Types of manufacturing process with examples

All consumer goods and commodity products are created with a manufacturing process. Whether a large production plant or a small workshop, or producing a large number of products vs one single item, every manufacturer will rely on a process to keep up with an optimal level of production. From the technological advances in the industrial revolution to the present day, different types of manufacturing processes have been deployed alongside manufacturing software–creating the most diverse industry in the modern world.

Because manufacturing processes can be broken down into a number of different variants, we’ve created a comprehensive guide to the various definitions and will go over how one may work for one business over another.

  • What is a Manufacturing Process?
  • Six Types of Manufacturing Processes

What is a Manufacturing Process?

A manufacturing process is the collection of workers, machinery, software, and operating method used to transform raw materials into finished goods. This process is how a business builds, creates, or produces goods for its customers. Most manufacturing processes will have established rules and procedures, such as quality standards, tolerances for errors, and performance metrics–helping keep a consistent level of efficiency.

There are advantages and disadvantages to any manufacturing process–the test is to discover which advantages will outweigh the perceived disadvantages when used correctly. This will depend on the:

  • Demand for the products being produced
  • The availability of required inventory
  • The quality of the manufacturing plant

Six Types of Manufacturing Processes

Regardless of the size of the company or the complexity of the product line, there will always be a preferred type of manufacturing process that will be optimal for the type of product being made.

Repetitive Manufacturing

Repetitive manufacturing is the ongoing production of goods in a quick period of time. The goods created through a repetitive manufacturing process usually follow the same series of tasks over and over again by the same employees or machinery.

This manufacturing process can help speed up a production rate when a business has a steady stream of similar orders with little to no variance. This is best used during mass production when products are similar in layout, or when variations in product design are minimal enough that they won’t cause any major changes in the manufacturing process.

Repetitive manufacturing is best used when manufacturers have a specific finish date they are shooting for or a specific production rate they want to hit. Setup is generally minimal and noninvasive to the production line–meaning it’s an extremely cost-efficient method of production that requires low skill levels.

Discrete Manufacturing

Discrete manufacturing is the production of distinct items that are comprised of parts that can be easily touched, counted, and sourced. These parts can be broken down and disposed of or recycled at the end of the product lifecycle. Usually these parts or units are made up of similar parts and components put together or even created by the manufacturer.

Examples of discrete manufacturing include vehicles, cell phones, computers, clothing, and more. It can also include component parts such as nuts and bolts.

Items manufactured via a discrete manufacturing process rely on a bill of materials (BOM) and usually flow through an assembly line or via a linear or routing way. The finished products can be both highly complex with low volume (such as computers) or less complex with high volume (such as nuts and bolts).

Orders in a discrete manufacturing environment are usually based on quantity and production cycles are measured by the number of parts produced per duration of time on a production line. Discrete manufacturing typically contrasts with process manufacturing (see below).

Job Shop Manufacturing

Job shop manufacturing involves the creation of custom products or goods built to unique customer specifications on a per-job basis. Job shop manufacturing can also be known as made-to-order manufacturing and is a customer demand-driven manufacturing modality.

Job shop production involves a custom/bespoke and is used to fulfill small to medium-sized orders. Generally, job shops will move on to different jobs once the current job is completed.

Rather than manufacturing on a large scale, job shops in the manufacturing industry will know well in advance what they will be making and how much they will be producing. One key challenge of job shop manufacturing is coordinating inventory levels and purchases to ensure the completion of the job, which puts added pressure on accurate estimates and quotes to determine ROI and labor requirements.

Many job shop manufacturers can use specialized systems such as job shop software in order to manage their production and workflow.

Batch Process Manufacturing

The batch production process groups identical products to be produced simultaneously instead of one at a time. Raw materials move through the production line in batches, meaning a set quantity is typically created per batch with a small break or pause in-between.

As opposed to discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing uses recipes and formulas to create products that can be assigned as individual units. The finished product usually cannot be broken back down to the original ingredients–typically because irreversible chemical reactions occurred during the manufacturing process.

