Mass production (MP) is a process to produce the largest quantity of items while using the fewest resources. It uses a combination of single-purpose machines and low- or semi-skilled labour to produce large amounts of standardised goods for mass consumption, to an extensive market, at low prices (Sabel & Zeitlin, 1985; Poni, 1997). It will most likely need a factory and machinery, as well as trained personnel – all of which takes up significant levels of capital.
It is the fastest of all production processes, with conveying systems advancing beyond imagination. They are now able to identify products and re-direct them to the next stage without any need for human intervention. Video games consoles such as the PlayStation and Xbox are examples of mass production. Both Sony and Microsoft produce these in Asia using a very automated process with little involvement in human labor.
Step 4: Division of labor
It allows for products to be mass-produced in large numbers through a meticulously organized sequence on the production line. 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.
Suddenly, average American families could afford cars — this increased mobility. Americans were no longer stuck in the same town or the same job because they lacked transportation. However, Ford management performed time studies and experiments to mechanize their factory processes, focusing on minimizing worker movements. The difference is that while Taylor focused mostly on efficiency of the worker, Ford also substituted for labor by using machines, thoughtfully arranged, wherever possible. The textile industry uses mass production to create clothing at scale, particularly in countries like China and Bangladesh.
In agriculture the development of specialized machines for plowing, seeding, cultivating, and harvesting followed by factories for preparing, preserving, and packaging food products has drawn heavily on mass production principles. There are specialized manual tasks supplementing the specialized machines both in the fields and in the processing plants. In a typical mass production system, tasks are divided among workers and machines in a way that each performs a specific role (specialization). This division of labor helps in optimizing skills and speeds up the production process. In England Marc Brunel, a French-born inventor and engineer, established a production line to manufacture blocks (pulleys) for sailing ships, using the principles of division of labour and standardized parts.
Professional Tools
- One of the real-life examples of mass production is the Model-T automobile from Henry Ford as each car was identical and all in black.
- Maudslay recognized the importance of precision tools that could produce identical parts; he and his student, Joseph Whitworth, also manufactured interchangeable, standardized metal bolts and nuts.
- Mass production has enabled the country to grow and is part of other important sectors in the economy such as transportation and retail.
- In turn, the Industrial Revolution generated new concepts which eventually gave birth to mass production techniques.
- Consumer electronics such as smartphones and laptops are produced on a massive scale to meet global demand.
Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Co. (F), developed the assembly line technique of mass production. In 1913, he pioneered the moving assembly line for production of the Ford Model T automobile. The reduced manufacturing time for parts allowed the company to apply the same method to chassis assembly and drastically reduced the time it took to build the Model T automobile. This aids in increased bargaining power because of bulk buying and less overhead costs related to paperwork, purchase, and transport, etc. One of the real-life examples of mass production is the Model-T automobile from Henry Ford as each car was identical and all in black. Mass customization lets a customer personalize certain features of a product while still keeping costs at or near mass production prices.
This was because mass production requires standardization in order to benefit from increases in efficiency. In turn, this makes the product more affordable and therefore available to the masses. Mass production example of mass production involves making the same product over and over again according to the same specification.
Pioneers of mass production methods
- At the same time, Frank B. Gilbreth and his wife, Lillian Gilbreth, U.S. industrial engineers, began their pioneering studies of the movements by which people carry out tasks.
- Perhaps one of the biggest advantages to a manufacturer is the fast production rate of mass production.
- Small startup businesses will find it difficult to amass this capital and compete.
- There can be seasonal fluctuations which can make it difficult to determine demand.
These are then put onto an assembly line which flows them along onto a hopper which would dispense the food. The can would then be moved along onto another machine which would enclose the can. Finally, the finished can is then moved onto a pallet or crate where it will be dispensed to its final location. One study, published in Heliyon, found that some consumers feel emotionally attached to products that have been customized and match their preferences. Manufacturers who do not want to get left behind can consider how they can incorporate mass customization in their system.
As Henry Ford proved, very complex products can be made successfully using assembly line techniques. However, if there are unforeseen problems with an element of your product, that issue can be replicated thousands of times before it may be noticed. 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.
How Does Mass Customization Benefit a Company?
Manufacturing is the largest sector in the U.S. economy, adding a value of over $2 trillion each year. Although factory employment has decreased over the years, the U.S. produces 40 percent more than it did in the 1990s. Thanks to mass production, the U.S. remains one of the top manufacturing countries in the world. Therefore, many factories that prioritize product quality often produce a small batch of products for testing in advance and conduct comprehensive testing on the final products.
The concept applies for numerous types of products from fluids to solid parts to assemblies of solid parts. Mass customization may apply to many fields, but many connect it to the retail industry. Software creators may use this method to include software-based product configurations that enable end-users to add or change specific functions of a core product. Even the financial services industry embraces mass customization through the growth of independent, fee-only advisory firms.