Discrete manufacturing is an approach to industrial production that results in individual final products. This is accomplished by taking incoming materials, parts, components, and/or subassemblies through a series of production steps that may include machining, assembly, etching, fastening, polishing, stitching, packaging, and more. Discrete manufacturing results in final products that are distinct from one another and can be counted. It also typically produces items that can be broken down in their component parts.
These two features distinguish discrete manufacturing from process manufacturing, which produces products typically measured in mass or volume. These products, such as shampoos or fruit juices, cannot be counted individually, and they often undergo irreversible changes that make it impossible to break them back down to their constituents.
Discrete manufacturing examples range from nanotechnologies to airliners. While electronics & semiconductors, automotive & transportation, and aerospace & defense industries represent some of the most prevalent discrete manufacturing examples, a broad spectrum of other industries rely on discrete manufacturing processes to produce their goods. These include:
- Automotive
- Aerospace & defense
- Electronics
- Industrial machinery
- Heavy equipment
- Marine
- Medical devices
It should be noted that the manufacture of numerous products involves both discrete and process operations. To make glass bottles, for example, one must create the glass through process manufacturing, then produce the individual bottles through discrete manufacturing.
Discrete manufacturing techniques and technologies have progressed through all four industrial revolutions, advancing from craft manufacturing through mass production and computer automation to Industry 4.0 interconnectivity, real-time data, smart devices and autonomous systems. Discrete manufacturers sustain or grow their competitive edge today by implementing digital tools and systems through discrete manufacturing software solutions.
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