Batch process manufacturing shares similarities with both discrete and job shop manufacturing, in the sense that the raw materials are usually common and not made to a strict standard. It can also be seen as a middle-ground between mass production (products made in large quantities within a continuous flow) and job shop manufacturing (usually made in custom smal series).

This method of manufacturing tends to be flexible, can handle product variants, and calls for greater quality control. However, it does have higher work-in-progress inventory levels and high idle time during downtime due to machine changeovers.

Continuous Process Manufacturing

Continuous process manufacturing is a flow production method used to manufacture a final product without interruption. A continuous process is thought of when you consider the traditional conveyor belt or non-stop assembly lines that never stop moving. Similar to repetitive manufacturing (in the sense that it runs all the time), continuous manufacturing focuses on raw materials traditionally used in process manufacturing–which is the mixture of liquids, powders, or slurry.

The difference from batch process manufacturing is that the entire process goes through one movement in one location. Raw materials that enter at the starting point will leave as a finished product further down the line.

Continuous process manufacturing is seen as a way to beat out the perceived inefficiencies of batch process manufacturing, which can include long hold times, supply chain disruptions, and low utilization of machines (such as waiting for batches/steps to be completed before moving on).

Examples of continuous manufacturing include food, pharmaceuticals, paper, pastes, and even metal smelting.

Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)

Additive manufacturing constructs three-dimensional (3D) objects using data from computer-aided-design (CAD) software and/or 3D object scanners. By using hardware to deposit material or composites in a layer-by-layer fashion, the manufacturing process constructs goods into precise geometric shapes controlled via a computer-controlled process.

Additive manufacturing software enables successful 3D printing jobs by helping prepare all work, optimizing designs, minimizing design to manufacturing lead times, and reducing the total cost of operations through minimal print time and material consumption. Managing an additive manufacturing process workflow via software can help a business oversee order turnaround time and maximize machine utilization rates.

This manufacturing process first appeared in the 1980s. Quickly becoming a rising star, additive manufacturing can now be considered a true manufacturing process on par with the other types. The level of automation it provides means engineers can ensign products to be made by equipment rather than people. If printers are being operated at full speed, the company only requires additional floor space for the machine vs the labor to create the part.

Examples of products made with additive manufacturing include smaller items such as apparel and jewelry and even larger items such as automobiles and houses.

This tree lists various manufacturing processes arranged by similarity of function.

Types of manufacturing process with examples

A thermal oxidizer blends several manufacturing processes such as molding, forming, machining, etc.

Casting

  • Centrifugal casting (industrial)
  • Continuous casting
  • Die casting
  • Evaporative-pattern casting
    • Full-mold casting
    • Lost-foam casting
  • Investment casting (Lost-wax casting)
    • Countergravity casting[1]
    • Lost-foam casting
  • Low pressure die casting
  • Permanent mold casting
  • Plastic mold casting
  • Resin casting
  • Sand casting
  • Shell molding
  • Slush casting, Slurry casting
  • Vacuum molding

Data from Fundamentals of modern manufacturing[2]

Labeling and painting

Main articles: Imaging and Coating

  • Laser engraving
  • Inkjet printing
  • Chemical vapor deposition
  • Sputter deposition
  • Plating
  • Thermal spraying

Moulding

  • Powder metallurgy
    • Compaction plus sintering
    • Hot isostatic pressing
    • Metal injection moulding
    • Spray forming
  • Plastics (see also Rapid prototyping)
    • Injection
    • Compression molding
    • Transfer
    • Extrusion
    • Blow molding
    • Dip moulding
    • Rotational molding
    • Thermoforming
    • Laminating
    • Expandable bead
    • Foam
    • Vacuum plug assist
    • Pressure plug assist
    • Matched mould
  • Shrink wrapping

