INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION PROCESSES: CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES, EXAMPLE - DUDAS - 2025

The industrial production processes are the processes or activities including steps physical, chemical, mechanical or electrical, required for the manufacture of a product or different goods, which are usually carried out on a large scale.

They are key components of heavy industry, in which raw materials are transformed into products with a specific use and with exclusive physical and chemical properties, through a series of processes.

Source: pixabay.com

Every industrial production process is made up of a series of heterogeneous procedures and production units. Each of which has its own structure and are closely related.

The orderly and dynamic execution of all processes requires that there be an identical movement activity for each mechanism of each production unit for a fairly long period of time.

Due to the differences in the physical and chemical functions of each production unit, the relationships between the different processes are extremely complex and are affected by the external environment.

Therefore, the dynamic operation of an industrial production process is an unpredictable complex problem and it is difficult to find its operating rules.

Importance

Industrial production processes are responsible for manufacturing products intended for industrial use, from raw materials. The result of this is what has made productive manufacturing possible in most other industries.

They are responsible for producing a wide variety of different machines, from large industrial elements to simple household machines, as well as other industrial products such as hardware, paper and other packaging materials, glass and other accessories.

However, despite the wide range of products, they all have a common function: to eliminate or reduce the amount of expenditure of human energy, or the labor required to complete a job.

Regardless of the type of machinery used, these processes are crucial to producing many of the goods and services vital to any economy in a timely and profitable manner.

characteristics

Among the productive characteristics of industrial processes is the "mass flow", which consists of the processing of various raw materials, logistics, heat transfer processing, and the physical and chemical effects generated by industrial processes.

Among the industries that use production processes are chemical, metallurgical, petrochemical, construction materials, paper manufacturing, food, medical, etc.

Specifically, these industries with productive processes generally have the following characteristics:

- The raw materials used come mainly from nature.

- Manufactured products are used mainly as raw materials in other processes. Therefore, many categories of the process industry have characteristics of the raw materials industry.

However, some products from certain production process industries can also be used directly for consumption.

- The production processes are mainly continuous, or almost continuous, although some of them are batchwise.

- Raw materials are transformed into products or by-products through chemical-physical transformations in the form of mass and energy flow.

- Production processes are often accompanied by various emissions.

Engineering system

Industrial production processes are an engineering system with multifactors, multiscales and multilevels, integrated with the control of the mass flow, the flow of energy and the flow of information.

For example, the process to manufacture steel is an operation control system, which consists of transforming the state of the material and the control of its properties, together with the control of the mass flow and the parameters of the mass flow process, such as temperature, time and space.

The industrial production process also includes the storage, transport and pre-treatment of raw materials and energy, the reaction processes and the processing of the products generated by this reaction.

It also involves auxiliary materials and the energy supply system connected to the reaction processes, which are those that perform the function of industrial processes. These can also be generally understood as:

- Selection, storage and transport of materials and energy.

- Selection and design of products.

- Design and innovation of the process structure.

- Control, use and treatment of emissions and by-products.

- Treatment and elimination of toxic and harmful substances.

- Disposal or recovery of used products.

Types

Repetitive process

It involves creating dedicated assembly lines, producing only one item throughout each day and even at different times of the year.

It is relatively easy to adjust production up or down based on changes in customer demand, as little or no change in equipment or personnel is required. For this reason, it is ripe for certain types of automation.

Multiple industries make use of repetitive processes, such as electronics, packaging, and auto parts.

Discreet process

This means that a production facility can switch between several types of products in the course of one day. Equipment changes may be required frequently.

The automotive industry is dedicated to discrete manufacturing. The same is true for smartphone makers and other electronics specialty companies.

Craft process

This process is not as structured as the repetitive or discrete process. While these guys have production lines, a workshop is more of a general area. Several people at the same time can share the workshop, or only some can use it in the course of a day.

Shops generally produce only one unit of a single product or minor variations on one. It can be simple electronics, custom clothing, custom furniture, or something similar.

Continuous process

It is the same general idea of ​​the repetitive process, except that the material is a liquid or a gas, or even a powder.

A cooperative that sells homemade jams probably functions as a workshop. On the other hand, a corporation that sells jam on a large scale uses specialized machines for continuous processes, usually 24 hours a day.

Batch process

It is different from the repetitive process because instead of producing a product from start to finish, a group of identical goods is "managed" step by step. It's like baking four loaves together, instead of just one.

A batch could be 200 loaves. After those 200, the workers could finish and clean the machine. If operating according to a discrete process, the scones may be recalibrated.

Stages

Initial planning

Customer's product plans and quality specifications are received. A proposal is made for the manufacturing method and general program. Based on this information, an estimate of the cost is made.

After doing this and dealing with any other problems, the possibility of manufacturing the proposed product on a commercial scale is considered.

Product development

After establishing the feasibility of the project, the product specifications are determined in more detail, working on the design and manufacture of the dies, as well as selecting and obtaining the necessary machinery and processing tools, etc.

