Humans Innovating Technology Series

Manufacturing Processes

Introduction

Almost every product we use was produced
using some type of manufacturing process. Most
of the food we eat is processed. We watch tele-
vision on a set that was manufactured. Likewise,
the vehicle we drive is the product of
processing actions. The books and maga-
zines we read and the CDs that bring us
music were all manufactured.
Manufacturing processes can be
divided into three stages. The first
stage involves locating and extracting
materials. This may be a forester
cruising a forest to select mature trees
or geologists seeking rock formations that may
contain petroleum or minerals.
Once the material (natural) resource is found,
it must be removed from the earth and trans-
ported to a processing mill. Trees are felled and
crops are harvested. Ores are obtained using
open-pit or shaft mines. Liquid and gaseous
resources, such as natural gas and petroleum, are
extracted through wells.
The second stage of manufacturing
processing is called primary processing.
It involves changing the material
resources into industrial materials
or standard stock. These are the
materials that are used to make
final products. Typical primary
processing activities are smelting
iron ore with coke and limestone to
make steel, grinding grain to produce flour,
processing natural gas to make plastics, and
fusing silica sand with other additives to make
glass.
The result of primary processing is a material

echnological Literacy Standard #19

Students will develop an understanding of and be able to select
and use manufacturing technologies.

enchmarks
Grades 6-8 Manufacturing processes include designing, engi-
neering, making, and servicing.

Grades 9-12 Interchangeable parts increase efficiency.

Servicing products keeps products in operating condition.
Page 2
that has value to other
manufacturers but not to
consumers. Sheets of
steel, boards of lumber, or
containers of polyethyl-
ene pellets are of little use
to the end consumer.
These materials need to
be further processed into
consumable goods.
The last stage of manufacturing is called
secondary processing. It converts industrial
materials into products. The processes are done
in factories that employ people and machines to
change the size, shape, or finish of material,
parts, and assemblies.
There are six classes of secondary processes
used to produce produces. These processes are:
● Casting and molding: processes that cause
molten or liquid materials to enter a mold
where it solidifies before being extracted.
Making an ice cube is a simple example of
casting.
● Forming: processes that cause a material to
take the shape of a die using an external
force. Forming aluminum foil over a pie is a
simple forming process.
This issue of the
Humans Innovating
Technology Series (HITS)
was written by
R. Thomas Wright
and published by the
International Technology Education
Association
1914 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191
© 2003
HITS
● Separating: processes that give a material
size and shape by removing excess material.
Cutting hair or a lawn are examples of
simple separating processes.
● Conditioning: processes that change material
properties using heat, pressure, or chemical
action. Baking cookies is an example of a
conditioning process.
● Assembling: processes that are used to
temporarily or permanently fasten or bond
pieces together. Sewing a dress is an example
of an assembly process.
● Finishing: processes that protect or beautify a
surface by converting the surface or applying
a coating. Painting a lawnchair is an example
of a finishing process.
In this activity, the students will design and
engineer a candle holder and then produce it
using a number of different manufacturing
processes. During the activity they will identify
and describe the several material processes they
use and list the basic characteristics of each of
these processes.
Series staff:
R. Thomas Wright, DTE, Director
ITEA Resources in Technology Education Project
Katie de la Paz, Editor
Kathie Cluff, Assistant Editor
ITEA Publications
Kendall Starkweather, DTE
ITEA Executive Director
ITEA Page 3

Key Terms

Manufacturing Making a product by Separating Processes that give a material

changing the shape, size, or
composition of materials.
Processes A series of actions that lead
to a goal.
Casting and Processes that cause molten
molding material to enter a mold
where it solidifies before
being extracted.
Forming Processes that cause a
material to take the shape
of a die using an external
force.
size and shape by removing
excess material.
Conditioning Processes that change mate-
rial properties using heat,
pressure, or chemical action.
Assembling Processes that are used to
temporarily or permanently
fasten or bond pieces to-
gether.
Finishing Processes that protect or
beautify a surface by convert-
ing the surface or applying a
coating.

