PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT-TYPES OF PRODUCTION

                               

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Before production commences, forecasting and planning are needed and the actual procedure adopted depends upon a number of factors, namely: 

i.                    Job Production (Unit production): This occurs when a customer requires a single product made to his specifications.  In this case, there must be a wider variety of machines and equipment available to do all types of work and labour must have varied skills.  There is no production for stock and there are only limited stocks of materials kept.

ii.                  Batch Production:  This occurs when quantities of products or components are made at the same time.  There is repetition, but not continuous production.  Production often is for stock, but if a batch is required to fulfill a special order, the items are usually completed in one run.

iii.                Continuous Production: Continuous production is characterized by a constant flow of materials in the production process.  Continuous production processes are characterized by production of a standardized product to stock before specific customer orders are received.  A factory assembling refrigerators is an example of continuous production.

iv.                 Intermittent Production:  This is a process that has varieties in the flow of materials in production and is often called job order or job for production. It is characterized by production to specific customer orders after the orders are received.  The product is built to customer specifications.  Machine shops that produce a wide variety of products to customer specifications are examples of intermittent production.

v.                  OTHER TYPES:

i.                    Analytical Process: An Analytical process begins with raw materials which are subsequently reduced to its component parts to form one or more products.  The factory that extracts gold from ore is an example of an analytical process that results in one product.  Similarly, the meat packaging, plant that converts cattle into various cuts or meant and sells the horns and hooves for glue and the animal hide from which such items  as wearing apparel are made is an example of analytical process that results in several products from one raw material.

ii.                  Synthetic Process:  A synthetic Production process combines different raw materials or component parts to form a product.  It may also be a process that changes a single raw material into a product of a different form.  Synthetic production processes are basically of two types:

a.      Fabrication

b.      Modification 

 Fabrication is a synthetic process in which materials are combined together to form a product.  The automobile assembly line is an illustration of a fabrication process.  Modification is the synthetic process by which materials are changed into a product by altering the raw material.  The production of steel or the production of steel pipes from steel ingots is both forms of modification processing.

STEPS IN PRODUCTION

The following outlines show the steps taken before producing and marketing a product:

(i)                 Market Research: This probes the markets in an attempt to ascertain the need for a new product.

(ii)               Research: This is carried out to provide information on which to base a design for a prototype.

(iii)             Design Work:  This started which should produce a basic product.

(iv)              Development work:  This is carried out to develop the design.

(v)                Prototype Production:  This stage goes hand in hand with design and is the production of few  products, often made with parts fashioned by hand.  These are used for experimental and test purposes.

(vi)              Pre-Production: This stage is tended to provide a number of items as nearly as possible under factor conditions, using where possible, the tools and equipment which will be used on the production line.  Those samples are tested and may also be supplied to customers for their consideration.

(vii)            Manufacture: - The production is then put into full production after an initial build-up to the final figure.  This build-up allows time for the operatives to learn the new assembly cycles and ensures that the initial progress will be made in spite of the high level of rejects which may occur at the start of production. Then the goods leave for the warehouse and become the responsibility of the sales organization.

References:

Nathaniel C. O.  (2002 -2010), Production Management Concepts and Cases, Enugu: Precision Publishers Limited.