Production management: how to do it right?

Production management

Proper production management is a huge challenge for any manufacturing company. What is production management and how to do it right?

Table of contents:

What is production process management?

To learn how to boost productivity, one must first understand what effective production management is and what it consists of. Production is the process of creating specific goods in order to sell them and generate profit.

The process of improving productivity involves four stages: planning, ordering, guiding and controlling. Each of these stages is designed to result in the most efficient production of finished goods possible. What exactly does efficient mean? It means producing goods in accordance with predefined specifications in predefined time and quantity while minimising production costs.

The efficiency of production processes is the responsibility of production management. Managers are in charge of the proper design of production, of quality control processes and the organisation of the work of all personnel involved in the manufacture of a product.

Methods and principles of production management

In most cases, management supervises production using special methods for improving productivity, developed in the course of many years. The choice of the right method depends largely on the type of production and product. Methods used by large corporations with large-volume production lines will not always work for smaller companies.

One of the most popular management systems is Lean Manufacturing . What does it entail? The basic idea is to reduce waste and the number of unnecessary tasks as much as possible throughout the manufacturing process. Of course, the system is also focused on achieving the best possible quality of manufactured products. Lean Manufacturing is mainly used in the automotive, aerospace and engineering industries, but it is also used by software suppliers.

The Kanban system is another way to boost productivity. It is mainly based on visual signals and managing production with their help. The principle behind Kanban is that overproduction is completely eliminated and that products are only manufactured in response to current demand. In this way, the number of inventories in stock can be markedly reduced. This reduces cost savings in production by lowering storage expenses.

In its traditional form, the Kanban system for production management uses a special board that is divided into three columns: to do, doing and done. The table can be expanded to include columns depending on the needs of the company and the type of production.

MRP, or Material Requirements Planning, is another method that aims at improving productivity. It involves planning and controlling production, as well as managing the inventory of a company. MRP is typically implemented using specialised production management software.

The goal of Material Requirements Planning is to ensure the continuous availability of all raw materials and materials used in production while keeping the smallest acceptable stock. In a nutshell, this system is designed to ensure safe and steady production based on supply and purchasing schedules.

Benchmarking is the last great method for introducing production management principles. It involves studying the management methods of competitors and top companies in the market and applying them to improve one’s own manufacturing process. Of course, it is not supposed to be a carbon copy of other companies’ solutions.

The key is to understand the company’s circumstances before choosing production management methods that will significantly affect production quality. It is also vital to constantly analyse the market and the solutions used by competitors. Once chosen, a management method does not have to work all of the time, so it is worth constantly looking for new and better solutions.

Production management: the most common mistakes

Management, like most stages of the manufacturing process, is prone to error. One of the most common mistakes is the absence of description or an inaccurate description of the manufacturing technology, which may lead to employee errors. A good description should include a list of materials and a list of technological operations. To make it properly, it is necessary to use proper tools that allow data collection directly from machines and workstations. An proper description can be drafted on this basis.

Another common error when introducing production process management is chaotic procurement planning. This is frequently due to a lack of appropriate planning tools. Although spreadsheets are powerful tools, gathering data from multiple sources can be difficult and can lead to errors in production planning.

It is also common for businesses to not immediately develop an entire production plan that takes into account available technology, resources and data from all the manufacturing process at once. Only a comprehensive plan that includes all of these elements allows for accurate and dependable production process management and fewer mistakes. Planning should not be based on unrealistic assumptions and a skewed view of reality, but on actual data and calculations.

GMP principles in cosmetics manufacturing. Summary

The main role and task of any business, regardless of the industry, is to generate profits. To do this, it is essential to provide customers with the highest-quality products at the lowest possible cost. This can only be accomplished if the entire manufacturing process is properly planned and managed.

The production management methods described in this text aim at improving productivity, making the entire process more effective and efficient. It is important to remember, however, that selecting the right production management method is difficult and should be closely tied to the type of production your company deals with.

If you are looking for machines that will help you manage production in your company, we recommend that you take a look at Unilogo’s offer. Using the contact form, you can quickly and easily get in touch with our team of experts who will help you choose the best solution for your business.