Prototype and product evaluation

Based on the product specifications and manufacturing plans determined in the product development stage, a prototype is created. Then we work with the client to establish if the product meets the required quality standards.

This process of product development, prototyping and evaluation of the product is repeated until the prototype reaches the required quality standard.

Production planning of the commercial prototype

In order to build a production line that can efficiently manufacture a high-quality product, a simulation is carried out using the CAD-CAM system, which supports the design of the main production process, to propose a suitable manufacturing design.

Production and evaluation of the commercial prototype

Based on the manufacturing design and design proposed in the commercial prototype production planning stage, a manufacturing line is built and a commercial prototype is produced.

Then we work with the client to establish if the product meets the required quality standards. This process of developing the prototype on a commercial scale, and production and evaluation of the prototype, is repeated until the quality standard of the commercial production line that is required is reached.

Commercial production

When all the preparations are completed, commercial production begins. Even at this stage, modifications and improvements are made to the line. The entire team actively collaborates to make high-quality products as efficiently as possible.

Inspection and delivery

Finished products are closely inspected manually and by machines to ensure they are free of defects. Only those that pass inspection are delivered to the customer, carefully packed to avoid contamination or damage.

Advantage

Industrial production processes can be costly to implement and add to a business early on. However, they will help save money in the future.

They reduce operating costs because their ability to adapt to change helps prevent defective products as well as wasted time and resources.

On top of that, they require fewer workers to operate compared to other manufacturing processes, so companies can save on labor costs.

However, perhaps the greatest benefit of industrial production processes is that they help companies to be more efficient. They work to keep everything running smoothly in most situations.

If something within the process changes, they can adapt and keep production moving to reduce delays and bottlenecks. This helps create faster turnaround times and, as a result, better service and customer satisfaction.

They may have some downsides, but not enough to negate the benefits. Although expensive at first, these processes will help companies create better products, be more efficient, and increase revenue over time.

Disadvantages

There are some disadvantages of industrial production processes that companies must take into account. The most important is that its implementation in the production process can be complicated. It requires extensive planning, which may involve creating detailed designs and schedules.

Highly qualified employees may also be needed to operate the machinery. Salaries for these workers can be high.

Also, because these processes are so complicated, a different set of skilled workers is required for the maintenance and repairs of the different equipment. Compensation for these employees can also be quite expensive.

Above all, buying or adapting the machinery will be quite difficult. That said, industrial production processes are available mainly to larger companies, since they have sufficient income to invest in and maintain these processes.

Examples

Chemical processes

It is the use of chemical products to transform a raw material into an industrial product. Examples: aluminum fabrication and polymeric steel forming.

Molding

If the products being manufactured start out as liquids, molds are likely used.

A popular type of molding is casting, which involves heating the plastic into a liquid, and then pouring it into a mold. After the plastic has cooled, the mold is removed and the desired shape is obtained. There are four other types of molding:

- Injection molding: melts plastic to create 3D materials such as tubs of butter and toys.

- Blow molding: used to make pipes and milk bottles.

- Compression molding: used for large-scale products, such as car tires.

- Rotational molding: used for furniture and shipping drums.

Mechanization

It is the use of physical means to convert a raw material into an industrial product. It would be difficult to make products like metal parts without using some kind of machine. Tools such as saws and cutters are used to achieve the desired result.

There are also tools that use heat to shape products. Laser machines can cut a piece of metal using a high-energy beam of light.

Electrolysis

With the available electricity and the effect it has on materials, several processes for the separation or coating of metals could be generated.

- Electroplating, electroplating or anodization: they consist of depositing a material on an electrode.

- Electrolytic polishing: it is the opposite of electroplating.

- Electrotyping: using electroplating to make printing plates.

- Plating or metallization: these are generic terms for the process of supplying a metallic coating to materials that are not metals.

Thermal processes

It is the use of heat to convert a raw material into an industrial product. It is widely used in metallurgy.

- Sandblasting: washing a surface with sand or other powders.

- Foundry: it is the configuration of a liquid material pouring it into molds to let it solidify.

- Forging: it is the configuration of the metal through the use of hammer and heat.

- Welding: is the process for gluing metals.

References

1. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2019). Industrial processes. Taken from: en.wikipedia.org.
2. Stephanie Faris (2018). Four Primary Types of Manufacturing Processes. Taken from: bizfluent.com
3. Ruiyu Yin (2016). Concept and Theory of Dynamic Operation of the Manufacturing Process. Science Direct. Taken from: sciencedirect.com.
4. Megan Ray Nichols (2018). Here's What You Need to Know About Manufacturing Processes. Schooled By Science. Taken from: schooledbyscience.com.
5. CPV Manufacturing (2019). Advantages & Disadvantages of Flexible Manufacturing System. Taken from: cpvmfg.com.
6. Tsukiboshi (2019). The Manufacturing process from start to finish. Taken from: tsukiboshi.co.jp.
7. Management (2019). The Productive Process: what types are there and what are their main stages. Taken from: gestion.org.