The document discusses five different types of production processes: project, job shop, batch processing, assembly line, and continuous flow. For each type, it provides descriptions of their key characteristics such as flexibility, product variety, capital investment needs, labor requirements, and output volumes. It also includes examples to illustrate how each type of production process works.

2. FOCUS OF DISCUSSION
1)Meaning
2) Batch Processing
3) Job shop
4)Assembly line
5) Continuous flow

3. DIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF
PROCESS TECHNOLOGY LIFECYCLE

4. PROJECT
Flow - no flow
Flexibility - very high
Products - unique
Capital investment - very low
Variable cost - very high
Labor content and skill - very high
Volume - one
In a project, the inputs are brought to the project location as they are
needed; there is no flow in the process. Technically, a project is not a
process flow structure since there is no flow of product - the quantity
produced usually is equal to one. It is worthwhile, however, to treat it as
a process structure here since it represents one extreme of the
spectrum.
Projects are suitable for unique products that are different each time
they are produced. The firm brings together the resources as needed,
coordinating them using project management techniques.

5. JOB SHOP
A job shop is a type of manufacturing process in
which small batches of a variety of custom
products are made. In the job shop process flow,
most of the products produced require a unique
set-up and sequencing of process steps. Job
shops are usually businesses that perform
custom parts manufacturing for other businesses.
Examples- of job shops include a wide range of
businesses—a machine tool shop, a machining
center, a paint shop, a commercial printing shop,
and other manufacturers that make custom
products in small lot sizes.

6.  Flow - jumbled flow
 Flexibility - high
 Products - many
 Capital investment - low
 Variable cost - high
 Labor content and skill - high
 Volume - low

7. BATCH PROCESSING
Executing a series of non-interactive jobs all at one time. The term
originated in the days when users entered programs on punch cards.
They would give a batch of these programmed cards to the
system operator, who would feed them into the computer.
Batch jobs can be stored up during working hours and then executed
during the evening or whenever the computer is idle. Batch
processing is particularly useful for operations that require the
computer or a peripheral device for an extended period of time. Once
a batch job begins, it continues until it is done or until an error occurs.
Note that batch processing implies that there is no interaction with
the user while the program is being executed.
Example of batch processing is the way that credit card companies
process billing. The customer does not receive a bill for each
separate credit card purchase but one monthly bill for all of that
months purchases. The bill is created through batch processing,
where all of the data are collected and held until the bill is processed
as a batch at the end of the billing cycle.

8. Flow - disconnected, with some dominant flows
Flexibility - moderate
Products - several
Capital investment - moderate
Variable cost - moderate
Labor content and skill - moderate
Volume - moderate

9. ASSEMBLY LINE
Is a manufacturing process (most of the time called
a progressive assembly) in which parts (usually
interchangeable parts) are added as the semi-finished
assembly moves from work station to work station where
the parts are added in sequence until the final assembly
is produced. By mechanically moving the parts to the
assembly work and moving the semi-finished assembly
from work station to work station, a finished product can
be assembled much faster and with much less labor
than by having workers carry parts to a stationary piece
for assembly.

10. Consider the assembly of a car: assume that certain steps in the assembly line are to
install the engine, install the hood, and install the wheels (in that order, with arbitrary
interstitial steps); only one of these steps can be done at a time. In traditional production,
only one car would be assembled at a time. If engine installation takes 20 minutes, hood
installation takes five minutes, and wheels installation takes 10 minutes, then a car can
be produced every 35 minutes.
In an assembly line, car assembly is split between several stations, all working
simultaneously. When one station is finished with a car, it passes it on to the next. By
having three stations, a total of three different cars can be operated on at the same time,
each one at a different stage of its assembly.
After finishing its work on the first car, the engine installation crew can begin working on
the second car. While the engine installation crew works on the second car, the first car
can be moved to the hood station and fitted with a hood, then to the wheels station and
be fitted with wheels. After the engine has been installed on the second car, the second
car moves to the hood assembly. At the same time, the third car moves to the engine
assembly. When the third car’s engine has been mounted, it then can be moved to the
hood station; meanwhile, subsequent cars (if any) can be moved to the engine
installation station.
Assuming no loss of time when moving a car from one station to another, the longest
stage on the assembly line determines the throughput (20 minutes for the engine
installation) so a car can be produced every 20 minutes, once the first car taking 35
minutes has been produced.

11. Flow - connected line
Flexibility - low
Products - a few
Capital investment - high
Variable cost - low
Labor content and skill - low
Volume - high

12. CONTINUOUS FLOW
Continuous production is a flow production method
used to manufacture, produce, or process materials
without interruption. Continuous production is called
a continuous process or a continuous flow
process because the materials, either dry bulk or
fluids that are being processed are continuously in
motion, undergoing chemical reactions or subject to
mechanical or heat treatment. Continuous
processing is contrasted with batch production.
Continuous usually means operating 24 hours per
day, seven days per week with infrequent
maintenance shutdowns, such as semi-annual or
annual. Some chemical plants can operate for more
than one or two years without a shutdown. Blast
furnaces can run four to ten years without stopping.

13. Flow - continuous
Flexibility - very low
Products - one
Capital investment - very high
Variable cost - very low
Labor content and skill - very low, but with
skilled overseers
Volume - very high