Connections to Other Subjects

Science: Simple machines, forces used in manufacturing processes, geological

surveying.
Mathematics: Measuring distances for layout work.
Language arts: Communicating technical information.
Social Studies: How tools and manufacturing processes have developed over
time, effects of manufacturing on a society.
Engineering: How product use information is communicated to customers.
Page 4
Content Overview
Manufacturing involves a number of different
types of processes including designing, engineer-
ing, producing, and servicing processes. Each of
these help move the product from an idea to a
useful item for consumer use.
Designing involves the process that changes
"ideas in the mind" to "ideas on paper." Engi-
neering is the act of specifying products and
production systems. Producing is a series of
processes used to change materials into products.
Servicing is the group of processes used to keep
products in working order.
The major focus of this HITS unit is on
examining the processes that change industrial
materials (standard stock) into products. This set
of processes is often called secondary processes.
They include:
● Casting and molding processes
● Forming processes
● Separating processes
● Conditioning processes
● Assembling processes
● Finishing processes
Casting and molding produce parts that have
a desired size and shape by introducing a mate-
rial into an existing mold cavity. The material
may be a liquid or may be made molten by
HITS
heating it, (metals and plastics) or suspending it
in a liquid (clay slip). The material is then
introduced into the mold by gravity (pouring) or
with force (injecting). Once in the mold, the
material is solidified by cooling, drying, or
chemical action (catalyst). The casting (cast part)
is then extracted by opening or destroying the
mold.
Forming processes change the size and shape
but not the volume of the material by forcing the
material over, between, into a forming device.
Forming processes use a forming force and a
forming device. The force may be generated by a
hammer, press, or rolling machine. The forming
device may be a die with a shaved cavity, a mold
with an external shape, or a set of smooth or
shaped rolls. Forming may be done either hot or
cold.
Separating processes size and shape material
by removing unwanted material. This is done by
action called either machining or shearing.
Machining removes the material in the form of
chips or molten globs (flame cutting) while
shearing fractures the unwanted material from
the part. Both processes use a cutting element
(tool, burning gases, electric spark, etc.). They
include mechanisms to develop cutting motion
(causing a cut to form) and feed motion (bring-
ing new material into the cut).
ITEA Page 5

Look at a product near you. What manufacturing

Think About processes were used to make it? How would the
product have been made a hundred years ago? Could
it have even been made then?

Conditioning processes change the properties beautify it. All finishing processes include a
of a material by altering its internal structure. finishing agent and a method of application. The
These processes use heat, mechanical force, or agents are either organic (paints, varnishes, etc.)
chemical action to change the hardness, corro- or inorganic (metallic or ceramic) coatings. They
sion resistance, strength, or other property of a are applied by methods such as brushing, dip-
material. These processes include firing ceram- ping, spraying, roll coating, flooding, electroplat-
ics, heat treating metals, and tempering glass. ing, and vacuum metalizing.
Assembling processes permanently or tem-
porarily join parts together. These processes may
use fusion, adhesion, fasteners, or joints to create
the assembly. The process includes processes
such as welding, brazing, soldering, riveting,
bolting, seaming, and gluing.
Finishing processes coat or convert the
surface of a material or product to protect or

Evidence of Attainment

The students will show that they have attained understanding of and ability to
use manufacturing processes and technologies by:
● Describing designing, engineering, making, and servicing as manufacturing
actions.
● Listing and describing the three stages of manufacturing.
● Giving examples of processes used in each stage of manufacturing.
● Listing and describing the six families of secondary manufacturing processes.
● Using appropriate manufacturing processes to make a product.
Page 6 HITS

Problem/Challenge/Scenario
This unit is based on the manufacturing processes that are used to
change industrial goods into finished products. The students will
complete the final design and engineering for a candle holder then use
casting, separating, assembling, and finishing processes to complete
the product. They will conclude the activity by developing an informa-
tion card to accompany the product.

Context
The context for this activity is one of the areas of technology listed in
Standards for Technological Literacy: manufacturing technologies.

