The quantity production is characterized by the simultaneous or directly sequential production of several homogeneous products (series). It is a type of production with a large, but limited number of repetitions. If the capacity of a series is final, the production of another series begins (e.g. Eurofighter). Apart from the quantity production one differentiates the individual manufacture, the mass production, the sort manufacturing and the batch production as production methods.

General information

Before it comes to a manufacturing of a product, this is manufactured first as prototypes (relating to crafts of unique pieces). On the basis these first samples the appearance, the condition, the composition is specified and at the conclusion the expiration of the production. By the definition of these points a series product is defined.

In order to be able to steer quantity productions optimally, different software Tools is available, which is to help to optimize the process the quantity production so that turn-around times are kept as short as possible.

A series of a product is produced usually so long, as it can be sold profitably at the market. The manufacturers react here individually to different factors: Taste the potential customers, seasons, more favorable or better raw materials, improved manufacturing steps and the competitive situation at the market.

Characteristics of the quantity production

• Division of labor
• qualitatively used products
• technically different products (e.g. Furniture)
• high meaning of the and - cost
• limited number (series) of homogeneous achievements
• uniquely, then the next series follows

Kinds of distinction

Related to the quantity can be differentiated between:

• Small-batch manufacturing (e.g. Building of cranes/small quantity of homogeneous cranes)

• Mass production (e.g. Automobile industry/large quantity of homogeneous car models)

Further can be differentiated in:

• Order-oriented quantity production

- for partly standardized products, which are manufactured after a customer order.

• Market-focused quantity production

- for partly standardized products, which are produced for the anonymous customer.

Examples of industries with quantity production

• Automobile and automobile supplier industry: Automodels, tire, rims, lacquer
• Mode: Dresses, shoes
• Standard mechanical engineering
• Apparatus engineering
• Furniture industry
• Pharmaerzeugnisse
• Metallurgy
• ...

Advantages

• the product is perfected
• the product is simpler to manufacture, since the expiration is always the same
• the product becomes cheaper, since the necessary machines can be optimized and charged to capacity better; in addition the procurement of the necessary materials is clearly more economical in large numbers of items
• the product is available in large numbers of items on the market
• high productivity
• short turn-around times
• tendentious small transport costs and storage costs
• Use of trained workers possible
• Fixed cost degression

Disadvantages

• the individuality is lost
• smaller manufacturers and Manufakturen can manufacture only niche products profitably.
• Changes of market are with high conversion expenditures (e.g. Setup costs) connected
• higher storage costs, if several products, which are manufactured successively on the same machine, are set off at the same time.
• high capital requirement for manufacturing equipment

Literature

• Hanen, George: Production planning problems in an enterprise with quantity production, Regensburg 1981
• Heinen, Bernhard Dietel, Peter/Kupsch, Ekkehard/Kappler, Edmund: Decisions in the industrial company, Wiesbaden 1991 ISBN 3409331522

Related links

• http://www.bmbf.de/pub/nab_serienfertigung.pdf Federal Ministry for education and research

Articles in category "Quantity production"

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