What Is Continuous Production?

Continuous production is a strategy that involves the ongoing processing of materials as part of the manufacturing effort. Often, this means that production facilities are in constant operation, producing goods that are in high demand from consumers of all types. This form of production is common in many industries, including the oil and auto industries. This form of processing is different from the other most common production model, known as batch production. A continuous approach to production requires that raw materials are consumed in the manufacturing process on a continual basis. With batch production, materials are used to complete a single batch or lot, and then the process begins anew with a fresh batch of raw materials. While both methods strive to maintain consistent quality, there is more opportunity for some small differences to occur from one batch to the next. Production controllers are utilized to maintain the efficiency and quality of continuous production. These controllers vary in type and purpose from one industry to another. Controllers often focus attention on the performance of machinery used in the manufacturing process, as well as the quality of the raw materials used in the process. Monitoring every aspect of the production helps to ensure the quality of the products produced as well as maintain acceptable production quotas. One of the distinguishing characteristics of continuous production is the constant influx of raw materials coupled with the constant flow of processed materials through the production cycle. An excellent example of this type of production is seen with the processing of oil refining. The ongoing cycle of refining oil leads to the creation of various types of petroleum-based products, including gasoline and various types of machine and motor oils. Since the demand for these products is so high, production facilities often operate around the clock, with as little downtime for maintenance as possible. A number of products are manufactured using a continuous production model. Some of these are common household items, such as laundry detergent. A number of processed food products are also produced using this model. Construction materials, such as bricks or prefabricated cement blocks, are often manufactured using a process of continuous production. Cleaning supplies and even fertilizers for the garden are sometimes manufactured using this approach. Even some forms of textile manufacturing can rightly be referred to as continuous production. Electrical components are another example of goods created using continuous production. This approach helps to maintain uniformity in size, design, and quality, even if an individual unit is produced days or even weeks apart. The production model thus makes it relatively easy to secure a circuit board for some type of electronic device, even if the device is several years old.

What Are the Advantages of Continuous Production?

There are several advantages of the continuous production of products over production in batches in terms of production volume, cost, energy, and quality. High volume production is possible in a shorter amount of time due to ongoing production and eliminating unnecessary start-up and shutdown steps. Lower unit cost and energy savings can be achieved through automation and reduction of unnecessary labor. Better quality control can also be maintained as there are fewer opportunities for the process to be changed or for human error to impact production. Continuous production is a method used to maximize the amount of product that is made in a given amount of time and production space. Production generally takes place 24 hours a day, year-round without interruption. With the exception of an unusual outage, equipment is in use at all times and output from the production flow is similarly ongoing. The most obvious advantage of continuous production is the ability to produce high product output in a short amount of time. By running a production line around the clock instead of only during standard work hours, a facility can manufacture more products. This method also avoids wasting time shutting down and restarting equipment on a regular basis that otherwise could be used for production. In part due to this compression of the production process in time, continuous production can also lead to low unit cost. This low unit cost is also contributed to in part by cost savings on labor. Lessskilled, less-expensive labor is used for the few tasks that are not automated, while machines do most of the work and perform complex operations. Although the capital cost of equipment can be expensive, high initial cost can be recouped with low unit cost per product from high volume production. Further savings as well as environmental benefits may result from the energy savings that come from eliminating steps that do not add to the value of the final product. Continuous production can avoid some of the cleaning and sterilization necessary before equipment is allowed to sit idle because the equipment is in constant operation. It also avoids much of the transportation required to move materials to and from storage that would be required with batch production. Rather than sitting in storage until operations begin, material in a continuous production facility is often fed directly into the production line. This feature makes this method highly compatible with a common manufacturing strategy referred to as lean manufacturing. Lean manufacturing is based on the premise that any process or product not directly involved with providing value for the customer is waste to be eliminated. Eliminating unnecessary expenditures through continuous production is one measure that may be taken in implementing lean manufacturing. Another major advantage of this production method is that it can help ensure consistent quality over a high volume of output. The quality of some products, such as food or some chemical products is highly dependent on consistency in the ingredients and process. By avoiding repeated shutdown and start-up processes, it is much easier to ensure that the process remains unchanged.

Continuous production also contributes to product quality by reducing opportunities for human error. Due to the highly automated nature of the operation, people directly carry out many fewer steps in this type of facility. This minimizes the opportunity for quality to be harmed by errors such as contamination, damage due to improper handling, and so on.

What Is Batch Manufacturing?

