Operations Management: An Integrated Approach, 5th Edition

LINKING PRODUCT DESIGN AND PROCESS SELECTION

Decisions concerning product design and process selection are directly linked and cannot be made independently of one another. The type of product a company produces defines the type of operation needed. The type of operation needed, in turn, defines many other aspects of the organization. This includes how a company competes in the marketplace (competitive priorities), the type or equipment and its arrangement in the facility, the type of organizational structure, and future types of products that can be produced by the facility. Table 3-4 summarizes some key decisions and how they differ for intermittent and repetitive types of operations. Next we look at each of these decision areas.

TABLE 3-4 Differences in Key Organizational Decisions for Different Types of Operations

Product Design Decisions

Intermittent and repetitive operations typically focus on producing products in different stages of the product life cycle. Intermittent operations focus on products in the early stage of the life cycle because facilities are general-purpose and can be adapted to the needs of the product. Because products in the early stage of the life cycle are still being refined, intermittent operations are ideally suited to them. Also, demand volumes for ...