2.2 TYPES OF PRODUCTION

Another way of classifying production activity is according to the quantity of product made. ln this classification, there are three types of production :

1. Job shop production
2. Batch production
3. Mass production

This classification is normally associated with discrete-product manufacture, but it can also serve for plants used in the process industries. For example, some chemicals are produced in batches (batch production), whereas others are produced by continuous-flow processes (mass production). The three types of production are related to production volume as shown in Figure 2.l.
JOB SHOPS. The distinguishing feature of job shop production is low volume. The manufacturing lot sizes are small, often one of a kind. Job shop production is commonly used to meet specific customer orders, and there is a great variety in the type of work the plant must do. Therefore, the production equipment must be flexible and general-purpose to allow for this variety of work. Also, the skill level of job shop workers must
be relatively high so that they can perform a range of different work assignments. Examples of products manufactured in a job shop include space vehicles, aircraft, machine tools, special tools and equipment, and prototypes of future products.