Scales of Production Flashcards
What is one off production?
Bespoke products are made to meet specific customer requirements with each product being unique.
What must be remembered about one off production?
It is often labour intensive
Involves high skilled workers who command relatively high wages
Each item individually made so production is usually time-consuming and costly
Usually of a high quality
What is a prototype?
A prototype is an early, working version of a product or system that is usually made using one off production. It tests different aspects of a design idea in order to find ways of improving it.
What is batch production?
A set number of products are passed through the production process together, one stage at a time.
What is important to remember about batch production?
Useful when making small quantities of similar products
Can be aided by machines to ensure products are identical
Machines need downtime to be reconfigured before each new batch and so can be inefficient if lots of batches are required
Materials can be purchased in large quantities allowing business to benefit from the economies of scale
What is mass production?
Production process is broken into stages with different tasks being carried out along an assembly line
What is important to remember about mass production?
Used to produce large quantities of identical products quickly
High productivity
Unit cost of production is low
Workers or machines perform simple dedicated tasks so little skilled labour is required
Machinery is costly so initial setup is expensive
What is continuous production?
Identical products are made without interruption with production only stopping occasionally for cleaning and maintenance
What is important to remember about continuous production?
Runs 24 hours, 7 days a week
Production is quick and almost entirely automated
High productivity
Low labour costs
Machinery is expensive so initial set up costs are high
Unit cost of production is low
Limited range of products can be produced
