Small and large business enterprises need to take into consideration crucial factors before settling on this method of production. Low-volume manufacturing is an essential tooling manufacturing procedure that fabricates machine parts/products for sale utilizing low-volume tools such as Vacuum casting, 3D printing, and CNC <a href='http://www.cncmachine.ltd/en/News/news1251.html’ target=’_blank’>machining.
Before embarking on low volume production here are some aspects that would influence the choice of production highlighted below;
The quantity of goods produced
Before starting a company, the stakeholders consider the amount of goods it intends to produce over a period of time. This will go a long way in coming up with a budget for the resources needed, such as tools and human input. A business looking to produce goods in small quantities will, therefore, employ this method of production as it will be best suited for them.
New businesses in the market also use low-quality production as they weigh on customer preferences before maintaining or moving to mass production.
Design complexities
For products that have intricate designs, this method of production is best suited since the engineer can focus on advancing and improving on areas that need attention. Mistakes are also easily identified, and designers and engineers make necessary corrections; thus, the final product has customer satisfaction.
Market size
The target market is crucial in choosing a method of production. A small market will prompt a company to use low quantity production method as this will minimize the time taken to produce goods and take them to the market.
Materials to be used
Companies should consider the type of materials used during production. Since low volume production is meant to come up with high-quality goods, then the materials and resources used should be of high quality.
Bridging the Gap
For a company that is new to the industry, going straight into mass production may be unadvisable considering the risks. It should, therefore, do market research and consequently consider low volume manufacturing in an attempt to equip themselves with information on customer preferences. This is significant as it links prototyping and production of goods in bulk.
Modifications / Revisions
Manufacturing goods in small quantities offers the business flexibility to easily alter or make corrections without affecting the overall cost of the goods, thus making a high-quality end product that is more appealing to the consumer. This is often a key factor in selecting a low volume production approach.
Low volume production helps to mitigate the risks involved in high volume manufacturing. At the same time, it gives companies a platform to produce more goods that would otherwise not be possible in prototyping.
This link is vital for any business in the incubation period before rolling out mass production.