Industrial Manufacture
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION There are 3 main type of industrial production, One Off, Batch and Mass Production. Depending upon the type of product been produced will depend upon which type of production is most relevant, and cost effective. It is usually based on the overall output.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION One Off Production: This is when one specialist product is made, usually by a skilled craftsman. An example would be a one off piece of jewellery. The cost of production is very expensive.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION Batch Production: This method of production is slightly cheaper then one off production and could be used to produce a batch of Normal machines are set up to do one job, which is done 1000 times, another task is then done 1000 times until all of the parts are complete.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION Mass Production: This type of manufacture is also called continuous manufacture, and used on products where there is no forseeable number of products required. An example could be drinks cans, which will be required over a long time. Very specialist machine are required, therefore the set up costs are very expensive, but are split out over a long time. Some products are often considerably changed to fit this method of production.
PROTOTYPING Prototyping is very important as it helps to model the product, before manufacturing and the high costs come into place. This comes in many forms, early prototyping starts with simple card models, possibly progressing onto rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping is when a computer model (CAD) is used to manufacture a model. Although this wont work, it helps to show how different things will interact with the product. One example is stereo lithography, when layers of plastic are put of top of each other to create a full model. This method of modelling is used a lot of DYSON in developing this products are it means they can interact with people and other parts easily. This method is very slow and expensive, and difficult to make changes, therefore usually only used on final designs.
INJECTION MOULDING - Plastics Injection Moulding – This is when plastic granules are heated up, and once soft are forced under pressure into a mould. When the mould is full, it is allowed to cool, shrink and go solid, making it easier to split the mould and for the mould to be taken off. The cost in this production is in making the mould, which is one very large expenditure.
EXTRUSTION – Plastic & Metal Extrusion – This is a continuous process of manufacture, where granules of plastic are heated to a semi-molten state, and forced through a die or mould, which determines the shape of the material. Only produces a shape which has a continuous cross section, such as drain pipes and window frames.
BLOW MOULDING - Plastics Blow Moulding – Blow moulding is used to make products such as drinks bottles. A tube of plastic is placed inside a split mould which is then clamped shut, sealing one end of the tube. Air is then blown into the tube, to expand to the shape of the mould.
USEFUL TERMINOLOGY – INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION BATCH PRODUCTION: MASS PRODUCTION: ONE OFF PRODUCTION: MOULD: an empty space where material is poured, blown or shaped to fit the shape of the mould. SHRINK: plastic will reduce in size when it cools CAD CAM: This is the use of computers to design and manufacture products. This is also sometimes used for modelling in the form of rapid prototyping. Used a lot in modern manufacturing. Other useful terminology sheets are available on the school website. These things may come up on an exam paper, in the form of short answer responses, an easy way to pick up marks