Resources
Print Web

Wright, R. T. (2000). Manufacturing Sys- Society of Manufacturing Engineers is a

tems. Tinley Park, IL: Goodheart-Willcox.
ISBN: 1-56637-584-3.
Wright, R. T. . (2000) Technology. Tinley
Park, IL: Goodheart-Willcox. ISBN:
1-56637-50-0.
professional society serving its members
and the manufacturing community.
URL:http://www.sme.org/
Manufacturing Extension Partnership is a
list of manufacturing extension centers.
URL:http://www.mep.nist.gov/

Tools and Supplies

Tools and equipment Supplies
Candle wax
Common woodworking tools and machines
Candle wick
Common metalworking tools and machines
1/2" thick wood
Candle molds
Sheet aluminum
Double boiler
1/16" thick acrylic
Hot plate
Abrasive paper
Finishing materials
Adhesives
ITEA Page 7

Teacher Preparation
Prepare for this unit by:
1. Developing a presentation or bulletin board showing designing, engi-
neering, making (producing), and servicing as major manufacturing
activities.
2. Developing a presentation/discussion on the stages of manufacturing and
the six process families included in secondary processing.
3. Reviewing sections of common technology education textbooks dealing
with manufacturing and manufacturing processes.
4. Reproducing the handouts in this packet.
5. Gathering the supplies, materials, and tools listed for this activity.

Getting the Students Ready

Prepare the students for the activity by:

1. Describing manufacturing, stages of manufacturing, and major manufacturing processes.

2. Having the students read about manufacturing processes in a technology education text-
book.
3. Challenging the students to locate Web sites or “how things work” books that have ex-
amples of manufacturing processes.

Conducting the Activity

1. Divide the class into groups of three to
four students each.
2. Show Transparency #1 which shows the
candle holder and the challenge for the
students.
3. Have each student in each design team:
a. Use a Product Design form, like the
one on page 12, to sketch two pos-
sible shapes for the candle holder
base.
b. Present the design to his or her team.
4. Have each team:
a. Discuss the advantages and disadvan-
tages of each design developed by
members of the team.
b. Select and refine the best design.
5. Have each team assign a part (base,
protective member, or candle) to a member
of its team. Two members can have the
same part if the team has more that three
members.
Page 8 HITS

Conducting the Activity (continued)

6. Have each member complete his or her
part of a Process Identification form, like
the one on page 13.
7. Have each team assign one or two mem-
bers to make the base and one or two
members to make the protective member.
8. Have each student:
a. Make his or her respective part.
b. Complete the appropriate section on a
Separating Processes form, like the
one on page 14.
c. Describe the part he or she made and
review his or her entries on the Sepa-
rating Processes form with the other
members of the team.
9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 with one group
finishing the base and the other group
casting a candle. The groups should
complete their appropriate form on a
sheet, like the one shown on page 15.
10. Have each design team assemble the
candle holder and complete the Assem-
bling Processes form, like the one on the
top of page 16.
11. Have each team:
a. Use brainstorming to determine the
information for a consumer informa-
tion card/sheet. They should enter the
information on a Consumer Service
form, like the one on the bottom of
page 16.
b. Develop a layout for the consumer
information on the
second page of the
Consumer
Service form,
like the one on
page 17.

Assessing Students
Students’ ability to understand and use manufacturing technologies and
processes use can be evaluated in a number of ways, including the meth-
ods listed below:
1. Ask the students to describe the stages of manufacturing including
locating and extracting natural resources, primary processing, and
secondary processing.
2. Have the students give examples of processes used in each stage of
manufacturing.
3. Have the students describe the characteristics of each secondary manufacturing process
used in making their product.
4. Administer an objective-type test to determine their knowledge of manufacturing pro-
cesses.
 The Challenge

✔ Develop a design for

a candle holder.

Candle ✔ Manufacture the

holder in keeping
Protective with the design
member
Base ✔ Identify and describe
the processes used
to make the product.