Forming

  • End tube forming
    • Tube beading
  • Forging
    • Smith
    • Hammer forge
    • Drop forge
    • Press
    • Impact (see also Extrusion)
    • Upset
    • No draft
    • High-energy-rate
    • Cored
    • Incremental
    • Powder
  • Rolling (Thick plate and sheet metal)
    • Cold rolling
    • Hot rolling
    • Sheet metal
    • Shape
    • Ring
    • Transverse
    • Cryorolling
    • Orbital
    • Cross-rolling
    • Thread
      • Screw thread
      • Thread rolling
  • Extrusion
    • Impact extrusion
  • Pressing
    • Embossing
    • Stretch forming
    • Blanking (see drawing below)
    • Drawing (manufacturing) (pulling sheet metal, wire, bar, or tube
      • Bulging
      • Necking
      • Nosing
    • Deep drawing (sinks, auto body)
  • Bending
    • Hemming
  • Shearing
    • Blanking and piercing
      • Trimming
      • Shaving
      • Notching
      • Perforating
      • Nibbling
      • Dinking
      • Lancing
      • Cutoff
    • Stamping
      • Metal
      • Leather
      • Progressive
    • Coining
    • Straight shearing
      • Slitting
  • Other
    • Redrawing
    • Ironing
    • Flattening
    • Swaging
    • Spinning
    • Peening
    • Guerin process
    • Wheelon process
    • Magnetic pulse
    • Explosive forming
    • Electroforming
    • Staking
    • Seaming
    • Flanging
    • Straightening
    • Decambering
    • Cold sizing
    • Hubbing
    • Hot metal gas forming
    • Curling (metalworking)
    • Hydroforming

Machining

  • Mills
    • Grist mill
    • Hammer mill
    • Ball mill
    • Buhrstone mill
    • Disc mill
    • Saw mill
    • Steel mill
      • Blast furnace
      • Smelting
      • Refining
      • Reduction mill
      • Annealing
      • Pickling
      • Passivate
      • Coating
  • Milling
  • Turning
    • Lathe
    • Facing
    • Boring (also Single pass bore finishing)
    • Spinning (flow turning)
    • Knurling
    • Hard turning
    • Cutoff (parting)
  • Drilling
    • Friction drilling
  • Reaming
  • Countersinking
  • Tapping
  • Sawing
    • Filing
  • Broaching
  • Shaping
    • Horizontal
    • Vertical
    • Special purpose
  • Planing
    • Double housing
    • Open-side
    • Edge or plate
    • Pit-type
    • Abrasive jet machining
    • Water jet cutting
    • Photochemical machining
    • Abrasive belt
  • Honing (Sharpening)
    • Electro-chemical grinding
  • Finishing & industrial finishing
    • Abrasive blasting (sand blasting)
    • Buffing
    • Burnishing
    • Electroplating
    • Electropolishing
    • Magnetic field-assisted finishing
    • Etching
    • Linishing
    • Mass finishing
      • Tumbling (barrel finishing)
        • Spindle finishing
      • Vibratory finishing
    • Plating
    • Polishing
    • Superfinishing
    • Wire brushing
  • Routing
  • Hobbing
  • Ultrasonic machining
  • Electrical discharge
  • Electrical discharge machining (EDM)
  • Electron beam machining
  • Electrochemical machining
  • Chemical
  • Photochemical
  • Laser cutting
    • Laser drilling
  • Grinding
    • High stock removal
  • Gashing
  • Biomachining

