3. Flow systems Flashcards
(6 cards)
▪ How would you define production?
Production is the process of transforming various inputs, such as raw materials, components, labor, and knowledge, into finished goods or services.
It is the act of adding value to resources to create an output that satisfies human wants and needs.
In manufacturing, production specifically refers to making goods for sale. It encompasses the entire journey from acquiring raw materials to delivering the final product or service.
The transformation takes place technologically by means of exchanges of energy to alter the physical and chemical characteristics and economically through the transformation of materials into items of greater values through a production system characterized by the combination and transformation paradigms of production management.
A production system is the combination of the production process and all the management subsystems contributing to make the transformations needed.
For example, the production of bread requires the wheat to processed into flour and mixed with different ingredients. The baker inputs it’s know-how to prepare the recipy and energy is added through the oven to finally get the bread which can be sold at a higher price to bring profits to the bakery.
▪ What are the combination and transformation paradigms in
production?
Production systems are fundamentally characterized by two paradigms: combination and transformation.
The combination paradigm refers to bringing together the production process with all necessary management subsystems, like information systems, organization, and accounting management, to achieve the required transformations.
In the bakery example, the baker must procure all the ingredients and set the recipy, as well as managing the bakery expenses and costs.
The transformation paradigm specifically describes the physical and chemical alteration of starting materials into finished products or economic goods, adding value through one or more operations. This highlights both the assembly of inputs and their conversion into outputs. For the bread example, the ingredients are mixed and cooked in an oven to get a final product.
▪ What is a bill of materials?
A Bill of Materials (BOM) is a comprehensive list of all raw materials, parts, subassemblies, and assemblies required to produce one unit of a product.
It functions as a product structure tree, visually depicting all components listed by levels, showing “parents” (items above) and “children” (items below).
Additional information like utilization coefficients and waste percentages can also be reported.
The BOM is crucial for understanding how operations are structured and for various production planning and documentation purposes.
Types: Manufacturing, engineering, planning…
Pen: level 1: Body, spring, refill, cap.
Body Level 2: Joint, resin body, tip
▪ What is described in a flowchart?
A flowchart is a diagrammatic representation that visually describes the detailed sequence of production processes of goods and services. They help in understanding how operations are structured and what could drive the performance of the business.
It uses specific symbols (e.g., for operation, transport, control, waiting, stocking) to illustrate each phase and the logical sequence of activities.
Flowcharts are used for documentation, communication, and analysis, clearly differentiating between value-adding and non-value-adding activities.
Transformation activities can be summarised through the use of Process Flow Charts (linear, synthetic or analytic).
Example: solder wires to transformer.
- Transformer to work location (movement)
- Wire and solder iron to terminal 1 (movement)
- Solder wire to terminal 1 (operation)
- Solder iron to holder (delay)
- Transformer to finished units (storage)
▪ In which production settings a flow line would be beneficial?
A flow or continuous line is particularly beneficial in production settings characterized by high volumes of standardized products and continuous or highly repetitive operations.
- mono-product production, one plant-one product
- no interruption in production (at the most a limited production pace)
- variation in production causes an efficency loss due to technical reason (process) or management (assembly)
- cement, polymers, oil
- food
- casting
▪ Outline the principle of the material flow analysis (MFA).
Material Flow Analysis (MFA) is an analytical tool to quantify flows and stocks of materials, substances, or products within a defined system over time and space. Its principle is based on the “flow thought in production”, requiring clear process definition and documentation.
It analyzes inflows, throughflows, and outflows, providing an analytical view for evaluating criteria like productivity, flexibility, time, cost, and quality.
MFA helps in understanding the movement and transformation of materials, including logistics and warehousing steps, to identify inefficiencies and improve resource management, as the total production time can be calculated.
Check SESSION 03 example