9
Transparency #1
Page 10 HITS

Manufacturing Processes
Learning Activity

Context Manufacturing Technology

Introduction
Manufacturing processes make many of the products you use every day.
They are all the actions people take to change the form of materials to
make them more useful.

Challenge
Identify and describe the manufacturing processes you use in making a
simple product.

Goals
By the time you finish this activity you should be able to:
✔ Describe manufacturing processes as the action taken to design, engi-
neer, make, and service a product.
✔ List the three phases of manufacturing processes that a material goes
through in becoming a product.

✔ Describe the ways materials are located and extracted from the natural
world.
✔ List and explain the types of primary manufacturing processes.
✔ Describe the six types of secondary manufacturing processes.
✔ Explain the role of servicing in manufacturing.

10
ITEA Page 11
Tasks

Your tasks
✔ Join a manufacturing team for this challenge.
✔ Work with the team to develop a design for a candle holder or other
similar product using the Product Design form in this packet.
✔ Identify and engineer the processes to be used in making the product
using the Process Identification form in this packet.
✔ Work as a team to:
▲ Cut out the parts needed to make the product.
▲ Analyze each process using a copy of the Separating Process
Analysis form in this packet.
▲ Apply finish to the parts.
▲ Analyze the finishing processes using a copy of the Finishing
Process Analysis form in this packet.
▲ Cast the candle for the candle holder set.
▲ Analyze the casting processes using a copy of the Casting Process
Analysis form in this packet.
▲ Assemble the product.
▲ Analyze the assembling processes using a copy of the Assembling
Process Analysis form in this packet.
✔ Develop a sheet/card that provides servicing and use instruction for the
product using the Customer Service form included in this packet.
✔ Present your product and customer information to the class.

Optional tasks
✔ Prepare a layout for a print or electronic advertisement for the product.
✔ Prepare a layout and prototype of a package for the product.
✔ Design a point-of-purchase display for the product.

11
Page 12 HITS
Product Design

Complete the following steps in developing a design for a candle holder:

✔ Sketch two possible shapes for the candle holder base.
Candle
✔ The holder should have a base and a protective member as
shown at the right.
Protective
✔ Present your designs to your group. member
Base
✔ Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each design
developed by members of your team.
✔ Help your team select one design to manufacture.

Advantages:
Design # 1

Disadvantages:

Advantages:
Design #2

Disadvantages:

12
ITEA Page 13
Process Identification

Complete a description for each of the three parts of your candle set.

What processes need to be completed to make this part?

Base

What materials will be used to make the part?

What tools are needed?

What processes need to be completed to make this part?

Protective
Member
What materials will be used to make the part?

What tools are needed?

What processes need to be completed to make this part?

Candle

What materials will be used to make the part?

What tools are needed?

13
Page 14 HITS
Separating Processes

What type of separating process was used?

Base ❑ Chip removal ❑ Shearing

What tool or machine was used? ______________________________

What type of cutting tool was used? ___________________________

Sketch the tooth shape for the tool:

How was the cutting motion produced? ________________________

________________________________________________________

How was the feed motion produced? __________________________

________________________________________________________

What type of separating process was used?

Protective ❑ Chip removal ❑ Shearing
Member
What tool or machine was used? ______________________________

What type of cutting tool was used? ___________________________

Sketch the tooth shape for the tool:

How was the cutting motion produced? ________________________

________________________________________________________

How was the feed motion produced? __________________________

________________________________________________________
14
ITEA Page 15
Casting Processes

What materials will be used to make the part?_____________________

Candle What tools are needed?

What steps will you use in making the product?

What problems were encountered while completing the casting process?

Finishing Processes
What type of finishing material was used?
❑ Inorganic coating ❑ Organic coating

What was its name? __________________________________________

How was it applied? _________________________________________

What was the drying time? ____________________________________

How did the finish look when applied?

What problems were encountered while finishing the product?

15
 Assembling Processes

What type of assembly was used?

❑ Bonding ❑ Mechanical fastening

How was it done? ___________________________________________

What problems were encountered while assembling the product?

Consumer Service

What general information about the company and product should be included?

