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Low-Volume Manufacturing

Low volume manufacturing generally refers to production runs that yield between ten to tens of thousands of parts. fabricating large quantities of identical goods.

Small batch customization, minimum order is one piece

Process Optimization

Excellent Enterprise in Application of Sand Printing Technology

IS0 9001:2005

IATF16949

What Is Low-Volume Manufacturing?

Low-volume manufacturing is the prototyping of goods and products in small volumes. Hybrid techniques that combine additive and traditional manufacturing elements help reduce the overhead costs of tooling, labor, and materials while still producing products at a lower volume. It is becoming more popular over time, as it allows customers to invest less time and money while still getting fast access to different markets.

Because many industries have learned that low-volume production allows them to go to market faster, it is becoming more prevalent in factories and, therefore, is important for you to consider. It allows brands to change their designs, offer more customization, and decrease overhead costs.

What Is Low-Volume Manufacturing?

There are three types of low-volume manufacturing that can be used to reach minimum order goals and produce goods: injection molding, CNC machining, and 3D printing. Below, we’ll dive into each of these categories in greater detail.

CNC Machining

CNC machining uses software to input a pre-planned program that directs the movement of the tools and machinery within the equipment. CNC machining software can create complex products with three-dimensional cutting and forming by using directives and prompts.

 

CNC machining is another method that is repeatable and easy to accomplish for quick turnarounds and high-quality goods. It’s also scalable and can use various raw materials while having minimal investments in the machine’s tooling, setup, and preparation.

 

3D Printing and Manufacturing

3D printing, which is sometimes referred to as additive manufacturing processes, uses the layering of raw materials to create products. Using CAD software, a designer creates a design, and then the software builds it. The software builds the design by building layers on top of each other using the machine’s instructions. The process repeats after each product is built.

3D printing and manufacturing is great for products that need to be under a certain weight, as these processes can create very complex and delicate parts. It also uses less labor than traditional machining for mass production and has nearly unlimited customization and design freedom for different goods.

What Is Low-Volume Manufacturing?

It is still true that high-volume manufacturing has many benefits for businesses who need to produce higher volumes of product and don’t have the option of producing smaller batches. However, there are four major benefits to consider with low-volume manufacturing and product development.

1) Gets Products to Market Faster

High-volume manufacturing that produces many units takes time to accomplish, even on the best equipment. This means that the time to market can extend for large-scale products, meaning you spend your time catching up instead of leading the way. With low-volume manufacturing, businesses can go to market quickly and introduce their products before competitors can.

2) Saves You Money

Another benefit of low-volume manufacturing is the money you can save. Especially for plastic injection molding and pressure die-casting jobs, there are much lower overhead costs to consider for tooling, materials, and labor. Over time, low-volume manufacturing can save your business more money for certain products than producing in high volume could.

3) Provides More Product Design Flexibility in Processes

When you aren’t making your products in high-volume production batches, you have much more design flexibility to change different parts of your product design, or offer different customization options to your customers. This allows you to have more freedom over the product and create the best product to secure your market share rather than a full-scale production.

Solutions for Low Volume Manufacturers

Low-volume manufacturing has many benefits that can appeal to customers. However, inconsistent demand and changing requirements can make it difficult to run your factory as efficiently as possible.