Produktionstype

Produktionstype is a classification used in manufacturing to describe how goods are produced. It helps organize planning, capacity, inventory, and scheduling by identifying the underlying production processes and their characteristics. Common dimensions include the level of product customization, the unit of output, and the organization of work flows.

Major categories include discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing, and continuous production. Discrete manufacturing produces distinct items that can be counted and tracked as individual units, such as electronics or machinery. It often uses job shop or assembly line layouts and requires setup and changeover management. Process manufacturing creates products that are not easily separated into discrete units, often in bulk, such as chemicals or food ingredients; outputs are typically measured by volume, weight, or concentration. Continuous production represents highly automated, uninterrupted processing of homogeneous materials, such as refineries or steel mills, with very high throughputs and minimal downtime. Batch production falls between these extremes, producing a defined quantity of product in a single run, common in bakeries or pharmaceuticals.

The choice of produktionstype influences routing, bill of materials, capacity planning, inventory policy, lead times, and quality control. It is driven by product design, demand variability, required lead times, capital investment, and regulatory or safety considerations. Many manufacturers operate hybrid systems that combine multiple production types to accommodate varied product families and market conditions.