What product use information should be included with the product?

What product care information should be included?

What customer safety information should be included with the product?

16
 Consumer Service

On this grid, develop a layout for the information card or flyer that will be
included with the product.

17
Page 18 HITS

Assessment Rubrics - Writing an Owner's Manual

Company Information
0 1 2 3 4 5
No information Only company Company name and Company name and
included name given address given a logo given

Product Information
0 1 2 3 4 5
No information Limited product Average product Complete product
included information given information given information given

Set-up Information
0 1 2 3 4 5
No information Incomplete Fairly complete explanation but Complete and clear
listed explanation given unclear explanation given explanation given

Service and Maintenance Information

0 1 2 3 4 5
No information Incomplete Fairly complete but Complete and clear
given explanation given unclear explanation given explanation given

Operating Information
0 1 2 3 4 5
No procedure Incomplete Fairly complete but Complete and clear
given procedure given unclear procedure given procedure given

Repair Information
0 1 2 3 4 5
No information Incomplete Fairly complete but Complete and clear
given directions given unclear directions given directions given

Service Required
0 1 2 3 4 5
No information Incomplete Fairly complete but Complete and clear
given explanation given unclear explanation given explanation given

Guarantee Information
0 1 2 3 4 5
No information Incomplete Fairly complete but Complete and clear
given information given unclear informataion given information given
Formula/recipe versus BOM

It’s common that manufacturers use the terms “formulation” and “BOMs”
interchangeably and thus, incorrectly. Within the walls of the manufacturing plant,
employees might know what they’re referring to, but in the context of choosing an
ERP software solution, it’s important to know that these items are very different.

Batch process manufacturing companies work with recipes and formulas that
measure and combine ingredients per order and batch size, and according to various
units of measure––liters, gallons, pounds, and percentages. A discrete
manufacturing BOM lists parts, components, assemblies, sub-assemblies, pieces,
raw materials, and the quantities of each of these; the BOM doesn’t change with the
size of the order since the product is created one unit at a time.

Formulation and recipes are scaled frequently in process manufacturing. A formula

to make 400 liters of a chemical can be scaled for production of 200 or 800 liters.
Production batches can also be scaled according to the amount of raw materials on
hand. However, in discrete manufacturing scaling product production is unfeasible.
For example, you cannot make a stove with only two burner coils, a dining table
minus two legs, or a car with only two wheels. Industry specific ERP with formulation
management capability provides scaling ability by configuring batch tickets based
on available raw material inventory data stored within the ERP.

Detailed instructions might also be contained within the recipe/formulation as

opposed to a BOM. Attribute changes, recipe revisions, and customizations are
noted in the recipe, making the procedure much more complicated than the
repetitive creation of one discretely manufactured unit of product. The ERP software
designed specifically for formulation management will include tracking of recipe
revisions, note sections for each step of the production process on the batch
ticket/work order, and contains historical information of revisions, changes and
updates to the recipe

Bill of Materials (BOM) for the food and drinks

industry

In the food and drinks industry, BOMs are often referred to as

recipes within the context of food and drink production. The main
difference between a BOM and a recipe is that, while BOM is a
description of materials including assemblies and sub-assemblies,
a recipe describes the steps within the production process.
NotaZone, Agrantec’s inventory management and traceability
platform uses the term recipes due to its focus on food and drink
production. The recipes within NotaZone contain additional
information beyond the list of materials such as yield adjustment
and shelf-life calculation.
What to include in a recipe (BOM):
1. The product being made
2. Target quantity to make for these ingredients.
3. Ingredients:- list of materials needed and the quantity required
4. Actions: any additional actions that have taken place/need to take
place on the raw materials
5. Optional: historic yield which can be used to modify future recipes or
improve waste
Key Takeaway
A recipe (for the food and drink industry) or Bill of Materials (BOM)
is an important, centralised source of information on ingredients
(raw materials, assemblies, and subassemblies) to manufacture an
end product.

BOM enables food producers to efficiently control the

manufacturing process such as the cost, purchasing of raw
materials, and packaging.

