Before delving deeper into the differences between discrete and process manufacturing, let's first define some important terms:
- Work Center
A work center is a logical production area within a plant that defines where an operation is executed. It represents the location or organizational unit in which production activities take place and is used for production planning, scheduling, execution, and reporting.
Depending on the manufacturing environment, a work center can represent a single machine, a group of similar machines, or even a whole production line.
Each work center is typically specialized for a specific type of task. For example, in a bicycle manufacturing plant, one work center might be dedicated to creating the frames, another to painting the bicycle frames, another to assembling the parts together, and so on. This allocation of specific tasks to dedicated work centers enables efficient workflow, precise scheduling, improved quality control, and effective resource utilization within the manufacturing process.
- Resource
A resource is an individual, physical, executable production asset that has the capacity to perform an operation within a work center. Resources can represent machines, workstations, tools, robots or other piece of equipments. It may be something as simple as a drill, or as complex as an automatic component feeder.
While a work center defines where a production operation takes place from an organizational perspective, a resource defines what actually performs the work. Resources are differentiated according to resource type and are arranged hierarchically under a work center. A specific resource can belong to only one work center.
The work center Painting may contain multiple resources such as Paint Robot 1, Paint Robot 2 and Paint Robot 3. During production, an operation is executed on one of these specific resources. In a chemical plant, one resource could be a reactor where raw materials undergo chemical transformation, another could be a distillation column for separating mixtures, and so on.
- Routing
A routing is a term used in the discrete manufacturing industry. It refers to the sequence of operations or steps that are needed to complete the production of a specific product. It defines the flow of materials and work through the production process, from start to finish. In the context of the discrete manufacturing industry, each step in the routing process represents a specific operation in the production cycle, such as machining, welding, assembling, painting, or inspection. At each of these stages, the product will undergo a specific transformation or process as it moves towards becoming a finished good. By establishing and following a routing sequence, companies can standardize and streamline their production activities, facilitating improved efficiency, quality control, and cost management.
- Recipe
A recipe is a term used in the process manufacturing industry, where production involves mixing, blending, or transforming raw materials into a finished product. It focuses on defining the detailed instructions and formulae for producing a specific product. In a recipe, the master data specialist first defines a set of general operations that must be executed to manufacture a product. Each operation is executed on a resource. However, each operation involves a set of detailed actions that must be executed on the shop floor. The sum of all these actions results in the operation.
For example, to manufacture bicycle paint, the recipe contains the operations ‘create a solvent mix’ and ‘add pigment to the mix’. To create the solvent mix, the phases ‘fill solvents into reaction vessel’, ‘stir 10 minutes at room temperature’, and ‘heat to 70 °C and stir for 5 minutes’ must be executed. Adding of the pigment consists of the phases ‘add pigment to solvent mix’ and ‘stir for 30 minutes’.
- Bill of Material (BOM)
A Bill of Material (BOM) is a comprehensive list of parts, components, assemblies, and other materials required to produce a product. It is essentially a recipe or blueprint for production. A BOM includes the quantity of each item, specifications, and sometimes even the sequence of assembly. It is an essential tool for production planning, inventory management, cost estimation, and ensuring that all necessary materials are available for production.
For example, in a bicycle manufacturing process, a BOM might list items such as the frame, handlebars, wheels, gears, screws, and paint, along with the quantity required for each to produce a single bicycle.
For example, in a paint production process, a BOM might list items such as basic paint, solvent, pigment, stabilitzers, and additives along with the quantity required to manufacture a certain amount of paint. Usually, the quantities refer to a standard production quantity, for example 1000 kg which you usually produce.
