manufacturing technique

moulding

casting

weaving

fusing

stitching

cutting

ad:  cutts easily through materials 

disad:  sometimes it doesnt cutt the right shape (without machinery).  

machining

cutting materials using machines to achieve desired geometry.  

for metals

disad:  takes a lot of energy and its costly

abrading

to wear down friction

e.g. sand paper for woods

e.g. less dangerous, cheap, aesthetically appealing

dis:  most of material is wasted

use of adhesives

glues 

ad: low cost, esily used, can be repaired by users

disadvantages: bonds are weak, can break easily

use of fasteners

e.g. screws/nails/nuts and bolts

ad:  quick process, cheap, less hazardrous

disad: may look unappealing, easier to combine smaller materials

craft production

one-off production

ADVANTAGES OF CRAFT PRODUCTION :) 

1).  quality 

2).  a lot more effort is put into the product

3).  can be customised to fit personal needs

4).  flexibility for the designer, customer and craftsman

5).  skill is required-can charger higher for products

1).  time consuming

2).  a lot of effort required

3).  expensive for buyer

4).  cannot produce on larger scale -> loss of profit for manufacturer/limited sales.

5).  might not be designed for disassembly-canot replace parts :( 

Discuss the importance of craft production for developing countries.

1).  hand made items harder to find (rare), some consumers would pay more for these rare items than manufactured goods. 

2).  shows culture of developing cities

3).  people selling and making these profits get to use their cultural skills in order to make money

4).  unique selling point - different from manufactured goods

5).  its cheap for buyers

6).  it improves the countries infrastructure

Describe how the availability of new sources of power in the Industrial Revolution led to the introduction of mechanisation.

1).  kinetic energy-> water power

e.g. water wheels->generates power

2).  STEAM PUMP was used in industrial revolution->Thomas newcomen in 1712 :) 

The mass production of a product via a flow line based on the inter-changeability of parts, pre-processing of materials, standardisation and work division

Explain the relevance of assembly-line production to mechanisation.

Mechanisation and assembly line production increase productivity that was able to satisfy consumer demand. Consumer goods such as cars and radios were produced on assembly lines. They could be made quickly and cheaply as a result, this encouraged demand which in turn created more jobs.

Mechanization incorporated with an assembly line proves to be the most efficient way in order to carry out mass production, which is generally the manufacturing trend of the 20th and the 21st centuries.

An assembly line saves time and many products can be made.  The high demand for various products places manufacturers in a position to incorporate assembly lines in factories.

Even though earlier forms of the assembly line existed prior to the industrial revolution and the incorporation of mechanization in manufacturing, the process was immensely sped up and made more efficient by mechanization.

 mechanization ensures precision and accuracy in manufacturing beyond human input, which allows for less time assigned for corrections in the product. Moreover, less manpower is needed, proving to be economically profitable for the manufacturer.

Outline two advantages and two disadvantages of mechanising a production process.

advantages: 

1).  efficiency

2).  mass production => less time wasted=> more sales and profit

3).  economies of scale->more production, less costs per unit

4).  more quality goods without human errors

disadvantages: 

1).  no skills or effort put into product to make it have a USP.  no cultural hand-made aspects to product-less rare.  

2).  if the machinery breaks down, the production process stops completely.  

3).  workers may become redundant

4).  costly -machinery, energy used, capital of machinery, increase wages of skilled workers (to run the hightech machinery).

5).  pollution

6).  boredom of workers-less job opportunity or challenging jobs.

7).  low job satisfaction for workers. 

batch production

Limited volume production (a set number of items to be produced).

mass production

The production of large amounts of standardised products on production lines, permitting very high rates of production per worker.

Compare batch production and mass production in a mechanised production system.

Using batch production, a limited amount of a certain product is made, and not increased. Therefore, profits are limited, however, because of low availability, marketing is enhanced, when a product is “limited” there is usually more demand for it, and therefore sales are increased.

With mass production, although there are higher amounts, and therefore more room for products (they are continually made and high rates), demand may stop, and will not get higher quickly, as the product “will always be there” to buy. With batch production, even for simple limited choice, the fact that there are not many of them will convince consumers to buy. However, mass production, allows for much larger sales and profit, if marketed and sold well.

With batch production, after a limited batch number is complete, the company, can move to a new product, thereby created product variety, and easily keeping up with the market. While although it is hard for mass producer to keep with new market trends, if demand for a product is high, and it is mass-produced, many sales will be made, yielding high amounts of profit

automation

A volume production process involving machines controlled by computers.

Describe how the development of computer and information technology in the “technological revolution” led to the introduction of automation.

After the Industrial revolution the Technological revolution arrived.

They used and controlled electricity in computer technology and circuitry. Computer programmers were able to develop complex control systems, and use them to control mechanical motions. Then industry saw the potential benefits and readily adopted it. 

