MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

Manufacturing Systems

The particular type of production control system used varies from company to company, but all should perform the preceding functions. However, the relative importance of these functions will depend on the type of manufacturing process.Manufacturing processes can be conveniently organized into three categories:

Flow Manufacturing

Concerned with the production of high-volume standard products. There are four major characteristics to flow manufacturing:

• Routing are fixed, and work centers are arranged according to the routing.
• Work centers are dedicated to producing a limited range of similar products. Machinery and tooling are especially designed to make the specific products.
• Material flow from one workstation to another using some form of mechanical transfer.
• Capacity is fixed by the line.

Intermittent Manufacturing

Characterized by many variations in product design, process requirements, and order quantities. This kind of manufacturing is characterized by the following:

• Flow of work through the shop is varied and depends on the design of a particular product. As, orders are processed, they will take more time at one workstation than at another. Thus, the work flow is not balanced.
• Machinery and workers must be flexible enough to do the variety of work.
• Scheduling work to arrive just when needed is difficult, the time taken by an order at each work center varies, and work queues before work centers, causing long delays in processing.
• The capacity required depends on the particular mix of products being built and is difficult to predict.

Project Manufacturing

• Usually involves the creation of one or a small number of units.
• The design of a product is often carried out or modified as the project develops
• There is close coordination between manufacturing, marketing, purchasing, and engineering.