Background on Recipes

This article deals with a complex area of process industry

manufacturing, recipe management. Recipes are unique to process
manufacturing. Because discrete manufacturing tends to be a
greater focus in literature and discussion than process
manufacturing, recipes are generally much less well understood
than similar master data objects in discrete manufacturing. Their
management is a significant challenge for most process
manufacturers.

The Recipe Versus the Bill of Material

While the bill of material (BOM) is often equated to the recipe in
process manufacturing, as is pointed out by Wikipedia, there is
more to the recipe than finished goods, semi-finished goods, and
raw material. For instance, a recipe includes the steps to be
executed and the resources required to produce the finished good.
On the other hand, the BOM is composed of only the materials
necessary to manufacture the finished good.

In this way, the recipe is much closer to the SAP APO PDS or PPM.
These are master data objects inside SAP APO used in both APO
SNP (supply planning) and PP/DS (production planning). Both of
these master data objects combine the resource with the BOM as
well as the routing.

How a Formula Relates to a Recipe

While sometimes blended with the term recipe (recipes are
described in more detail further on in this article), formula and
recipe are not the same. A formula is, in fact, a subcomponent of a
recipe. Formulas can be completely separate objects, and formulas
can be production scheduled all by themselves.

It can stand separate from a recipe, but in most cases, it does not
stand separately and is combined as part of a subordinate object
to a larger recipe, which contains multiple formulas. It is common
to have multiple formulas within a recipe because each formula
relates to the manufacturing configuration of a semi-finished good.

It is also quite common for semi-finished goods to have complex

formulas that must be processed as part of the in-process
manufacturing steps.

Recipes in SAP ERP

Recipes are part of a solution called SAP Recipe Management. (See
SAP’s marketing PDF on this at this link.) And SAP’s help.
Unfortunately, this solution is connected to the SAP PLM solution,
one of the weakest solutions in SAP’s solution footprint, which I
have previously discussed here.

• Savvy companies will learn from SAP’s problems in this area

and keep their expectations concerning recipe management
low. Instead, the only life-cycle or change management
functionality expected from SAP on the recipe is simply the
 ability to make copies of recipes. Recipes can be altered by
copying them from older recipes and making even small
changes to make new recipe variants.
• The production version functionality then controls which
recipe is activated and used for production planning. During
one planning run, multiple production versions (and, therefore
recipe combinations) would be used because different
production versions are used per time of year for the planned
production orders.
• All recipes that are to be used for the next production
planning run can be changed by simply activating a different
production version. However, what is more, common is that
some recipes would be the same (for some products)
between different production versions, but for other
products, the recipes are different. There are many to many
relationships between recipes and production versions,
providing more flexibility in recipe selection.
• Recipes can be quite complex and can be multi-leveled (just
as with a BOM). They can include ingredients, intermediates,
and other formulas. Production versions are created in SAP
ERP and stay there if no external production planning system
exists, such as APO PP/DS.
• If an external planning system is used, the production version
is exported to this system during the normal master data
update process between the systems.

Selecting the Recipe with Production

Versions in SAP
In SAP, the configuration object that determines which alternative
BOM is used and which master recipe to produce material is called
a production version. The production version functionality is part of
the SAP PP module. It is set up in SAP PP and can also be used by
PP/DS.

Several production versions frequently exist for one material for

various validity periods and lot size ranges. (In other areas of SAP,
these different versions would be called variants.) Production
versions are used in both discrete manufacturing and process
manufacturing. For this article, we will focus on focus on process
manufacturing.
Creating and Reading Production
Versions
Production versions are created with the following transaction or
pathway within SAP ERP.

Transaction code C223

Go to top

Logistics -> Production Process ->

Master Date -> Production Version
Go to top
After you create a production version, the appropriate alternative
BOM components are available in the recipe as a master list or can
be created from the recipe. Within the production version, you can
assign a storage location to the material you want to produce.

How Process Manufacturing Differs from

Discrete Manufacturing
It is important to understand how to discern between software
designed for process industry manufacturing and how process
manufacturing differs from discrete. You will learn exactly how to
process manufacturing and planning software.

