Subcontracting in Dynamics NAV

Discrete Manufacturing uses an Assembly or Production line, though it is much more diverse than repetitive manufacturing and allows for more frequent changeover and variation. A company can have multiple styles, sizes or modifications for a product with discrete manufacturing, though it often means production can take longer because of extra setup or removal as necessary.

Automobile and aircraft makers use the discrete manufacturing process, along with many companies who produce clothing, medical devices, toys and smartphones.

Continuous Process Manufacturing runs all the time like repetitive manufacturing. The difference is this process focuses on raw materials that are often gases, powders, liquids or slurry.

Oil refining, metal smelting, paper production and some food products like tomato sauce, juice and peanut butter use continuous process manufacturing.

Batch Process Manufacturing shares similarities with discrete and job shop manufacturing processes, driven by customer demand or the availability of ingredients and raw materials. One manufacturing run might produce a batch enough to fill client needs, so you finish production, clean the equipment, and resume when you need another batch.

Food production, newspaper printing, bookbinding, and pharmaceuticals often rely on batch process manufacturing.

Repetitive Manufacturing is appropriate when making repeat production at a committed production rate. This manufacturing process has dedicated production lines all working on the same product or component all day, every day year-round. Because there is such little changeover and setup, you can match operation speeds to customer demand or client requirements to make more or fewer items.

Many companies that make electronic goods, automobiles or durable consumer goods like refrigerators and clothes dryers use the repetitive manufacturing process.

Job Shop Manufacturing uses production areas instead of an assembly line and is most often used for small-batch, custom products that are made-to-order for certain clients or customers. These workstations might focus on one particular product or a handful of them, like a custom shoemaker or commercial printing press, and easily offer the ability to customize the final product. Many machine shops also use this type of manufacturing to make local industrial machinery, ship components or specialized parts for the aviation industry.

With advances in technology, some of these sites may use job shop manufacturing software, which helps manage workflow and production. To scale volume for higher production rates, a business might benefit from moving from job shop manufacturing to repetitive manufacturing, which allows for more automation and fewer people.

Many in the industry now recognize 3D Printing as a sixth manufacturing process with widespread use. Developed in the 1980s, 3D printing uses various composites and materials like plastics and metals to make three-dimensional goods layer by layer based on a digital model, rather than using physical labor or mechanization. There has been an enormous expansion in this field, with dozens of equipment manufacturers and hundreds of thousands of 3D-printed items already on the market.

While 3D printing can be expensive, it also offers the potential to reduce financial capital, raw materials and waste and lets companies create and test products before committing to them on a larger scale. This growing manufacturing process is already being used for products such as:

• Medical and dental devices
• Prosthetic limbs
• Firearms
• Shoes
• Musical instruments
• Buildings