At the present stage of industrial development, there are two main forms of organization of production systems that cover production areas from ballpoint pens to passenger airliners. Depending on the type of products, production volumes, the complexity of the technology and a number of other indicators of the enterprise system, stationary or in-line methods of manufacturing or repairing products are used.
Difference methods
The main difference between the two specified forms is the processes of moving objects or repair entities when performing specified technological algorithms. In the stationary method, the object (electric motor, car, etc.) is rigidly fixed at one position during the entire production cycle. Workers perform the necessary set of steps for production needs.
With in-line methods of organizing production, on the contrary, workers are rigidly fixed in space, and the object of manufacture (repair) moves between positions with selected production parameters. This maximizes productivity and reduces time loss.
History of development
The development of industrial industrial systems is determined by mass production enterprises, which, due to the high volumes and pace of production, use the most advanced technologies and approaches. It is not surprising that the first cases of mass application of in-line methods of organizing production were recorded in the US automotive industry in the early 20th century. The industrialist Henry Ford is rightly called the father of stream-line forms of organization. Indeed, it was with his ideas that the introduction of the principles of the new production paradigm began.
Creation Background
The flow method of organizing production involves a feasibility study. Therefore, at the initial stages, it is necessary to conduct an analysis of production to meet the conditions for the transition to a more complex form of organization. These include:
- the possibility of a full load of technological equipment, which is determined by a sufficient number of homogeneous products;
- detailed differentiation of technology;
- long binding operations in time and space;
- specialization in a limited number of operations with their maximum mechanization;
- the ability to create a production flow (sequential placement of positions), which makes it possible to obtain optimal patterns of product movement;
- use of a single time parameter (production rhythm);
- the possibility of using transport lots (parallelism and concentration of production);
- the presence of special vehicles for moving products.
Positive implementation dynamics
The characteristic advantages of continuous production organization methods:
- the use of high-performance equipment (special);
- mechanization of transport technology units,
- rational use of system resources.
The effectiveness of the proposed forms is based on the optimization of a number of production indicators (labor productivity, production program, duration of the production cycle, workshop areas and production costs).
The overall performance is affected by:
- reduction in the share of physical labor (reduction in the number of employees) at the transport stages through the use of special means (conveyors, transborders, roller tables);
- reduction of employee downtime due to equipment retooling, disproportionate load and multiple distribution of capacities;
- maximum specialization of jobs (several heterogeneous operations per employee);
- reduction in the overall complexity of manufacturing as a result of the introduction of new technological regimes.
Types of stream production
The main element of continuous production is a continuous (technological) line. It consists of technologically related specialized positions or jobs.
Production lines are classified according to a number of signs:
- by the heterogeneity of products on the stream - on the line with homogeneous products and lines with products having different dimensions and structural elements;
- according to the structure of processes - continuous action in time (continuous) and periodic action;
- by type of rhythm - with a rigid (regulated) rhythm and with a changing (free) rhythm;
- for transportation of products - using conveyor elements and without it;
- on the scale of use - at the level of the site (department), workshop (building), factory (several spans with a full production cycle);
- for mechanization and automation - not mechanized (lack of movement in the case of large-sized products), with partial mechanization (movement using standard vehicles), with complex mechanization (using a belt or chain conveyor), automated or automatic;
- in spatial configuration - rectilinear, ellipsoidal, etc.
The flow method of organizing production characterizes the dynamics of the enterprise. The use of different variants of production lines creates a certain level of specialization of units and affects the overall efficiency of the system.
Features of the design of flow systems
Note that the flow method of organization determines the type of production. The introduction of a progressive machine model of the system in the presence of the required production volumes allows the company to raise the bar of technological excellence.
The design basis for in-line production is a rational diagram of the functioning processes, which is based on several premises:
- Design prerequisites imply the uniformity of designs, the interchangeability of elements and their standardization.
- Technological ones allow to divide technology elements into components as much as possible, which makes it possible to introduce deep mechanization of processes.
- Organizational conditions are based on a sufficient production program, full utilization of funds and a high level of specialization.
- Material are based on a progressive system of material support of the entire system (MRP, "Maximum-Minimum") and job security (Kanban, KORM, etc.).
Standards for the flow method of organizing production
There are many options for the formation of production. The volumes of mechanization, spatial configuration, uniformity of structures are in fairly wide intervals. To create an effective in-line system, a number of production standards are used, better known as in-line production parameters.
As a rule, they are assigned to one of the categories:
- parameters characterizing the work on time (beat, rhythm);
- parameters determining the position in space (length, width, number of positions, workshop area, etc.);
- parameters that show the productivity of the production line (flow rate, productivity per unit time).
Application area
The most common flow methods for organizing production are used in mechanical engineering. The use of automotive enterprises, rail transport, household appliances is understandable from the point of view of product uniformity, the possibility of creating transportation lots, detailing of technology and related factors. At the same time, the flow method of organizing production also characterizes the type of production.
However, in-line technology is a certain approach to the organization, management and functioning of various processes. Therefore, the application of flow principles is possible in any systems having the above prerequisites. Consider the use of in-line technology as an example in the construction industry.
Features of use in construction
The construction of various facilities is the same production process as the manufacture of industrial goods. In both the first and second cases, we are dealing only with different products (manufactured household appliances, a built house) and technologies (assembly of the power supply, construction of the foundation).
The purpose of construction is the commissioned objects (buildings, structures) obtained on the basis of a set of processes at the construction site. During construction use sequential and parallel types of production cycles. In-line production was not spared.
The stream method of organizing construction production consists in dividing the construction process into a number of stages - laying the foundation of a residential building, installing ceilings, internal work that work crews perform based on the general rhythm of the production process. At the same time, they strive to create work areas with laboriousness of equal multiplicity. Production processes of different contents are carried out in parallel, which saves resources and reduces the production cycle time.
The parameters of the flow method of organizing construction production characterize the features of the flow based on accounting and analysis of technological, spatial and temporal characteristics. These include the structure of the flow, the volume of work, the complexity, the step of the flow, the cyclic modulus, etc.
Finally
The analysis shows that the use of in-line methods of organizing production is a prerequisite for the formation of a high-tech modern enterprise. In-line technologies can be applied in a variety of production activities, providing high standards of productivity and manufacturing quality.