The Advantages and Disadvantages of Batch Production

What is batch production? Batch production is a method of manufacturing where identical or similar items are produced together whether that be a small or large production run. Each batch goes through a single stage of the production process before moving onto the next stage to make the desired product. Changes may occur between different batches, such as products constructed in different colours, sizes and styles. If a change needs to be altered due to supply and demand, this variation can be changed between batches. What makes batch productions different from larger types of manufacturing, including: mass production or continuous production, is that the full process can be carefully quality controlled at different stages of the production process. This is a key benefit of batch production where a batch can be assessed to mitigate the amount of wastage of a product. Why use batch production? Manufacturers are recommended to use batch production when producing products in smaller quantities. This is advised for fresh baked goods where you want to reduce waste, unique clothing, electrical goods and flat-pack furniture. As these products are not continuously made, and are more distinctive, you?re likely to be able to charge a higher price. What are batch production examples? Many diverse industries use batch production manufacturing in order to make their overall process more efficient. Dependant on your desired output rate, experienced engineering experts are able to create automated assembly systems to meet the needs of the production process. Examples of products created within the batch production process include: Flat pack furniture Electrical goods Clothing Baked goods Books/ newspapers Pharmaceuticals Fast food The ability of such machinery systems can include assembling product components, involving control and testing capabilities, and building in a ?no-faults forward? mechanism ensuring the minimum level of incorrect batches that might be pulled through to the next process. What are the advantages of batch production? When contemplating the most suitable manufacturing process for your business, the benefits of batch production are endless. Some of these benefits include: Cheaper to produce a whole batch of a product than a single item at a time Machinery can be utilised more efficiently, therefore saving money for the business Reduces the risk of concentrating on one product and allows for flexibility The overall wastage is reduced, such as creating as many products as is required Helps with contingency planning (if one batch has been spoiled, the cost is lower to discard that batch as opposed to thousands of products on a continuous cycle) Useful for seasonal items ? the ability for businesses to order more or less of an item The machinery isn?t continually active, therefore saving money on running costs What are the disadvantages of batch production? We have also outlined the disadvantages for a business using batch production methods to create their products, these include: Each batch can be subject to meticulous quality control and assurances that the batch meets the required standards before proceeding to the next batch ? causing a fair amount of down time for employees High storage costs for large quantities of the product Errors with products, the rest of the batch will have the same issue (wasting time and costly due to discarding materials) Periods of downtime where the specialist machinery must be altered (workers sitting idle and can be considered inefficient if you?re solely relying on the machines for this process) The product cannot be personalised and unique to the individual customer due to the batch production process Overall, when a company is searching for solutions on how to manufacture uniform products that are made on-demand ? batch production is a great solution. Batch production can also help keep your capital costs low and ensures quality is sustained through the production process.

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