Deloitte on Process Manufacturing?

I was amazed at one point with a director at Deloitte once told me
on a project that we worked together that cheese and whey
processing was “somewhat-discrete.” I would beg to differ.

At the time, I said that the company in question was entirely

process manufacturing. This was because it involved the…

• Liquid manufacturing or liquid processing (most process

manufacturing involves liquid manufacturing or liquid
processing)
• The use of vats had leading and lagging operations. (that is
not start-finish or start-start, as would be the case between
manufacturing operations, say pens or toys).
 • Variable output per sub-process

I wish I had known Wikipedia’s definition of process manufacturing

at the time because it is more definitive. This definition is highly
accurate and is useful to have in one’s back pocket when debating
whether a company is a process or a discrete manufacturing
operation. They state that the key differentiator between process
and discrete manufacturing is whether the product can be
disassembled into its parts.

“…once an output is produced, it cannot be distilled

back to its basic components. A can of soda cannot
be returned to its basic components such as
carbonated water, citric acid, potassium benzoate,
aspartame and other ingredients. Juice cannot be
put back into an orange. A car or computer on the
other hand can be disassembled and its
components, to a large extent, returned to stock.”
I found this an interesting definition. Wikipedia categorizes process
industries as “food, beverage, chemical, pharmaceutical, consumer
packaged goods and biotech” almost all deal with liquid
manufacturing or liquid processing. And that is quite a good
barometer to use. Most liquid manufacturing or liquid processing
is, in fact, process manufacturing.

Liquid Processing Versus Discrete

Manufacturing
Liquid processing is more complex and variable than discrete
manufacturing, and its requirements are quite a bit different and
require specialized software to account for its differences. One
reason for this is that process manufacturing often has variable
yields from its production processes. Milk is a good example of a
variable yield with liquid manufacturing or liquid processing. When
raw milk is brought into the plant, the resulting fat, protein, and
other constituent parts change depending upon everything from
the weather the grass was grown to the particular cows and their
treatment and other nutrition supplements they received at the
dairy.
Discrete manufacturing has defective units, especially when
“dialing in” or perfecting a new product’s production, but the unit
returns are stable. This means that the production rate at the
beginning of the subprocess is entirely different from the middle
and the end. Another common difference is the need for lagging or
overlapping operations in liquid manufacturing or liquid processing,
which is not the case or largely not the case in discrete
manufacturing.

The Process Manufacturing Requirements

List
Good insight can be obtained regarding the requirements for
process manufacturing planning by observing the declared
capabilities of a company called TGI states these capabilities
within its Enterprise 21 product.

Supports infinite-level formulas with yielding at the

top level or ingredient level and rank-ordered
ingredient substitutes
Products can have global formulas or unique
facility-specific formulas
Supports scalable batches
Supports recipes through the integration of
formulas and associated processing instructions and
notes for use during batch process production
System maintained version and revision control with
a fully integrated engineering change order process
Formulas support nested formulas and
intermediates and can have infinite notes and
instructions
Supports online review of formulas via single-level
and multi-level explosion
Multi-level where-used functionality enables rapid
access and mass change to all finished goods using
specific ingredients, intermediates, and nested
formulas
Formulas and recipes are easily duplicated and
updated for the same product or a new product
Formulas are pulled into work orders or batches for
tracking and recording of actual ingredients
consumed or backflushed at defined standards
Supports co-products and by-products
Supports lot control tracking, shelf life
management, product grading, and hazardous
materials tracking and reporting
Contains a host of functionalities for liquid
manufacturing or liquid processing.

Establish a BOM structure and management that is suitable for your company's
products and manufacturing

This is the last column of this series “Integrated BOM”. In previous three columns, we
explained about the features of BOM and the necessity and effective utilization of Integrated
BOM management. This time, we would like to summarize key points in relation to
Integrated BOM management and also suggest important points for establishing a BOM
structure that is suitable for your company's products and manufacturing system.

