How Do LMHV Operations Work?
Low-mix high-volume manufacturing is characterized by linear and highly repeatable production processes. This type of operation is used by companies like Coca-Cola and Toyota. In Coca-Cola’s case, every soda is produced in a high-speed repeatable process with little variation. Similarly, companies like Toyota mass produce their cars in a repeatable production line that has very few variations.
Toyota actually uses the same components for many of their cars, further enabling them to standardize repeatable and highly efficient practices.
To a certain extent, LMHV production environments can produce a greater number of products in a short time due to the lack of variations within their operations. Everything can be streamlined because everything is repeated with high frequency.
For this reason, high-volume orders are more cost-effective for these manufacturers. Restructuring the production line between products occurs less often. For this reason, most Low-Mix High-Volume manufacturers will not accept small orders.
However, high-volume operations have very little flexibility. Changes in the product line or production methods are often slow and come with a potentially sizable investment.
Advantages and Disadvantages of LMHV
LMHV Advantages
- Create more products quickly: The greatest advantage of this type of production environment is that you can produce a lot of quality products in a very short period. With repetitive movements, every action can be streamlined and optimized.
- Profitable for large orders: When producing high quantities of limited products, the larger the order the more cost-effective the operation can be.
- Allows manufacturers to stay ahead of the competition: Advanced production techniques and new technologies make the production of your goods more efficient, faster, and with greater consistency. These qualities allow high-volume manufacturers to get their products out to market faster and in greater volume.
LMHV Disadvantages
- Inflexible production: Since this type of manufacturing is based on highly repeatable processes, most Low-Mix High-Volume organizations will lack the ability to change production strategies quickly. Once a high-volume production line is set up and optimized, it is difficult, slow, and expensive to make changes.
- Not cost-effective for small orders: Small orders require less repetition. Within an automated production line, repetition enables the process to be cost-effective. For this reason, high-volume manufacturers shouldn't take on small contracts.
- Significant initial investment costs: In contrast to its counterpart, HMLV, Low-Mix High-Volume facilities require a significantly higher investment up front. Automated machinery along with properly structuring the production line is expensive any way you look at it.
How to Optimize Low-Mix High-Volume Operations
With manufacturing advancements brought forth by the 3rd and 4th industrial revolutions, Low-Mix High-Volume manufacturers have several intelligent solutions to help optimize their production lines.
Use Worker Centric Technology
What often gets overlooked in Low-Mix High-Volume environments is the contributions of the worker. Employees are the ones setting up the machines and ensuring that the operation runs smoothly. If an automated process is not calibrated properly, defective products can be made very quickly, incurring a lot of waste.
To ensure that every machine is set up properly and no waste will be incurred, employ digital work instructions to standardize every process. Despite most of the work being facilitated by machinery and repeatable worker processes, there are still complex and important operations that workers need guidance to effectively and consistently accomplish.
Tools like work instruction software guide workers through every step of the process, enabling high-volume manufacturers to rely less on tribal knowledge and more on the best practices their company has to offer.
