Selecting Appropriate Tools, Equipment And Processes Flashcards
Why is it important to select appropriate tools, equipment and processes?
For quality, profitability, efficiency, safety purposes and prototyping.
What are the advantages of mass production?
Efficient manufacturing.
Large quantities of identical products of products that don’t change much (e.g. t-shirts, underwear, uniforms, workwear, hosiery etc…).
What are the disadvantages of mass production ?
Mass production lines are not very flexible in terms of workers’ skills or machinery and take time to set up so then will only be used when economical to do so (e.g. white t-shirts that can be dyed in any fashionable colour later). Workers could suffer repetitive strain injury from the contestant movement.
What are the advantages of batch production?
Deals with smaller quantities of products and is more flexible because workers operate as teams and are more adaptable in their working practices.
What are the disadvantages of batch production?
More costly and less efficient than mass production
What does a company need to take into account when improving efficiency and profitability?
- Designers needs to be realistic about how their creation is going to be produced and this will have an impact on their design choices.
- Style of product and techniques used (e.g. specialist embroidery might require a sub-assembly contractor)
- Fabric used (might require specialist equipment and skills)
- The insertion of components need to be carefully planned as they often to be stitched of fixed on before rather than after other processes happen (e.g. zips or piping)
- Order of construction (e.g. cuffs can’t be added until sleeve seam is completed)
Why is training workers important?
It improves the profitability of the company, well being, motivation and health and safety. Workers inductions to a new job include training on machines and safety procedures.
