Flow Production/Line Production

• This is also known as assembly line or continuous production
• It is a method used to manufacture, produce, or process materials without interruption to produce products
• It involves repetitive manufacturing processes in which each product passes through the same sequence of operations,
• and the machines and other equipment are laid-out in the order they are used
• In line production the whole process is dedicated to the needs of a single or small group of products
• and (unlike in batch production) the process does not have to be stopped and restarted for reconfigured for each new product that is being made
• Standardized products are made in large numbers
• This is also known as mass production
• Examples of items produced this way include cars, computers etc

Advantages of flow production

• Standardised goods are produced
• Allow the business to take advantages of economies of scale e.g. bulk purchase of raw materials
• There is minimal idle time
• Allows the business to meet large demand
• Allows the business to take advantage of automation of routine tasks
• Allows the business to implement division of labour
• Is not labour intensive and most of the labour is semi-skilled
• Low cost of production per each unit

Disadvantages

• Is capital intensive which requires high initial capital outlay i.e. expensive equipment has to be bought
• Can lead to worker demotivation and workplace alienation as workers perform repetitive dull tasks
• Not very flexible as the production equipment and set up is dedicated to a narrow range of products
• If one part/step breaks down it can lead to an entire disruption of the production process
• No/Very little room for customisation

To access more topics go to the O Level Business Notes