Difference Between Intermittent & Continuous Production System

Difference between Intermittent and Continuous Production System

Difference between intermittent and continuous production system; based on 10 points.

Image credits © Prof. Mudit Katyani.

1. Nature of product.
2. Flexibility of process.
3. Scale of production.
4. Per unit cost.
5. Range of products.
6. Instructions.
7. Staff.
8. Storage of final products.
9. Location change.
10. Capital invested.

Now let's distinguish intermittent and continuous production system.

1. Nature of product :
   1. In intermittent production system, goods are produced based on customer orders and not for stocking.
   2. In continuous production system, goods are produced based on demand forecast and for stocking.
2. Flexibility of process :
   1. In intermittent production system, production process is flexible. The product design goes on changing.
   2. In continuous production system, production process is not flexible. It is standardized. The same product is manufactured continuously.
3. Scale of production :
   1. In intermittent production system, goods are produced on a small scale, so there is no economies of scale.
   2. In continuous Production System, goods are produced on a large scale, so there are economies of large-scale production.
4. Per unit cost :
   1. In intermittent production system, cost per unit may be higher because production is done on a small-scale.
   2. In continuous production system, cost per unit may be lower because production is done on large-scale.
5. Range of products :
   1. In intermittent production system, wide ranges of products are manufactured.
   2. In continuous production system, normally one particular type of product is manufactured.
6. Instructions :
   1. In an intermittent production system, many detailed instructions must be provided depending upon the customer's specification.
   2. In continuous production system, single set of instructions is sufficient for operation. Here, there is no need to repeat the instructions.
7. Staff :
   1. Intermittent production system requires staff with high technical skills and abilities.
   2. Continuous production system requires more managerial skills and less technical skills.
8. Storage of final products :
   1. In an intermittent production system, there is no need to store and stock the final products, because items are produced as per customer's orders.
   2. In a continuous production system, there is a need to store and stock the final products until they are demanded in the market.
9. Location change :
   1. In an intermittent production system, change in location is easy.
   2. In a continuous production system, change in location is difficult.
10. Capital invested :
    1. In an Intermittent production system, capital invested is small.
    2. In a continuous production system, capital invested is very huge.