High Mix Low-Volume Manufacturing at TEAM Rapid
High-mix low-volume manufacturing is a manufacturing process to produce a high variety of parts in low volume. High-mix low-volume manufacturing method is widely used to produce unique and complex parts in specific quality. High mix low-volume manufacturing means producing workpiece in a small volume per unit. Yearly quantities per workpiece are from one unit to thousands and even tens of thousands. Manufacturers can have thousands of parts easily in their manufacturing portfolio, The average quantity varies from one to some hundreds. It is important to pay attention to both single batch and batches repeat as that makes the total demand for machining capacity. High-mix low-volume production happens as the demand for every single workpiece is volatile, sporadic and low to medium in quantity. Given the quantity of part variants and make to order production strategy, the result is batch production of variable quantities of workpieces.
What drives high-mix low-volume manufacturing development?
The need for efficiency, flexibility and production setting control is the main driver for high-mix low-volume manufacturing. Here are the six factors drives the need for high-mix low-volume manufacturing.
* Customization and variants increasing. Industrial parts are more and more complicated and customized. The overall lifespan of part in production is getting shorter and uncertain.
* Lead time pressures are increasing in the market. Automation makes lead times shorter, reliable and flexible.
* Continuous changes can mean, among other things, demand volatility or changes in production request fast adaption.
* Short planning cycles. Manufacturers do not know what they will produce after the next month.
* Quality and traceability requirements are getting demanding.
* Pressure of lower cost and reduce tied capital is endless. Manufacturers have pressure to find new way to drives manufacturing profitability and efficient use of budget.
What is the difference between high-mix low-volume and low-mix high-volume manufacturing?
High-mix low volume manufacturing process is opposite of low-mix high-volume manufacturing process. High-mix low volume manufacturing process executes products in high volume but with little and even no distinction between the products. High-mix low volume manufacturing was popular for many years as the demand of consumer’ market increases. Today, industries have evolved to produce parts with maximum efficiency and high volume. Parts like vehicles or appliances which were considered large volume are customized to customers. So, they are created by high-mix low-volume production.
Companies use lean manufacturing techniques like root cause analysis, run to target manufacturing or total productive maintenance to optimize operations. As the increase of variation of parts and services, low volume manufacturing is more volatile. So, companies improve operations in high-mix low-volume must adapt lean manufacturing techniques when applied to the environment.
Why choose high mix low-volume manufacturing at TEAM Rapid?
At TEAM Rapid, we offer high mix low-volume manufacturing services. Our high mix low volume manufacturing services improve customization of parts, increase responsiveness to customers, lower the cost and inventory.
How to improve the operations in high-mix low-volume manufacturing?
High-mix low volume manufacturing method need constant changes in jobs, materials, and machines. As a limited number of production lines and a large variety of products needed, high-mix low volume manufacturing operators should change the schedule of jobs and materials constantly. Below are the four steps to improve production operations in high-mix low-volume manufacturing environments.
Optimize flow
Creating a smooth parts flow is the first step to optimize operation in low volume manufacturing.
Make a plan
When an effective flow or plan is created, product flow plan make manufacturer to predict outcomes and avoid failure in production.
Make good communication between employee
An open environment offer staff in every department of the company the ability to check the status of production.
Maintain flexibility
Each aspect of a factory from work stations, equipment placement, staffing, inventory to machines should maintain flexibility to accommodate the changing needs and requirements within the facility. The ability of reconfiguring the work environment is important as processes, products and staffing levels change.
How to automate high-mix low-volume manufacturing?
Below is how to achieve economic high-mix low-volume manufacturing and describes the factors which create the demand for it. It is important to think about the whole manufacturing process, not only a single part or few parts and optimize flow as what will not solve factory level problems. High-mix low-volume production need more of total than single workpiece level solutions.
Select good CNC machinery
Choosing great CNC machinery by grouping the part families together which need similar machining operations and investing in fewer universal machines to handle. For example, a 4-axis milling machining can work out the project of three 3-axis machine tools with the correct fixture design.
Adding Value
Focusing on adding value to the part by creating reproducible and high quality manufacturing process. And minimize the unnecessary moving of the parts.
Automating all production steps to create work flow
Automating tool management will bring huge benefits.
Automation
Automating the complexities of production planning and resource management with software which is able to provide a constantly-updating production plan and checking for production resources to make longer autonomous production periods.
Flexible automation allows high-mix low-volume context what lean calls flow and order driven production: batch quantity, work in progress, stock decrease, fast lead time and accurate whole production.
Lean Manufacturing in high-mix low-volume environment
TEAM Rapid, as a high-mix low-volume manufacturer, we apply lean production. After all, high-mix low-volume manufacturing process differs substantially from a low-mix high-volume manufacturing process, which lean principles are developed for. Large car manufacturer reaches significant limitations when applied to high-mix low-volume manufacturer. In a high-mix low-volume environment, changing a little part affect only a very small number of products. So, the effort and cost of an improvement exceed the positive effects. Most of the lean principles are not applicable to a job shop environment. Implementing the remaining fraction of lean principles benefit for high-mix low-volume manufacturers.
High-mix low-volume manufacturing is a chaotic process, many different parts are produced together in a small batch. This manufacturing method needs many process changes and a diverse set of materials and tools. High-mix low-volume manufacturing is not an option that is suited to an assembly line environment as it needs creativity and adaptivity. High-mix low-volume is an ideal choice if there are a lot of parts in a single part. Or in cases with product creation aggregation. High-mix low-volume manufacturing is a favorite in outsourcing as it makes manufacturer to maintain several income streams rather than relying on a single part. Contact us for the rapid manufacturing projects.
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