JOB, BATCH AND MASS PRODUCTION
Batch production is between these two extremes of job and mass production. In these cases we look at forecasting orders and estimating quantities. We can analyse your past and future orders and your rate of production, take into account your cost of storage, and determine the optimum batch size. The second part of the analysis determines the order of production when there are other products to be manufactured using the same facilities. This analysis looks at order rates, clean up of facilities between products, product lifetime, production time, storage cost and space. Service levels and guarantees may also play a role in determining a production schedule.
There are three types of manufacturing: job, mass and batch production. In our experience most organisations’ workloads will have elements of all three. With job production, every day will be different, so we look for average trends and use simulation to test out shift patterns and improve response production rates. Regional Analysis of repairs and maintenance is an example of job production. A burst water main is a one-off job that needs its own schedule as an emergency. Connecting a the group of new houses to the mains can be a 'job' or a 'batch' of jobs, making the pipes. valves and meters can be 'mass' production if there is enough product. In mass production every working day will be the same. So once you find the correct staffing levels, we can create shift patterns and operational procedures to ensure that you have the correct staffing every day.
Once a batch order procedure is created we look at which staff with which skill set will be required and create a scheduling system to ensure that the correct staff will be available when and where required and that the orders will be produced as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. If you would like us to help you with your production please contact us. If you would like a shift pattern review why not use our Business Health Check package.