Raw material is a material intended for further processing in production. In fact, it is with him that the production of any product begins. It is difficult to overestimate the role of the starting material, since the quality of the product depends on this. Today there are a huge number of different groups, subgroups and types of raw materials. Let's try to understand this variety.
What is the raw material for production
Collected or mined materials are usually processed to give them the necessary commercial qualities. In the future, they either go on sale or continue to participate in subsequent production cycles until they reach the stage of the final product.
Types of raw materials
The classification of raw materials is a very conventional concept. It is customary to distinguish two main groups: industrial and agricultural. To the industry include minerals and energy. Agricultural raw materials are cereals, dairy products, meat, medicinal plants. All types of raw materials can be divided into two groups: it can be primary (directly mined or collected) and secondary (in the form of a by-product or production waste). The secondary group of materials is widely used in industry, which can significantly reduce costs. By origin, all types of raw materials can be divided into 4 subgroups:
- Plant origin (cereals, fruits and vegetables, herbs).
- Animal origin (dairy products, animal excrement).
- Mineral origin (natural gas, coal).
- Biosphere (water and air).
Use of raw materials in production
Today there are a huge number of areas of industry. The list of traditional industries is replenished daily with new names, which means that new raw materials are developed and used. This is due to growing global demand and developing technologies. The most relevant area today is the development of energy. If a hundred years ago a person knew how to get energy from oil and coal, today other sources, for example, natural gas , are being actively developed . There is an alternative technology for generating electricity, based on natural fermentation processes, when cow manure acts as an energy carrier. But such a production as the production of cotton fabric has not changed for many centuries. The process itself is improved and mechanized, but the raw materials are cotton bolls - just as it was 3-4 centuries ago. And the food industry is constantly undergoing changes. The desire of the manufacturer to reduce costs leads to the search for new types of source product. Natural raw materials are the best option. However, unfortunately, for reasons of economy, it is often replaced by an artificial one. Thus, today we can observe a situation in which some manufacturing industries continue to use some raw materials for centuries, while others develop technologies and develop new types of raw materials.