What kind of industries should go for Repetitive Manufacturing? Type of Industries:

1. Auto parts manufacturers,
2. Cement, automobiles,
3. FMCG Manufacturers,
4. Durables Goods (Washing machine, Refrigerators etc.)
5. PCB Manufacturers (Electronic Goods)

This type of manufacturing is typically used in following areas:

• Tier 1 and tier 2 automotive, either in stand-alone manufacturing, or as a supply line for larger assembly lines.
• The production of household appliances and consumer electronics.
• Medical supplies and semi-processed foods
• Any manufacturing environment or parts of manufacturing environment with a continuous and steady demand.

Products suited for repetitive manufacturing have these characteristics:

1. Standard (not customized)
2. Inexpensive
3. A limited number of variants
4. May be complex
5. A flat bill of material

The product of repetitive manufacturing can be a sellable end-item, or a sub-assembly for use in a different manufacture process. Example of Repetitive Industry: Manufacturing of Lampshades Lampshade manufacturing has several process steps which has been explained below: Step 1 – The design The first initial step of production is to finalise the design. This would involve liaising with the customer to determine the specifications of the product’s design and look i.e. dimension, material etc. Step 2 – Raw Materials The second step is sourcing and purchasing the raw materials in the form of sheet metal. Step 3 – Guillotine and Circle Cutting The metal spinning process in short requires “blanks” that are produced from the raw materials that have been purchased. The blanks are cut and shaped by the Guillotine and Circle Cutting machinery. Step 4 – Metal Spinning The blanks are mounted on the CNC metal spinning lathe which are programmed to form the blanks into the desired lampshade design given to us from the customer. The Repetitive manufacturing process means the lampshades move uninterrupted from one step to the next. If additional work is required, i.e. paint, this will turn the process into a discrete manufacturing process. How Infor ERPLN Supports Repetitive Manufacturing Industries? Infor LN has all features and capabilities designed to meet the unique business requirements of repetitive manufacturing. The product provides manufacturing companies with a complete planning system that covers full business processes from planning and purchasing to sales and customer service. The Repetitive Manufacturing module facilitates production control in a repetitive-type manufacturing environment. The module is used for high-volume production in a multimodal-flow environment. It provides host of features for repetitive domain as below:

1. Ability to automatically create Production schedules from MPS and MRP planning
2. Multiple assembly schedules per production line
3. Work Cell Configuration
4. Production Models
5. Multimodal Production
6. Work Cell Reporting
7. Back flushing of components based on completion quantity
8. Lot and Serial number assignment
9. Cost collection based on Periods (Work Cell Cost Document Feature)

Benefits of Repetitive Manufacturing

1. Cost Efficient - The process reduces the cost to produce items.
2. Frees Resources - The continuous nature means time is only spent on manufacturing products. Also, employees’ responsibilities do not often change. More than likely, they will be responsible for maintaining machinery.
3. Low Skill Level - The use of machinery for complicated tasks means the job could potentially have a low entry point for prospective employees.
4. Easier to schedule - The schedule follows the production rate.
5. Define production Speeds - Change the production rates speed to achieve the desired output.
6. Performance Visibility - A products manufacturing process can be easily monitored from one location, from start to finish.

Limitations of Repetitive Manufacturing

1. Tear Downs - If a different item or how the manufacturing of an item changes, the business needs to reassemble the production line. Doing so can be costly to the business.
2. Less Customization - Mass produced items mean customers have less chance to personalize their orders.
3. Low Skill Level - It is a blessing and a curse. Work can be monotonous and boring, as the same thing will be repeated every day by employees who are uninspired.
4. Customer Demand - Demand changes all the time; your production rate always runs the risk of not meeting or overestimating the demand for your product.
5. Difficult to Track Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) - The value of your products will fluctuate since they are constantly in production. Many businesses use the not-so-kosher practice of back flushing. It is a simple accounting system where you ignore the direct material and direct labor costs. Here, the products will have a standard cost.

Are you ready to leverage your ERPLN for repetitive manufacturing scenario? Contact us on connect@nichebees.com for free strategy and assessment session with our expert team!