Flow Production

This is when the production process involves passing parts along the stages of production ina regular flow. At each stage, more is added in a continuous process. There is no delay between any of the stages. The products are usually standardised. However, this is only effective if the demand is also continuous, otherwise there is like to be overstocking. There must also be good planning to ensure that the production runs smoothly, with enough labour and materials available.

Line Production

This is a type of flow production. The products are assembled along a conveyor belt until there is a finished product.

Mass Production

This is production on a large scale, with a single stage to the production process. The products tend to be standardised. There are good economies of scale due to the high level of productivity. The business can also be highly specialised with the specific equipment.

Advantages

• Less waste as this employs just-in-time techniques
• Lower labour costs as robots and good planning are used
• Quality can be easily detected by deviations in the line and controlled
• Less work-in-progress, therefore lower storage space and there is less handling
• Average costs are considerably lower

Disadvantages

• The work can easily become boring and repetitive
• Breakdowns or delays will have a huge impact on productivity
• Almost no flexibility, so the customers’ tastes are not always met.
• Operations must halt for problems to be rectified
• Faster conversion from raw materials to sales
• Lots of storage due to the large production
• High set up costs for the business