High Volume Production Manufacturing

High-volume manufacturing encompasses a range of advanced materials and technologies. To keep up with the demand of modern markets, it is necessary to integrate cutting-edge automation technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence to improve productivity, without compromising precision and quality. These technologies, (when integrated into CNC machining and injection molding, for example) significantly improve production volume while also reducing the cost per part. 

To successfully execute a high-volume manufacturing project, it is necessary to follow a tried and tested procedure. At Xometry, our high-volume manufacturing process typically begins with a detailed project assessment to understand what type of product you are manufacturing. Next, we evaluate your design and provide optimization suggestions in order to ensure production feasibility. Prototyping services are available to help you perform tests before committing to mass production. Once production starts, our quality assurance methods mean that your parts will meet the highest standards.

Automotive

The automotive industry is almost exclusively the domain of high-volume production, and we are able to assist large automotive manufacturers, aftermarket suppliers, or new innovative entrants into the market. Our production facilities are able to meet the relevant automotive standards. 

Aerospace

The aerospace industry demands the highest levels of quality and precision. Our network of manufacturers are all vetted to ensure they comply with relevant aerospace quality standards. 

Consumer Electronics

The consumer electronics industry is in constant flux as new products are introduced at a blistering pace. You need a manufacturing partner that understands the need for reduced time to market as any delay could mean your products are a generation behind. Xometry helps you shorten the time between the initial concept and high-volume production. 

Healthcare

The healthcare industry has some of the most stringent quality control requirements. This can include shop-floor cleanliness and material quality requirements. Our network of manufacturers includes medical manufacturing specialists that already know the complex medical regulatory landscape. This allows you to focus on your business. 

Consumer Goods

Consumer goods have extremely high demand, and these volumes can only be achieved via large-volume production. Xometry's network of manufacturers has significant experience with the demands of producing consumer goods and we ensure all high-volume products are produced in line with the relevant regulations. 

Listed below are some key benefits of high-volume manufacturing:

Cost Effective

High-volume manufacturing can take advantage of economies of scale, meaning that the overall cost per part becomes cheaper as the quantity increases. An example of this would be injection molding in which tooling is often very expensive and manufacturing more parts means that this cost can be distributed over more units, reducing their individual cost. 

Reduced Lead Times

While this may seem counter-intuitive, large-volume manufacturing often takes advantage of automated systems which are well suited to producing large volumes of the same part. Once the machines are set up, they can be left to run with little supervision. 

Increased Productivity

The automated systems used in high-volume manufacturing allow for increased productivity as they do not need to stop as long as they are supplied with material and completed parts are removed from the machines. Some facilities will run lights-out manufacturing, resulting in the maximum possible productivity. 

Minimized Waste

High-volume production often makes use of lean manufacturing principles which optimize the processes to make the most efficient use of materials, and lead to less material waste. This optimization is incentivized by the nature of high-volume production as any amount of waste is compounded as the part volume increases. 

Flexibility

The flexibility in high-volume manufacturing lies in the capacity to scale to increased production demand in light of market fluctuations. Longer production runs and additional machines can be utilized if higher volumes are required. 

Improved Quality Control

The automated nature of high-volume manufacturing makes it easier to develop standardized and automated testing to ensure that parts are consistently manufactured. The quality control process can even be automated such that any measured deviations are automatically compensated for during manufacturing. 

Despite its many advantages, high-volume production still has its drawbacks, as described below:

Initial High Cost

The initial capital investment is high when undertaking a high-volume manufacturing project. For example, injection molding tooling can be extremely expensive, and millions of parts are often required to offset the cost of the tool.

Setup Time

While high-volume production technologies allow for unprecedented production cadence, these technologies are often complex and require significant setup time, especially if complex automation systems are involved.

Inventory Management

High-volume manufacturing consumes large quantities of material. This means that some stock holding is required to ensure that production does not slow down or stop. However, managing the exact amount of stock while reacting to market pressures can be challenging and may result in an oversupply in stock, thereby increasing storage costs. 

Reduced Customization

Once all the tooling and processes are set up, making design changes can be costly as it might require modifying the tool in the case of injection molding or changing the workholding in the case of CNC machining. There is also limited scope for customized products.