CAM-computer aided manufacture

the use of computers to aid manufacturing.

CAD-computer aided design

designing through the use of computer technology

CNC-computer numerical control

1).  by linking it with the manufacturing equiptment.  

CAM for example would offer a better control over the equipment then a human operator, which can also reduce labor costs. Also since the machines are following the exact CAD drawings there is a lower chance of flaws to occur with the finished product. Designers can use this method to create prototypes much faster and it allows them also to test if the product is feasible. Furthermore it allows the production process to lower waste amount.

1).  making complex decisions that humans cannot make e.g. traffic lights

2).  speed of decision making-effiecient

3).  routine, boring jobs-> but they are done without complaints or a need for motivation

4).  automated machinery can be operated in environments that are unsafe for humans

5).  cost saving-can do a job more cheap than a person can.  

A situation where a firm does not allocate space to the storage of components or completed items, but instead orders them (or manufactures them) when required.

1). no storage needed -> minimizes costs

2).   items that are not ordered are not made. -> not wasted!

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES TO JIT

AD: 1).  no storage space needed

2).  less costs for manufacturer

3).  no need for stock control because there is little/no stock!

disadvantage: 1).  less convenient to consumer

2).  large workforce 

• reducing cost
• improving quality
• improving performance
• improving delivery
• adding flexibility
• increasing innovativeness

wastes from overproduction

• transportation waste
• processing waste
• waste from product defects
• waiting time, idle time
• inventory waste (excess numbers of stock)
• waste of motion

JIC ADVANTAGES + DISADVANTAGES! :) 

A sophisticated CIM system that manufactures products to individual customer orders.

The benefits of economy of scale are gained whether the order is for a single item or for thousands.

Mass customisation is the design process where the customer helps deciding the design of the product in question. The process is emphasised by meeting the needs of the customers concerning the product's features. The manufacturing techniques generally remain the same but are often flexible so to guarantee an optimisation of the requested customisation, this slightly modifies manufacturing technique is easily and cheaply applicable by the manufacturer and therefore turns customisation into a mass market, taking away its traditional upmarket appeal. Little modifications in manufacturing for example includes the use of different colours of paint, different material ergonomics or even size.

Outline how mass customization is changing the relationship between the manufacturer and the consumer.

their relationship has grown as both the manufacturer and the customer benefit.  the manufacture is able to understand new fashion and trends and is able to get research from his customer about tastes.  the customer will benefit from his unique requirements and will be satisfied as they will feel as it is personalized to meet their personal needs/wants.  

Discuss the impact of automation on working conditions.

Positive

• Tedious and time-consuming jobs are now being performed by machines rather than workers. An example would be dish washing.
• Improves health and safety
• Increases production
• Speeds up the process
• Replaces unskilled workers that make faults

Negative

• Extreme industrialisation
• Less social interaction in the workplace due to fewer employees
• The numbers of workers needed has been cut sharply
• The loss of worker expertise
• The loss of overtime pay
• Makes life dependant on new technology
• Training in the new areas of electronics, computer engineering and maintenance of systems is now needed

Outline how automation has improved the type and range of products available to consumers

1).  ease an simplicity of product

2).  designer can change the product in many ways without time being wasted! -efficient 

3).  wider product range

4).  more chocie

5).  precision and measurements

fixed costs - overheads

costs that do not change with output.  

e.g. electricity, salaries, insurance, rent, equiptment.  

costs that change according to output.  

e.g. wages, energy used, delivery.  

pizza: cheap materials (standard components), not expensive, not much skilled needed, buy in bulk, repetitive process and not long process.  

wedding cake: much skills needed, specialist materials, premium price, expensive, skilled knowledge, time needed

 Explain why the introduction of mass production increased damage to the natural environment.

burning of fossil fuels => production of green house gases e.g. carbon dioxide .  global warming and other climate changes

examples

1).  promoting positive impacts

2).  reducing negative impacts-> conserving natural resources, reducing pollution, saving the environment! :) 

Explain how legislation provides an impetus to manufacturers to clean up manufacturing processes.

• Governments put in place laws
• Forces manufacturers to clean up manufacturing processes
• If not then the companies could be fined or shut downed

Outline that an initial response to reducing emission of pollutants is adding clean-up technologies to the end of the manufacturing process.

State that the legislation can be policed by monitoring through the collection of quantitative data.

explain the strategies for cleaning up manufacturing? why are they mainly reactive? what is a more radical approach? 

Many companies react to legislation or impending legislation by doing the minimum required.

More radical approaches, for example, life cycle analysis, are proactive.

1).  less chance of advancing 

2).  businesses will have more costs being environmentally friendly

3).  harder to find other substitutes of non renewable resources

4).  some businesses do not like the idea of change