A production line is typically associated with continuous or flow production system. Production lines are particularly appropriate for high volume operations. In a production line work is divided into individual tasks and assigned to consecutive workstations on the line. In mass production on progressive assembly line the workload between various machines or workstations should be balanced. The need for balancing the line becomes obvious when it is considered that the output to be received from the line is determined by the maximum time involved in the performance of work at one particular workstation. The imbalances existing in the line would lead to wastage of time at all other work stations when one work station holds up the total output rate. Therefore, it is necessary to level out or balance the cycle times at each workstation. Line balancing refers to the apportionment of sequential work activities into workstations in order to Continue reading
Production Management
Production planning- Definition, Objectives and Levels
Production planning is concerned with deciding in advance what is to be produced, when to be produced, where to be produced and how to be produced. It involves foreseeing every step in the process of production so as to avoid all difficulties and inefficiency in the operation of the plant. Production planning has been defined as the technique of forecasting or picturing ahead every step in a long series of separate operations, each step to be taken in the right place, of the right degree, and at the right time, and each operation to be done at maximum efficiency. In other words, production planning involves looking ahead, anticipating bottlenecks and identifying the steps necessary to ensure smooth and uninterrupted flow of production. It determines the requirements for materials, machinery and man-power; establishes the exact sequence of operations for each individual item and lays down the time schedule Continue reading
Differences Between Manufacturing and Service Operations
Generally speaking, process efficiency is the most important to manufacturing operations while production and marketing are inseparable to service operations. Manufacturing’s tangible output can be consumed overtime, less labor and more equipment are used in production, since automation has increased capital intensity while as a result reduced customer contact. Consumers rarely take part in the manufacturing process, many manufacturing operations have emphasized efficiency while compromising flexibility, the methods for monitoring and using resources are sophisticated while producing. On the other hand, service operations are different from those of manufacturing operations. Consumption and production of services takes place simultaneously or closely, and there are more labor and more customer participation, which means service businesses, usually are more customer-oriented. while elementary methods are frequently used for monitoring and using resources. To be specific, there are mainly six differences between manufacturing operations and service operations. 1. Basic organize style in operation Basically, manufacturing Continue reading
Cellular Manufacturing – Meaning, Implementation and Benefits
A cellular manufacturing layout is in direct contradiction to the traditional production line. In the production line, numerous workers are needed to service a single production line running from receiving of raw material to shipping of finished product. A breakdown in staffing or machinery in any part of the line nearly always resulted in the entire process being idled until the specific difficulty in the line was repaired, or re-crewed. With cellular manufacturing, production is divided among groups, or cells, of workers and production machinery. Thus, the breakdown of one cell, due to equipment malfunction or staffing problems, does not radically affect the rest of the production process. Technology and cellular manufacturing have combined to streamline the production processes of numerous established and start-up manufacturing facilities worldwide. Lean systems, such as Kaizen, and Six Sigma, to name just two, though very often high in startup cost, provide both a short- Continue reading
Manufacturing Resource Planning Models
Evolution of Manufacturing Environment The field of production planning and control has undergone tremendous change in the last 50 years. Prior to the 1960s, inventory was controlled by a manual system, utilizing various techniques: stock replenishment, reorder points, EOQ (economic order quantity), and ABC classifications, to name a few. By the mid-1970s, enough experience of material requirements planning (MRP) had been gained and the importance of the master production schedule (MPS) was realized. In the 1950s, MRP was the first off-the-shelf business application to support the creation and maintenance of material master data and bill-of-materials across all products and parts in one or more plants. These early packages were able to process mass data but only with limited processing depth. From the 1940s to the early 1960s, material control consisted of basic ‘order point’ formulae used to maintain a level average inventory balance. In 1965, Joseph Orlicky of the J. Continue reading
The Seven Wastes of Lean Manufacturing
There are differing opinions on how many ‘types’ of waste an organisation might have. Current thinking suggests, seven, eight, or even nine depending on the nature of the organisation and the type of work carried out. Originally, there were said to be seven types of waste, and these were largely found in manufacturing organisations. They can be listed as: Overproduction Excess inventory Waiting (lost time) Unnecessary motion Unnecessary transportation (double handling, or moving excess stock) Re-work (poor quality) Over-processing (over-engineered) In each instance, it is recognized that even incremental improvements can help an organisation to increase its efficiency and reduce its costs. These savings and improvements are typically realized in a greater proportion of better quality output, meaning that even small improvements can have an exponentially large positive outcome. It is also noted that each one of these seven types of waste can be tied to different types Continue reading