Manufacturing Systems
Goal: creating products for people
Inputs: energy, knowledge, materials, money, people, time, tools
Processes: designing products, purchasing materials, processing materials (primary – chemical, mechanical, thermal; secondary – additive, assembly, casting & molding, conditioning, finishing, forming, separating), production (custom, continuous, job-lot, mass customization; quality assurance), packaging, distribution, and sales
Outputs: intended – products
unintended – scrap, waste, pollution
Feedback: open-loop, closed-loop
Manufacturing Processes
Primary: turning raw materials into industrial materials
Chemical: uses chemicals to change the form of a material
Mechanical: cutting, crushing, or grinding material to change its form
Thermal: uses heat to change the form of a material
Secondary: turning industrial materials into useful products
Additive: on a small scale this process is known as 3D printing. On an industrial scale, this process is known as additive manufacturing. Products are drawn using CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) software, then uploaded to the "3D printer," which prints the part. This process is capable of producing very complex parts that cannot be made using other methods or are extremely difficult to make with traditional methods. Parts can be printed in a myriad of materials including plastics, metal, food, and bio-materials (that are capable of growing cells and becoming living organisms)
Assembly: the act of putting parts together
Casting & Molding: the act of pouring a liquefied material into a form (mold) and letting it solidify resulting in a product (casting) in the shape of the form
Conditioning: the act of altering and improving the internal structure of a material
Finishing: the act of beautifying or protecting the surface of a material
Forming: the act of using force to give shape to a material
Separating: the act of removing material to achieve the desired shape
Example Videos:
Primary Processes:
Chemical:
Mechanical:
Thermal:
Secondary Processes:
Additive:
Large Scale Manufacturing:
In this video, you will see most of the secondary processes in action at Coca-Cola plants. Watch for each of the processes (excluding additive). The plastic preforms and bottles seen in the video are also made here in Winchester!
Test Your Knowledge:
Below is a video with an accompanying form. Watch the video and test your knowledge of secondary manufacturing processes.
Manufacturing Systems
Manufacturing systems are used to produce goods for people. The methods used to make the products and the quantities being produced are factors used to determine what manufacturing system is being utilized. Today, more and more items are produced using automated systems. Automation refers to a system where machines are controlled automatically. Automated manufacturing includes CAD and computer modeling, Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM), Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), Flexible Manufacturing, Agile Manufacturing, and Just-In-Time Manufacturing.
Custom: Produces small quantities of a product. This is the oldest form of manufacturing. Custom manufacturing is sometimes referred to as craft manufacturing. Work is completed be a highly skilled worker or team of workers. Products are made to order, meeting the exact specifications of the client. Quality of the product depends on the skill of the craftsman. Because parts are handcrafted, no two parts are the same. Production is generally slow and products are generally expensive.
Intermittent: Produces medium to large quantities of a product. Parts travel in batches or "lots" through each operation. This system was developed as the need for products surpassed what experienced workers were capable of producing. This method produces several different products using the same production line. Once an initial production line has run, a second product will be produced. This increases the amount of productivity a company is capable of at one time.
Continuous: Produces large quantities of a product that requires little to no changes over time. Parts move down a manufacturing line. An operation is completed at each station. Workers or robots complete the same process repeatedly at their station. This allows parts to be made quickly. Finished parts move to an assembly line where they are put together to form a finished product.
Flexible: Produces small to medium quantities of a product. This system is similar to intermittent; products are produced in batches using automated machines that can easily be programmed to the specifications of the part being made.
Intermittent, continuous, and flexible manufacturing are all forms of mass production. This allows for less skilled workers because they are only responsible for one operation. The work is routine and generally repetitive. Items are made relatively quickly and are generally less expensive due to the quantities being produced. Parts are interchangeable because they are machine made. Quality of parts depends mainly determined by the quality of the machines making them and how well they have been set up by people.
Example Pictures & Videos:
Custom Manufacturing
Intermittent Manufacturing
Continuous Manufacturing
Flexible Manufacturing
