HO1 - Lecture 4: Organisation of manufacturing

Question 1

Define Non-Value added activities (NVA).

Answer 1

Incurs a cost to organisation which cannot be passed onto customer = has not caused value of product to be increased.

eg: Storage, inspection, handling, sorting, checking, counting.

Question 2

What are the 4 production methods used in manufacturing?

Answer 2

1. Job
2. Batch
3. Flow
4. Group

*each of them following set of circumstances: product demand, range of products produced, capital available.

Question 3

What is Job production?

Answer 3

Used when products are made singly/ small batches - can operate effectively for low & high technology products - for either simple / complex processes.
*know diagram.

Question 4

What are the advantages to job production?

Answer 4

1. Customised product
2. Planning and scheduling - easy
3. Ability to modify part way through
4. Quality - good

Question 5

What are the disadvantages to Job production?

Answer 5

1. High cost
2. Low machine utilisation
3. Reasonably short lead times
   eg: prototypes, shipbuilding, construction

Question 6

What is Batch production?

Answer 6

1. Product = built in a series of stages.
2. At each stage: number of units of product (batch) are processed before the whole batch moves onto the next stage.
3. Prefer this production if: wide range of products & demand for products is varied.
   eg: Hip joints
4. Companies w/ batch: use functional factory layout - similar processes & functions grouped together.
   * know diagram 4.2 and 4.3

Question 7

What are the advantages of Batch?

Answer 7

1. high utilisation of machines

2. Increase vol. (compared to job).

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of Batch?

Answer 8

1. High WIP
2. Long lead time
3. No modification part way through
4. Long process route
5. Lots of NVA
6. Quality issues

Question 9

What is Flow/Mass production?

Answer 9

1. Process of manufacturing product in a number of discreet steps but with no waiting at each stage for a batch of components to be produced.
2. Combines: advantages of both job and batch production for high volume production.
3. In this case the products pass through the production line as if they were in batches of one.
   * know diagram 4.4

Question 10

What are the advantages of Flow/mass? (3)

Answer 10

1. Short as possible lead time
2. V. high vol. - meet high demand
3. Low “in process” inventory

Question 11

What are the disadvantages of Flow/mass? (5)

Answer 11

1. Deskilling of workforce
2. Rapid build up of WIP - breakdown
3. Need fair constant, high demand
4. High amount of capital needed
5. Every production has to take some amount of time
   eg: cars *know 4.5

Question 12

What is Group technology?

Answer 12

Extension of batch production in which the factory is organised w/ the aim of putting all the processes required for a particular product or family of products, into one area.
Area - cell.
*know 6

Question 13

What are the advantages of group technology?

Answer 13

1. Small batches: low WIP - short lead time
2. Range of products
3. Short process routes
4. Multi-skilled workforce
5. Scheduling simplified

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of Group technology?

Answer 14

*Anything in batch disadv.