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Manufacturing systems are based on factors such as product demand, speed, and uniqueness. Custom, assembly, flexible, intermittent, reconfigurable, just-in-time, and lean manufacturing systems are used. Each system has advantages and disadvantages, with lean manufacturing focusing on efficiency by eliminating waste.
A manufacturing system is an approach to making products that is based on several factors. These include the amount of product needed, how quickly the product needs to be produced, and the uniqueness of the product to ensure sufficient sales. Manufacturing systems include custom, assembly, flexible, intermittent, reconfigurable, just-in-time, and lean manufacturing systems.
Custom manufacturing is the original form of manufacturing. It is the creation of unique objects, one at a time, using the skills of a single craftsman. Artisans may work together, but they don’t work together as a team, because one person completes the production of a single item.
This is in contrast to an assembly production system, where each worker contributes one or more actions needed in the production process. This action could be repeated every few seconds or for longer intervals, depending on the complexity of the task. This is also referred to as a mass production system and typically values speed and uniformity. The disadvantages of mass production systems are the difficulty of ensuring correct supply of products in real time and the inability to provide customized product offers.
Flexible manufacturing proposes a solution to produce too much or too little of the product. This method also allows a manufacturer to respond to consumer demand for customized products. It is more expensive to set up a flexible production system.
Intermittent manufacturing, where the same item is produced repeatedly, could employ a reconfigurable manufacturing system. This is so that several items can be mass-produced one item type at a time. There is a trade-off with flexible manufacturing systems. The redundancy of functions in tooling systems adds cost in exchange for flexibility, so the initial capital outlay may be higher.
The goal of just-in-time manufacturing is to eliminate inventory. Carrying more supplies than you need adds to your overhead costs. For example, producing too many of a particular car model results in depreciation of unsold vehicles on the car salesman’s lot. Storing unsold stock can also be expensive in terms of space and money. Conversely, out of stock negatively affects sales because customers will go to a competitor if a particular item is not available when the customer is ready to buy.
Lean manufacturing is often employed in tandem with just-in-time manufacturing methods. Although it is a manufacturing system, lean manufacturing is actually a strategy that focuses on eliminating unnecessary or wasteful elements of the manufacturing process and achieving maximum efficiency. This strategy can be used in tandem with other production systems to varying degrees, depending on the system.
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