Unit 4-A/B Flashcards
What are the different levels of production?
Mass
Continuous
Batch
Unit or one off
What is mass production?
Hundreds of identical products made on an assembly line
What is continuous production?
24 hours a day 7 days a week
What sort of items are continuously produced?
Simple and high demand items such as oil refinery, steel, disposable razors
Advantages of continuous production?
Cheaper product and less labour costs needed
Disadvantages of continuous production?
Initial set up is expensive and quality control needs to be set up
What is batch production?
Specific number made
How many products are in a batch?
Large products e.g. planes – a few
Small products e.g. baked beans – hundreds of thousands
Advantages of batch production?
Product can be changed to suit market demands; machinery can also be changed to suit market demands
Disadvantages of batch production?
Company has to be flexible; initially expensive to set up
What is unit or one-off production?
Individually designed and made products such as a bridge, cruise ship, or custom furniture
Advantages of one-off production?
Unique product that matches exact customer brief or requirements
Disadvantages of one-off production?
High skilled, more expensive, very flexible company needed
What are the two ways of organising labour in industry?
Assembly line and cell manufacturing
What are the advantages to the company of assembly lines?
Lower level of skill and training required
What are the disadvantages of assembly lines?
Boring and repetitive work
No job satisfaction of seeing the final product
What are the advantages of cell production?
Better quality
Cell is responsible for quality
Workers don’t get bored
What are the disadvantages of cell production?
Increased training needed
More expensive to set up
What is JIT manufacturing?
Companies only buy enough stock or materials as are required for immediate use
Who introduced JIT?
Toyota in the 1960s and 1970s
What are the benefits of JIT?
No capital tied up in materials or storage spaces;
Less waste
Saves manufacturing cost
Small changes can easily be made to production
What are the issues with JIT?
Precise planning and timing is needed
What are the advantages of standardised components?
Company does not need to produce them
More time for designing their product
No space needed to manufacture them
Saves cost as no machines or staff needed
What are the disadvantages of standardized components?
Quality cannot be guaranteed
Dependent on delivery
