Products made from a automated manufacture process which normally has a highly unskilled workforce - electronic products (mobile phones)
What are some advantages of mass production?
- efficient and automated
- reduced labour costs
- low unit costs
- rigorous quality control ensures identical goods
what are some disadvantages of mass production?
- high initial set up costs
2. inflexible, cant respond quickly to market trends
What is continuous production with examples?
products that meet everyday mass-market demand so they are made 24/7 - cans and bottles of drinks.
What are some advantages of continuous production?
- extremely low unit costs
2, runs 24/7, 7 days a week
what are some disadvantages of continuous production?
- very little flexibilty
