7 Types of Manufacturing Technology You Didn’t Know Existed

7 Types of Manufacturing Technology You Didn’t Know Existed Manufacturing technology refers to the development of machines and processes used to make an end product, whether it’s chocolate bars or space rockets. These can be anything from machine tools, which are used to carve metal parts out of blocks of raw material, to robots that build cars on assembly lines. Here are some types of manufacturing technology you may not have heard about before.

1) Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is one type of manufacturing technology that uses a computer-controlled machine to create objects by adding materials layer by layer. This form of manufacturing technology has been around for more than thirty years and is slowly becoming more popular with companies due to its versatility and low cost. There are many different types of additive manufacturing technologies, such as stereolithography and selective laser sintering. The use cases range from small scale prototypes to mass production products.

2) Automation

Automation is the most common type of manufacturing technology. It’s used to produce a wide variety of items, including circuit boards, cars and household appliances. Automation works by converting raw materials into finished products through various methods, such as cutting or molding. A company may choose to use automation when it needs to produce a high volume of products at low cost and with consistent quality.

3) Computer-Aided Design (CAD)

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is a type of manufacturing technology that can be used for a variety of things, including designing, modeling and drafting. CAD software is often used to help engineers and designers create 3D models from 2D plans. This process is known as computer-aided design (CAD). CAD also includes computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM), which deals with the planning of products by using CAM software programs. In short, CAD is a great way to make designing, modelling and drafting easier.

4) Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM)

CAM is a manufacturing process that uses computers to assist in the production process. CAM is used for cutting, milling, turning, drilling and sometimes shaping. This technology was first developed in the 1940s with the creation of numerical control (NC) or computer-aided design (CAD). The NC machine allowed for machining without hand-operated controls. The CAD software allows for precision and accuracy that is unparalleled by any other type of manufacturing technology. A specific type of CAM technology is 3D printing which has been used to create various products including prosthetics and houses.

5) Flexible Manufacturing

Flexible manufacturing refers to a wide range of manufacturing technologies that help factories produce customized or small-batch products. Flexible manufacturing can reduce the cost and time it takes to create an order while improving quality, accuracy, and customer satisfaction. The two most common types are flexible assembly and flexible machining.
Flexible assembly is when you use machines to make a product from a variety of materials. It’s often used in electronics manufacturing as well as for custom order items like furniture, toys, or auto parts where the finished product needs to be assembled from parts made by different manufacturers. It also lets companies consolidate their production so they don’t need as many plants or warehouses for storage and distribution.

6) Lean Manufacturing

Lean manufacturing is a set of practices and principles for the efficient production and distribution of goods. These principles are designed to eliminate waste through systems thinking, which is the idea that everything in a system is connected and affects everything else. The seven types of manufacturing technology that lean manufacturing incorporates are:
1) Just-in-time Manufacturing – This strategy focuses on reducing or eliminating excess inventory by processing materials only when they are needed in production, leading to reduced storage space, labor costs, energy use, transportation costs and lead times. 2) Pull Systems – This approach uses signals from downstream customers to regulate production levels so that parts don’t pile up in warehouses or remain on shelves longer than necessary.

7) Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a manufacturing technology that analyzes and reduces defects. The name comes from the 6 in the set of five quality management tools, which are: DMAIC, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. The Six is for statistical theory and practice to measure processes. The Sigma is for standard deviation – a measure of variability in your data. DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve and control – the five steps in Six Sigma methodology.