Product Design: Manufacturing Systems and Processes Flashcards
What is the difference between blanking and piercing?
When you blank or pierce, you are cutting a circle out of a sheet of metal. The difference between the two processes is as follows: When you blank, the circle you cut out is the work piece and the rest of the sheet is the scrap material, whereas when you pierce, the circle you cut out is the scrap and the metal outside of the circle is the work piece.
What is quick response manufacturing (QRM)?
Quick response manufacturing refers to when companies make products to order as opposed to producing large quantities of products at once . An example of this can be seen in Jaguar Cars- Jaguar cars make cars after they are ordered- meaning that they can be made to the specifications of the customer and are not left sitting in showrooms.
Name an advantage and disadvantage of QRM
Advantage: Avoids expensive storage costs.
Disadvantage: The customer has to wait longer for the product.
What is EPOS?
EPOS refers to Electronic point of Sale. This refers to the use of bar-code technology. This involves the use of bar-codes that are laser scanned at the point of sale.
What does EPOS enable?
EPOS enables the sale of an item to be registered with distributors and warehouses. This in turn allows them to reorder stock from the manufacturer which allows for “Just In Time” manufacturing which is essential to QRM. Bar codes can also be used in the identification of a component or a finished product while it’s being processed or stored.
What is JIT manufacturing?
JIT refers to “Just In Time” manufacturing. This is a system devised to ensure customers get the products they want at the right time. It ensures that manufacturers do not have to stockpile raw materials or components.
What is JIT used for?
JIT is used by manufacturers to organise their suppliers to deliver materials and components to arrive just in time for when they’ll be needed in production. This avoids the need for vast quantities of stock, which saves space. Manufacturers will only store the amount of stock needed to produce the amount of products planned for one shift.
What is Kanban?
Kanban is the control of stock levels using a computerised system. If a manufacturer orders a number of parts, the parts will be stored in barcoded containers that contain information that identify: the part, and the quantity the container holds. Inside the box is a card that holds the same information. The card is called a Kanban. When each part is starting to be used, the Kanban card is collected by store works and through the use of EDI, the parts are automatically re-ordered from the supplier.
What is EDI?
EDI is electronic data interchange, this is a recognised standard for exchanging information between computer systems.
What is Sequencing?
Sequencing is an essential part of JIT manufacturing. Once parts and materials arrive at the factory they need to be taken to the individual work cells at the correct time. This is controlled by the use of computers.
What is MPS?
Master Production Scheduling or MPS is a computer-controlled scheduling system that sets the quantity of each product to be made in any given time period. For example, in the car industry, this is done using “order-based” scheduling.
What is MRP?
Material requirements planning is a production planning, scheduling, and inventory control system used to manage manufacturing processes. Most MRP systems are software-based, while it is possible to conduct MRP by hand as well.
What are Telematics?
Telematics is a system used to electronically track a product from the moment it is ordered all the way through assembly and dispatch. In the car industry, customer orders are converted into electronic data which is programmed into a black box. This box is placed on the car as it goes through each part of assembly. There are monitoring stations which check the progress of the car and it’s order. This ensures that all the variable parts are specific to the customers requirements.
What is FMS?
Flexible manufacturing systems refer to equipment and machinery that can be used to be produce more than one product. Some examples of this would be: Press formers, CNC punches, Laser cutters, lathes and milling machines and robot arms.
What is CMS?
Constant manufacturing systems are used by manufacturers who mass produce items like toothpaste tubes and aerosol cans. These manufacturers use automated equipment that can only produce these items. Investments in such production systems is relatively safe as the demand for such items is constant.
