Production Flow

What is Production Flow?

There are many terms that describe types of different manufacturing processes. One of the most well known terms is mass production. This term can also be referred to as flow production, repetitive flow production or series production. All these involve the production of large quantities of a product through a standardized process on what is known as a production line or assembly line. Many different businesses and products use this type of manufacturing to make things more quickly and efficiently. But flow production is not equal to mass production but: mass production is one form of flow production. One of the distinguishing factors about this type of production is that products are produced continuously rather than in batches or individually. Production flow doesn't easily lend itself to custom fitted or tailored products, but rather to mass production and distribution.

Motorcycle Production Flow

Overview of the method

Starting up a project

In this process the project team is appointed and a project brief (describing, in outline, what the project is attempting to achieve the different design of motorcycles and the business justification for doing so) is prepared. In addition the overall approach to be taken is decided and the next stage of the project is planned. Once this work is done, the project board is asked to authorize the next stage, that of initiating the project.

Key activities include: appointing an executive and a project manager; designing and appointing a project management team; preparing a project brief; defining the project approach; and planning the next stage (initiation).

Planning

Advocates product based planning which means that the first task when planning is to identify and analyze products. Once the activities required to create these products, like motorcycles, are identified then it is possible to estimate the effort required for each and then schedule activities into a plan. There is always risk associated with any work and this must be analyzed. Finally, this process suggests how the format of plans can be agreed and ensures that plans are completed to such a format.

Key activities include: designing a plan; defining and analyzing products; identifying activities and dependencies; estimating; scheduling; analyzing risks; and completing the plan.

Initiating a project

This process builds on the work of the startup process, and the project brief is augmented to form a business case. The approach taken to ensure quality on the project is agreed together with the overall approach to controlling the project itself (project controls). Project files are also created as is an overall plan for the project. A plan for the next stage of the project is also created. The resultant information can be put before the project board for them to authorize the project itself.

Key activities include: planning quality; planning a project; refining the business case and risks; setting up project controls; setting up project files; and assembling a Project Initiation Document.

Directing a project

These sub-processes dictate how the Project Board (which comprises such roles as the executive sponsor or project sponsor) should control the overall project. The project board can authorize an initiation stage and can also authorize a project. Directing a Project also dictates how the project board should authorize a stage plan, including any stage plan that replaces an existing stage plan due to slippage or other unforeseen circumstances. Also covered is the way in which the board can give ad hoc direction to a project and the way in which a project should be closed down.

Key activities include: authorizing initiation; authorizing a project; authorizing a stage or exception plan; giving ad-hoc direction; and confirming project closure.

Controlling a stage

Projects should be broken down into stages and these sub-processes dictate how each individual stage should be controlled. Most fundamentally this includes the way in which work packages are authorized and received. It also specifies the way in which progress should be monitored and how the highlights of the progress should be reported to the project board. A means for capturing and assessing project issues is suggested together with the way in which corrective action should be taken. It also lays down the method by which certain project issues should be escalated to the project board.

Key activities include: authorizing work package; assessing progress; capturing and examining project issues; reviewing stage status; reporting highlights; taking corrective action; escalating project issues; and receiving a completed work package.

Managing product delivery

This process consists of three sub-processes and these cover the way in which a work package should be accepted, executed and delivered.

Key activities include: accepting a work package; executing a work package; and delivering a work package.

Managing stage boundaries

The Controlling a Stage process dictates what should be done within a stage, Managing Stage Boundaries (SB) dictates what should be done towards the end of a stage. Most obviously, the next stage should be planned and the overall project plan, risk log and business case amended as necessary. The process also covers what should be done for a stage that has gone outside its tolerance levels. Finally, the process dictates how the end of the stage should be reported.

Key activities include: planning a stage; updating a project plan; updating a project business case; updating the risk log; reporting stage end; and producing an exception plan.

Closing a project

This covers the things that should be done at the end of a project. The project should be formally de-commissioned, follow on actions should be identified and the project itself be formally evaluated.

Key activities include: decommissioning a project; identifying follow-on actions; and project evaluation review.

Conclusions

Production flow is relatively simple in its concept but the actual process of creating it is rather complicated. This type of manufacturing normally uses moving tracks or conveyor belts to move the product being produced along to the different assemble stations and through the various machines and processes to ensure a uniform and accurate product each time. Machinery does the majority of the work in this type of production flow and later workers verify that all processes have been performed correctly and that the product is the same each time. Because mass production uses mostly machinery, there is generally a higher cost associated with starting an assembly line, but also lower labor costs when the process has actually been implemented. For this reason, it is normally large manufacturing operations that use this process, rather than batch processing or making things by hand, to make as many duplicates of the product as possible.

References:

1. Kentent, (n.d.) Production Flow 8₃. [Online] Available at: http://hubpages.com/hub/Production-Flow [Accessed 28 July 28, 2009].