The quantity at which you produce a part can significantly impact the overall success of your project. While high-volume production can help reduce the production cost per-part in some cases, mass production isn’t always the best option. For certain projects, producing parts in smaller volumes ranging from 50 to 100,000 parts instead of several hundred thousand parts can prove most advantageous. To learn about some of the key benefits of low volume part production, continue reading.
Financial Savings
As previously stated, mass production can reduce the production costs of an individual part in some cases. However, that does not mean that high-volume production is always the most economical option. Often, the mold or tool needed to mold mass-produced parts in a cost-effective manner is extremely expensive.
While the individual parts may cost less, the considerable price of the required mold greatly raises the overall initial investment and production cost of producing the part. To greatly reduce the significant investment needed at the start of production, manufacturers should consider choosing a low-volume production method such as reaction injection molding, which involves a low-cost aluminum tool rather than an expensive steel tool.
No Minimum Order Requirements
Large-scale production often requires businesses to meet minimum order requirements to offset the significant initial production investment. In some cases, this ordering requirement can cause businesses to purchase more parts than they actually need or expect to sell. As a result, companies can end up wasting money purchasing and storing excess parts—especially if they decide to change the design of their part later on. Opting for low-volume manufacturing can help you avoid wasting product and money, as minimum order requirements generally aren’t imposed.
Quicker Production
Another benefit of low volume part production is its quick production timeline. Low-volume part production naturally takes place more quickly than producing a considerable sum of parts. Such quick production times provide a host of attractive benefits for manufacturers and businesses.
For one thing, rapid part production allows businesses to enter into emerging markets more quickly and get a leg up over their competition. In addition, a quicker time to market benefits businesses that produce parts with shorter product life cycles. Plus, the quick turn-around time of low-volume part production allows businesses to facilitate faster design changes in the case that they want to update or upgrade their product.