Batch manufacturing refers to the production of a specific quantity of identical items in a series of processes. This style of manufacturing may be driven by the steps necessary to produce a completed product or it may be a function of the amount of materials that can be handled at one time by a set of machinery. While batch manufacturing is necessary in some situations, it can result in inefficiency due to the time required to reset machinery before a new batch can begin. For items requiring multiple production stages, scheduling is essential to assure that items that have completed one section of the process are not backed up waiting for the next function. Successful batch manufacturing also relies on good operator training, proper equipment maintenance, and computerized control. When a company sets up a batch process, it must evaluate the stages to be completed in order to produce a finished item. If the machinery of a production step can rely on a continuous supply of raw material, the batch process is not restricted in that section. In contrast, if a batch of material sufficient to create a certain number of units must be mixed and heated before it can move on to the next production point, the process cannot continue until the mixed batch of material is ready. Implicit in batch manufacturing is the concept of goods moving from one station to another as each function is completed. A significant amount of time in batch manufacturing can be required to reset machinery, switch raw materials, or quality test the first samples from the batch. This is referred to as downtime and is a measure of the efficiency of the production design. Computerized management and control software can aid workers to achieve smooth transfers from one type of goods to another. Balancing the throughput is also important in batch manufacturing. If the first station can produce 250 units in ten minutes, and the second station can produce 500 units in thirty minutes, 750 units will be completed in the first stage in the time that the second stage produces 500. This imbalance will result in a backlog of inventory. The reverse situation will result in machinery at the second station sitting idle and waiting for product to come out of the first station. A balanced production line produces equivalent quantities in similar time frames to keep the goods moving. The careful scheduling of maintenance to support the production line can reduce the chance of equipment breakdown and the resulting interruption of batch manufacturing. Well-trained workers can recognize problems and respond quickly to limit the downtime. Computer analysis of the throughput improves consistency and alerts employees to off-specification materials.

What Are the Advantages of Batch Production?

There are many advantages to batch production, including reduced initial costs and operating costs, a wide range of associated products, and a flexible production process and scale. Additional advantages include many of those typically associated with mass industrial and commercial production. One of the major advantages is the reduction of time required to produce a single product, because multiple products are pushed through the same process at the same time. Initial costs are often reduced because related machinery can be less expensive than other kinds of production machines. Batch production is common in many settings, because the time reduction often translates into a smaller financial outlay. Initial and operating costs are further reduced when such production systems are designed with interchangeable elements. Rather than needing to replace an entire production line, a single process among many can be altered based on production needs. Operation costs all the way up to the final stages also can be reduced using this type of production. Many systems are meant to be run intermittently, so the cost of downtime is often reduced. For instance, a bakery might use batch production to create all of the food to be sold in a day and then shut down production. Unlike with continuous production, batch production often can be designed to account for downtime without significant financial impact. This characteristic also applies to changes in production methods or product design. Batch production lines are often more easily altered than other methods. This is especially advantageous when new products, changes to old products or upgrades are required. For instance, seasonal items are often made using batch production, because demand for those items is often inconsistent. Production of unsuccessful items also can stop without the need to replace all of the associated machinery and processes. This flexibility is considered a major advantage in many situations. Products such as ink, adhesives and shoes can all be made using batch production and most of these products might require alteration or volume reductions in reaction to consumer demand. There is such a wide range of goods and production scales possible that one system is often sufficient for a range of products and specific designs. Aside from the unique benefits of batch production, many of the benefits of industrial and commercial production also apply. For instance, producing large quantities of a product often is more cost effective. Reductions in time and cost per product are amplified by the flexibility of these systems. Labor requirements also are potentially reduced because a smaller number of workers can produce batches of products.

What Is a Continuous Process?

In manufacturing, a continuous process is a method that is used by manufacturing or production companies to churn out the greatest quantity of a product over the least amount of time. A continuous process is consistent, constant, and uninterrupted, in contrast to batch processing. Manufacturers most often use the continuous process in the manufacture of chemicals, drugs, and glass, as well as in the refining process for crude oil. A continuous process plant is designed so that there is a seamless flow of the product from one machine or robot station to another through the production process. Software programs and complex equipment that collect feedback from different stations regulate the rate of flow through the system, controlling the rate of production closely. Timely maintenance on a continuous process system is essential. The system is set up in a serial configuration, with a dynamic progression of the product through the factory. Any failure in one machine delays the supply chain both upstream and downstream of the defective machine. Although the continuous process system is automated, human input and management keeps the process moving forward as planned. These systems require a substantial investment in system design, transducers, controllers, and complex machinery to achieve the desired goal of production around the clock. Most continuous process systems use a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. A PID controller collects feedback from various checkpoints in the system and runs through three calculations. The proportional calculation detects an error by comparing a measured output value to a predetermined set point. Integral calculations average the most recent errors to assess trends, while derivative calculations examine the rate of change of the error. The controller uses the weighted sum of the three calculations to adjust the system by altering a control point such as the speed of a conveyor belt, the position of a valve, or the temperature of a heating element. The production method that a given plant uses depends on the product. Continuous-flow production requires products for which the same level of quality can be reliably achieved as long as the process of manufacture and the ingredients are unchanged. If the product quality varies significantly, batch production allows quality testing of a limited amount of product. While batch production requires less initial capital investment and can be adjusted according to market demand, it requires downtime between batches for reconfiguring and testing. Continuous process production lowers the manufacturing costs by eliminating downtime.

Intermittent Manufacturing System

Intermittent manufacturing systems, often called "job shops," are capable of producing multiple items at the same time. These objects must be identical, or very similar, and cannot be customized for individual buyers. This type of system works best for limited production runs, or for companies looking to produce a low volume of goods.