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Mass Production

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
133 views4 pages

Mass Production

mass

Uploaded by

demihuman086
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mass production:

Mass production is the manufacturing of large quantities of standardized products, often using
assembly lines or automation technology. Mass production facilitates the efficient production of
a large number of similar products.

Mass production is also referred to as flow production, repetitive flow production, series
production, or serial production.

In mass production, mechanization is used to achieve high volume, detailed organization of


material flow, careful control of quality standards, and division of labor. An early example of the
demand for standardized products in large quantities came from military organizations and their
need for uniforms and other supplies. Precision machining equipment has led to large-scale
demand for mass-produced products created cheaply with small workforces.
Mass production (slide ver):

- Mass production is the manufacturing of large quantities of standardized products, often using
assembly lines or automation technology.

- Mass production has many advantages, such as producing a high level of precision, lower costs
from automation and fewer workers, higher levels of efficiency, and prompt distribution and
marketing of an organization’s products.

- Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Co., developed the assembly line technique of mass
production in 1913.

* Key Features of Mass Production:

- Standardization: Products are made to a uniform specification, ensuring consistency and


quality.

- Automation: Machinery and technology play a significant role in production, reducing the need
for manual labor.

- Assembly Line: Work is divided into specific tasks performed in sequence, speeding up the
manufacturing process.

- Economies of Scale: Producing in large quantities reduces the cost per unit, making goods more
affordable.

- High Output: Mass production allows for quick turnaround times and the ability to meet large
orders.

Applications:

- Automobiles: Car manufacturers use mass production to create vehicles at a rapid pace.
- Consumer Goods: Items like electronics, appliances, and clothing are often produced in large
batches.

- Food Products: Mass production techniques are used in the processing of packaged foods and
beverages.

Advantages of Mass Production

Mass production has many advantages. If production is stringently monitored, mass production
can result in a high level of precision because production line machines have preset parameters.
Mass production also results in lower costs because the automated assembly line production
process requires fewer workers. Manufacturers can produce products in batches, thereby
reducing the time and cost of machine setup.
In addition, mass production can create higher levels of efficiency because mass-produced items
can be assembled at a quicker rate through automation. Rapid assembly aids the prompt
distribution and marketing of an organization’s products that, in turn, can create a competitive
advantage and higher profits for a company. For example, McDonald’s (MCD) has a competitive
advantage in the fast-food industry because of the speed at which it can produce a meal for time-
conscious customers.

Advantages: (Slide ver)

- Cost efficiency: low production costs because the mechanization eliminates redundant job
roles, thus requiring fewer workers.

- High precision rate: can result in a high-precision rate if production is strictly monitored and
validated using present parameters, reduced variability in product quality.

- Higher efficiency levels: lead to higher efficiency levels since automation assembles mass-
produced items faster, which means faster delivery of products to the market, also gives firms a
competitive edge and higher profitability because rapid assembly helps with the faster
distribution and marketing of products.

Disadvantages of Mass Production

However, not everything about mass production is beneficial. Establishing an automated


assembly line is capital-intensive and requires a significant up-front investment of time and
resources. If there is an error in the production design, an extensive investment of time and
money may be necessary to redesign and rebuild mass production processes.

A revision of the mass production processes may be required for reasons other than errors. For
example, if a pharmaceutical company has a comprehensive assembly line in place to produce a
popular drug, it would be time-consuming and expensive for them to respond to a U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory change requiring a different production process.

While an advantage of mass production is that it can reduce labor costs, employees who remain
part of an assembly line may lack motivation because their tasks are repetitive. The boredom
caused by repetitive work can lead to low employee morale and increased levels of turnover.

Disadvantages: (slide ver)

- Less Flexibility: Harder to customize products.

- Potential for Overproduction: Risk of producing more than needed.

- Capital-intensive: requires automated assembly lines, which is capital-intensive and require


large sums of investments to set up and maintain. Only companies with a large capital outlay can
implement mass production in their manufacturing process.

- Requires constant upgrades: require upgrading and new improvements to keep up with the
latest innovations in the market. (A typical scenario can be seen in a pharmaceutical firm that
manufactures popular drug products on a comprehensive assembly line. If a different production
process is required due to regulatory changes, the company will be required to incur significant
investment in time and money to adopt a new assembly line.)

- Low employee morale and increased employee turnover: associated with low employee morale
and increased levels of employee turnover due to the repetitive nature of the production process
which can lead to reduced labor needs.

Example of Mass Production

Mass production now touches most of what American consumers buy, from cars to clothing to
toothbrushes. For example, in 1954, every marshmallow Peep took 27 hours to make by hand.
With the introduction of the assembly line, this time requirement had been reduced to six
minutes per Peep, and an average of 5.5 million Peeps are made every day as of 2024.

Ford took its assembly lines one step further, introducing robots that could unload a die-casting
press in 1961. Now robotics play a major part in much mass production, with humans standing in
as quality assurance.

Example (slide ver)

1. Automobiles: Ford Model T

- The introduction of the assembly line by Henry Ford allowed for the rapid production of cars,
making them affordable for the average consumer.

2. Electronics: Smartphones
- Companies like Apple and Samsung produce millions of smartphones each year using
standardized components and automated assembly lines.

3. Consumer Goods: Household Appliances

- Products such as refrigerators, washing machines, and microwaves are manufactured in large
quantities with consistent quality.

4.Food and Beverage: Soft Drinks

- Major brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi utilize mass production techniques to produce billions
of cans and bottles annually.

5.Clothing: Fast Fashion

- Retailers like Zara and H&M produce large volumes of trendy clothing items quickly to meet
consumer demand.

6. Pharmaceuticals: Over-the-Counter Medications

- Common medications like aspirin and ibuprofen are produced in vast quantities to ensure
availability.

7. Toys: LEGO Sets

- LEGO produces millions of its iconic bricks and sets each year, ensuring uniformity and
availability worldwide.

8.Furniture: Flat-Pack Furniture

- Companies like IKEA mass-produce furniture that is easy to assemble and shipped in compact
packaging.

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