Joining

  • Welding
    • Arc
      • Manual metal
      • Shielded metal
      • Gas metal
        • Pulsed
        • Short circuit
        • Electrogas
        • Spray transfer
      • Gas tungsten
      • Flux-cored
      • Submerged
      • Plasma arc
      • Carbon arc
      • Stud
      • Electroslag
      • Atomic hydrogen
      • Plasma-MIG (metal inert gas)
      • Impregnated tape
      • Regulated Metal Deposition
    • Oxyfuel gas
      • Oxy-acetylene gas
      • Methylacetylene propadiene (MAPP)
      • Air-acetylene
      • Oxyhydrogen
      • Pressure gas
        • CO2
    • Resistance
      • Butt welding
        • Flash butt welding
      • Shot welding
      • Spot welding
    • Projection welding
    • Seam
    • Upset welding
    • Percussion (manufacturing)
    • Solid state welding
      • Ultrasonic
      • Explosive
      • Diffusion
        • Hot press
        • Isostatic hot gas
        • Vacuum furnace
      • Friction welding
      • Inertia
      • Forge
      • Cold
      • Roll
    • Electron beam welding
    • Laser welding
    • Thermite
    • Induction
      • Low frequency (50–450 Hz)
      • High frequency (induction resistance; 200–450 kHz)
    • Others
      • Heated metal plate
      • Solvent
      • Dielectric
      • Magnetic pulse welding
      • Radio frequency welding
      • High frequency resistance
      • Electromagnetic
      • Flow
      • Resistance
      • Infrared
      • Vacuum
      • Hot-air-welding
  • Brazing
    • Torch
    • Induction brazing
    • Furnace
    • Dip
  • Soldering
    • Iron
    • Hot plate
    • Oven
    • Induction
    • Dip
    • Wave
    • Ultrasonic
  • Sintering
  • Adhesive bonding (incomplete)
    • Thermo-setting and thermoplastic
    • Epoxy
    • Modified epoxy
    • Phenolics
    • Polyurethane
    • Adhesive alloys
    • Miscellaneous other powders, liquids, solids, and tapes
  • Fastening wood and metal
    • Nailing
    • Screwing
    • (By material fastened)
      • Machine (Metal)
      • Wood Screws
    • (By slot type)
      • Phillips ("Plus sign" in Canada)
      • Straight ("Minus sign" in Canada)
    • (By shape)
      • Round head
      • Flat head
      • Box head
      • Hex
      • Lag
    • Nut and bolts
    • Riveting
    • Clinching
    • Pinning
      • Cotter
      • Groove
      • Tapered
      • Roll
      • Retaining rings
      • Quick release skewer
    • Stitching
    • Stapling
  • Press fitting

[3]

Additive manufacturing

  • 3D printing[3]
  • Direct metal laser sintering[4]
  • Filament winding, produces composite pipes, tanks, etc.[3]
  • Fused deposition modeling[3]
  • Inkjet Printing[5]
  • Laminated object manufacturing[3]
  • Laser engineered net shaping[3]
  • Layered manufacturing[3]
  • Rapid Induction Printing
  • Selective laser sintering[3]
  • Spark plasma sintering
  • Stereolithography[3]

Other

  • Mining
    • Quarrying
    • Blasting
    • Crushing
  • Chemical manufacturing
  • Petroleum refining
  • Semiconductor fabrication
  • Assembly line
  • Packaging and labeling
  • Logistics
  • Woodworking
    • Joinery (see also Joining, above)
      • Lapping
      • Mortising
      • Routing (see above)
      • Biscuit joiner
  • Vulcanization
  • Heat treating
  • Bake-out

See also

  • Worker–machine activity chart

References

  1. ^ "Hitchiner's Countergravity Casting Services". Hitchiner Manufacturing Co. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  2. ^ Groover, Mikell P. (2010). Fundamentals of modern manufacturing (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. pp. 225–245. ISBN 978-0470-467008.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Burns, Marshall (1993). Automated fabrication : improving productivity in manufacturing. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: PTR Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-119462-3. OCLC 27810960.
  4. ^ Foust, Jeff (2014-06-09). "SpaceX unveils its "21st century spaceship"". NewSpace Journal. Archived from the original on 2014-05-31. Retrieved 2014-05-31.
  5. ^ Chemistry and technology of printing and imaging systems. P. Gregory. London: Blackie Academic & Professional. 1996. ISBN 0-7514-0238-9. OCLC 34513398.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

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