Production systems are structures that involve people and equipment working together. They perform their functions in a certain space, conditions, working environment in accordance with tasks. Production and production systems are composed of certain elements.
general characteristics
Production systems are capable of independently or in interaction with each other to satisfy those or other requests and needs of potential consumers through the services and goods. The emergence of such structures is determined by the appearance or formation of demand in the market. They must be adapted to meet customer satisfaction over the long term. Thus, the goals of the production system are to manufacture and market the products needed on the market.
Stages
The production process system is a sequence of operations related to the conversion of materials and raw materials into services and goods. As part of this complex, there is a change in the means used in the work. They go through the following stages:
- Mechanization. Within it, manual labor is partially replaced by machine labor.
- Automation It represents a complete transfer of mechanical operations to equipment. Automation minimizes human involvement.
- Standardization. It involves the uniformity of parts, operations, goods, as a result of which the components of products and people become interchangeable.
- Computerization. It allows you to create opportunities for the implementation of flexible readjustment of equipment for the manufacture of a diverse range of goods.
Types of production systems
They are determined in accordance with the stages of formation of the modern industry. Depending on the methods of reducing costs, organization, technological level, the following types are distinguished:
- Soft pre-scientific (military-anarchist).
- Soft scientific, based on flexible technologies (toyotism).
- Hard scientific (Fordism).
Consider these types of production systems in more detail.
Military anarchist structure
Such a system of production activity has the following features:
- The key direction is the capture of new markets for the sale of goods through their cheapening.
- Manufacture and factory production. It is based on mechanization, the transfer of key functions to equipment, provides for narrow, simple specialties of workers.
- Template and half-tempered monotonous activity.
- Forced working rhythm set by the machine.
- Extensive use of material and human resources to reduce their cost.
- Simple operations.
The management of the production system in this case is in conflict. Actually, because of this, it is called military anarchist. Within production, relations are rather unstable.
Fordism
The founder of this production system was G. Ford. He developed a theory whose key points are:
- High wages of the worker.
- Control over the number of hours. The employee must work out 48 hours a week, but no more.
- Ensuring the best condition of machines, their absolute cleanliness.
- Cultivating people's respect for themselves and for each other.
In accordance with these principles, an 8-hour day was introduced and the salary was set to be twice as high as provided for in generally accepted norms. Ford, in addition, created schools with scholarships, opened a sociological laboratory in which the study of working conditions, leisure and life of employees was carried out. Along with this, he cared about potential consumers. In particular, special attention in the production was paid to the quality of products, the development of the service network, cars were constantly improved, and sales prices were reduced. The introduction of machines for hard work and the prompt introduction of innovations were a tough requirement. Hygiene and cleanliness were also strictly controlled, and the psychophysiological characteristics of employees were taken into account when distributing them to perform certain operations (requiring a creative look or monotonous). Ford was one of those who created the philosophy of practice. The merit of this person and other people who propagated similar ideas consists in affirming the key principles on which the organization of production systems is based. Currently, they have not lost their relevance, but rather, on the contrary, they have become more than in demand.
Key features
The main task of Fordism is to reduce production costs. Among the key features of the structure are the following:
- Conveyor production.
- The presence of a fleet of specialized machines.
- Template simple work.
- Forced rhythm defined by the conveyor.
- Low qualification of staff.
- Serial (mass) production.
- Low costs for attracting resources to create a new pipeline.
- Great staff turnover.
Management
It included:
- Production planning. It was carried out in the form of rationing of financial, labor and material resources.
- Routing It represents the development of sequences and ways of passing goods through equipment.
- Dispatching. It ensured the distribution of route-technological maps and production tasks among the enterprise divisions.
- Scheduling. It represents the formation of a schedule and the coordination of the various stages and methods of processing products (sequentially or in parallel).
- Quality control.
- Improving the methods of production and distribution of functions between employees.
Toyotism
The production systems discussed above are not flexible and adaptable to changing conditions. Toyota is a response to the need for highly qualified specialists, the growth of industry mobility. It acts as a modern production and economic system. Its key principle is to find the optimal combination of human values, training, continuous adaptation to constantly changing conditions. It involves the attraction of highly qualified personnel, the use of semi-standard and creative work. This structure uses flexible design and production systems. The whole company acts as a complex of highly specialized enterprises, a network of branches is developed.
The development of flexible type production systems in Japan
They began to be introduced relatively recently, in the middle of the 20th century. Successful development of production systems of this type is noted in Japan. A computerized model began to operate at enterprises. It coordinates the information of all structural divisions and ensures uninterrupted operation. A production and technical system of this type involves administration directly by the course of production and control of inventories. Continuity of work is ensured by the delivery of materials "on time" to the right place and in the required quantity. This model is called "kanban." The planned department of the enterprise weekly or monthly develops a schedule for the release of new products. However, it does not act as a production scheme for each workshop. The operational schedule developed every day coordinates the work of the main conveyor exclusively. Other workshops communicate through the Kanban system. Japanese technology is known worldwide for its quality. Such popularity is ensured by tight control at the enterprise. Any employee in each company feels an individual responsibility for the manufactured products. For quality control, special circles are formed at the enterprise. Their members must continuously improve their skills and knowledge.
Principles
The main production systems in the modern world are based on:
- Resource planning. In accordance with the general working projects, a forecast of the conjuncture, financial indicators, engineering design, employment, schedule is formed.
- Quality control.
- Human Resource Management. It includes the study of individual characteristics of a person to ensure continuity and safety of work. At the enterprises flexible schedules are introduced, the range of functions of employees expands. Workers themselves take part in the organization of production. Particular attention is paid to the group and internal self-control of specialists.
Features of Russian industry
Currently, the enterprises have a model covering all stages of the enterprise. These include not only direct production, but also the receipt of raw materials for its manufacture, as well as the marketing of finished products. The quality of the product, the amount of costs, and the competitiveness of the enterprise depend on how efficiently the system is organized. The key factors restraining the development of production systems in the Russian Federation are the lack of qualified managers and the lack of information about the potential and prospects of modernization.
Administration Specifics
Management of the production system is a conscious regulation of the entire enterprise. First of all, a draft of the optimal model for the functioning of the company should be developed. Management involves making decisions about the location of capacities, introducing norms and standards. The functioning of the system must be constantly monitored. This means that the routes for passing orders must be established, the deadlines for their delivery are determined. Equally important is the accounting of materials, components, parts and products within the enterprise. Such control should be provided at all stages of the company’s work. To achieve competitiveness, an enterprise must produce a marketable product. Moreover, it should have its own characteristics that distinguish it for the better from the products of other companies. In this regard, a team of specialists should develop a project of products that will be produced by the enterprise, or take advantage of existing promising developments.