MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

What is “Manufacturing”?

“The process of converting Raw materials into products.”

The word “manufacturing” is delivered from Latin manu factus, meaning made by hand.

“The conversion of stuff into things” – (by DeGramon, 1998)

“Economic terms for making goods and services available to satisfy customer” – (by T. Black,1991)

FIVE TYPES OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

REPETITIVE MANUFACTURING-Basic manufacturing that creates the same product on an

assembly line is engaged in the repetitive manufacturing process. These types of rapid
manufacturing operations will produce the same or very similar products en masse 24/7.

DISCRETE MANUFACTURING-Discrete manufacturing is the cousin of repetitive manufacturing.

It too runs on production lines, but the finished goods that are created during this process often vary
considerably.

JOB SHOP MANUFACTURING-In the job shop manufacturing process, production areas, like
workstations and workshops, are used instead of an assembly line. Each worker may add something
to the product when it passes through their station, before it is moved on to another, and until
eventually the final product is finished.

CONTINUOUS PROCESS MANUFACTURING-Continuous process manufacturing is very similar

to repetitive manufacturing because it runs 24/7, creates the same or similar products repeatedly,
and creates larger order quantities. The key difference here is that the raw materials used are gases,
liquids, powders, and slurries, instead of solid-state components.

BATCH PROCESS MANUFACTURING-a method whereby a group of identical products are

produced simultaneously (rather than one at a time). It is up to the manufacturer to decide how big
the batch will be, and how often these batches will be made.

Types of Manufacturing
Technology – this process to accomplished manufacturing involve a combination of machinery,
tools, power and manual labor. Manufacturing also includes the assembly of multiple parts to make
products.

Economic manufacturing- is the transformation of materials into terms of greater value by means
one or more processing involve. Therefore, manufacturing is “added value” to the material.

“Added Value” – by changing the material’s shape or properties or by combining it with other
materials that have been similarly altered.

Other types of manufacturing processes

 Machining
 Joining
 Forming
 Casting

Components of a Manufacturing System:

1. Equipment and machinery

2. Raw materials and components

3. Labor

4. Methods and procedures

5. Software and control systems

6. Workflow and production planning

7. Maintenance and repair

8. Quality Control

Computer-Integrated Manufacturing - refers to the use of computer-controlled machineries and

automation systems in manufacturing products. All the operations are controlled by computers and
have a common storage and distribution.

The various processes involved in a CIM are listed as follows:

  Computer-aided design
 Prototype manufacture
 Determining the efficient method for manufacturing by calculating the costs and considering
the production methods, volume of products, storage and distribution
 Ordering of the necessary materials needed for the manufacturing process
 Computer-aided manufacturing of the products with the help of computer numerical
controllers
 Quality controls at each phase of the development.
 Product assembly with the help of robots
 Quality check and automated storage
 Automatic distribution of products from the storage areas to awaiting lorries/trucks
 Automatic updating of logs, financial data and bills in the computer system.

Major Components of CIM are as follows:

 Data storage, retrieval, manipulation and presentation mechanisms.

 Real-time sensors for sensing the current state and for modifying processes.
 Data processing algorithms.

Flexible Manufacturing System - manufacturing concept that allows production to adapt when
facing changes in its requirements. The required changes could involve the amount of product being
produced or a new product part that is needed. The changes could be either predictable or
unpredictable.

3 Main Functions that allow the system to remain operational:

 Central Control Computer

 Production Machines
 Material Handling Systems
Types of Flexible Manufacturing Systems

1. Based on the operation

-Loop

-Ladder

-Open Field

-Robot Centered

2. Based on machine numbers

-Single machine cell

-Flexible manufacturing cell

-Flexible manufacturing system

3. Based on the level of flexibility

-Random

-Dedicated

-Engineered

Modular Smart Manufacturing System - refers to the digitalisation of a factory and the connection of
each and every one of the elements that make it up. Data is collected through sensors, stored in the
cloud and processed at breakneck speed.

4 Fundamental Technological pillars:

1. Connectivity, data and computational power

2. Analytics and intelligence

3. Genuine human-machine interaction

4. Advanced engineering
Advantages of applying Smart Manufacturing:

 Optimisation of resources.
 Predictive maintenance.
 Reduction of manpower processes.
 Increased productivity