Important points

1. Find and define BOMs that are suitable for your product and manufacturing system.
2. Reduce operational issues of linkage between engineering and manufacturing.

3. Establish a product life cycle management system with integrated BOM as core.
In the next section, we will explain the details of these points.

Point 1: Find and define BOMs that are suitable for your product and manufacturing
system.

There are different types of BOM depending on the production type. The following table is
an example that describes the relationship between the production type and different types
of BOM depending on production type. We think that it is important to define the multiple
BOMs depending on your product and production type by each business phase.
In order to realize this, firstly, you need to define multiple BOMs by business application that
are suitable for your production pattern. For example, In case of mass production type
product, create multiple BOMs such as E-BOM according to the requirements of engineering
department and M-BOM according to the requirements of manufacturing site from E-BOM,
In case of individual order type product, create standard BOM, M-BOM, Service BOM and so
on.

Click To Enlarge Image

Point 2: Reduce operational issues of linkage between engineering and manufacturing

Many manufacturers are creating and operating multiple BOMs for their products and
manufacturing. However, we have often heard that there are operational issues in some
cases.
The following chart is a case of common operational issues between engineering and
manufacturing that we experienced in our past projects. One of the major causes of such
operational issues is an individual BOM management by business application. Especially in
some manufacturing companies, E-BOM and M-BOM are individually operated for the
purpose of improving the efficiency of individual departmental operations with various tools
such as CAD and PDM in engineering department and ERP in manufacturing department.
Therefore, the linkage between engineering and manufacturing cannot be done accurately
and effectively. As a result, information between engineering and manufacturing gets
ruptured that may also cause inconsistencies in the process of engineering and
manufacturing department.

Click To Enlarge Image

As a solution of common operational issues between engineering and manufacturing, we
would like to provide the Integrated BOM management solution as described in this column.
In order to resolve these issues, these BOMs by business application should be managed by
the function and scope of work (role). In addition, the information (i.e., drawing, BOM, parts)
and relation between upstream process should be maintained and managed. In this manner,
you can establish a link (digital thread), and execute integrated operation such as tracing
specific parts or reflecting technical changes by a specific condition such as part number etc.

By reconsidering the BOM management with this method, we think that the business quality
and speed of the reflecting technical changes from E-BOM to M-BOM will be improved. In
addition, this would also be effective to meet the requirements of current business demands
or market changes such as shortening of product life cycle, increase in product variations
and globalization of manufacturing.

Click To Enlarge Image

Point 3: Establish a product life cycle management system with BOM as core

As explained earlier in vol.1 of this series, BOM contains the key information pertaining to
product configuration and also being used across all business processes from planning,
sales, engineering, manufacturing to service throughout the product life cycle as core of
Monozukuri. Therefore, centralized and integrated management of BOM becomes important
to establish a product life cycle management system.
In vol.2 of this series, we explained about the matching of manufacturing related information
with goods and the linkage of information between all business processes from planning,
sales, engineering, manufacturing to service makes a digital thread for the realization of the
cyber-physical system (digital twin).

The following picture is an example of smart factory that strengthens the linkage of cyber-
physical, support parts supplying for a multi-variety variable production with AI technology
and autonomous process and facility control by using an abnormal equipment detection.

Click To Enlarge Image

BOM and BOP (Bill of process) refers to the key information of Monozukuri which is defined
by PLM system during upstream phase for linking the information of engineering chain with
supply chain. In this system, BOM is linked to SCM and ERP for product planning and
purchasing, and BOP is linked to MES (Manufacturing Execution System) for manufacturing
order and notifying a technical change to product line quickly and preciously. These
information execute the linkage between engineering and supply chain tightly and support a
manufacturing system in response to sudden and dynamic changes of market and economy.

We think that it would be important to supply a product continuously with strengthen a

capability of resilience for surviving under new normal era in addition to maximize an
efficiency of manufacturing by operating a PDCA cycle of product development with the
linkage between PLM, MES and IoT. Under this situation, we believe that BOM is strongly
candidate as a core information of this system.