What is Manufacturing: Definition and 104 Discussions

Manufacturing is the production of goods through the use of labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high-tech, but it is most commonly applied to industrial design, in which raw materials from the primary sector are transformed into finished goods on a large scale. Such goods may be sold to other manufacturers for the production of other more complex products (such as aircraft, household appliances, furniture, sports equipment or automobiles), or distributed via the tertiary industry to end users and consumers (usually through wholesalers, who in turn sell to retailers, who then sell them to individual customers).
Manufacturing engineering, or the manufacturing process, are the steps through which raw materials are transformed into a final product. The manufacturing process begins with the product design, and materials specification from which the product is made. These materials are then modified through manufacturing processes to become the required part.
Modern manufacturing includes all intermediate processes required in the production and integration of a product's components. Some industries, such as semiconductor and steel manufacturers, use the term fabrication instead.
The manufacturing sector is closely connected with the engineering and industrial design. Examples of major manufacturers in North America include General Motors Corporation, General Electric, Procter & Gamble, AbbVie, Unilever, General Dynamics, Boeing, Pfizer, Precision Castparts, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Examples in Europe include Volkswagen Group, Siemens, BASF and Michelin. Examples in Asia include Toyota, Yamaha, Panasonic, LG, Samsung, Godrej & Boyce and Tata Motors.

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  1. D

    Counting of Integrated Circuits by photo or video

    I am looking for a quick, cheap yet reliable way to count IC's that are in anti-statis shipping tubes. I am thinking of a way to count automatically via a photo or video?
  2. C

    Looking for ways of joining metal and plastic

    i have a plastic handle and want to join it with a metal body. i can join it with heat stacking method i have find a product who done done that. is there any other way to join permenently?
  3. kingofjong

    Looking for a manufacturer to build a custom compound bow for me

    Hello I am looking for a manufacturer or mechanic that can build my custom compound bow. It doesn't have to be a big business. I would appreciate any help. Thank you
  4. A

    Silicon and Germanium semiconductor mixtures used in component manufacturing?

    Can Silicon and Germanium semiconductors mixture (chemical reaction) with some other chemical elements (if required) assist in creating new and existing robust electronic components? Si + Ge + ? + ? = Can this assist in quantum computing?
  5. Urika

    Engineering Checking a component for a lathe slideway for straightness

    SCREENSHOT OF FIGURE ATTACHED! A component for a lathe slideway was checked for straightness by means of an autocollimator and a reflector carriage whose base length is approximately 100 mm.The instruments were arranged as depicted in Figure 1. The reading at each position, starting at end A...
  6. Urika

    Engineering Composite Manufacturing Question

    Hello. My question is related to Materials & Manufacturing. I have attached the question plus my solution. Pls guide me if its okay
  7. Urika

    MHB Materials and Manufacturing

    i) Use EduPack Level 2 Sustainability to find the Polymer materials that satisfy ALL of the following criteria: - Maximum Density permissible is 1800 kg/m3 - Maximum Operating Temperature must be at least 100°C - Yield strength (Elastic Limit) > 50 MN/m2 - Can be injection moulded From this...
  8. Whipley Snidelash

    Cheapest, easiest solar cell manufacturing methods on the Moon

    If I wanted to create a factory, possibly automated, on the moon using materials from the surface to create silicon solar cells how hard would it be? Considering the environment, the cheapest and simplest solar cell, regardless of efficiency, would be what to use because quantity and area of...
  9. B

    Glass bottle with a prolonged neck that continues into the inner space

    Is it possible to create following two shapes from glass using currently known glass mass production techniques? Shape #1: bottle with a prolonged neck that continues into the inner space, like this (cross section): | | | | /| |\ / | | \ / \ / \ | | |...
  10. S

    Robot Maintenance & Replacement in Manufacturing Plants

    Hi everyone. I wasn't sure where to include this thread, so thought I'd include this under General Engineering (mods: please feel free to move this thread to a more appropriate subforum). One thing that came into my mind was with respect to robots used in manufacturing (e.g. auto assembly...
  11. A

    Engineering Manufacturing engineering books -- Follow-on questions

    Hi guys What are best manufacturing engineering academic books for beginners
  12. Student abc

    Nodes in a decentralised manufacturing system

    What is meant by the nodes of a decentralised manufacturing system? Are these the points where the manufacturing is carried out?
  13. Behrouz

    Creating a Magnetic Snow Globe: Lightweight Options

    I'm trying to make a magnetic globe (magnetic from outside) with diameter of about 30 cm. Please imagine it as a snow globe, while it is magnetic as well :). I'm wondering about the options to make it, as light as possible. Please feel free to suggest tags here, if I'm missing anything or I...
  14. s4thishkmr

    How to manufacture this nozzle?

    Hi guys , Need help and suggestion in finding best way to manufacturing this nozzle. Thanks
  15. C

    LCD screen manufacturing process simplification?

    Hello I am no expert so i apologize if the answer is trivial.I was wondering, if they can manufacture a transparent transistor on every (sub)pixel of LCD glass screen, why are they using "COF (Chip-On-Flex) or COG (Chip-On-Glass construction)" to connect every (sub)pixels' tiny wire at the end...
  16. prashantakerkar

    Isotope applications in Agriculture industry

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope Can Isotopes be useful to Agriculture industry viz Fertilizers & Instecticides manufacturing? Thanks & Regards, Prashant S Akerkar
  17. K

    Engineering Getting Bored of my Engineering job

    My apologies if the question is in the wrong forum or section. Anyway, I'm a mechanical engineer with 2 years of work experience and have just recently moved to a new company. And just like in my previous job, fatigue seems to be kicking in. The job is basically a mountain of documentation...
  18. anorlunda

    Modern Manufacturing Engineering

    Just sharing. Below are two videos about making electric motors that impressed me. One from China, one from Germany. MIT is also studying the use of AI to help design the manufacturing process. If I was a young EE just starting, I think I would choose manufacturing engineering. Today seems...
  19. G

    Quantitative analysis -- manufacturing Furfural from bagasse

    Hello everyone.. Here is the thing I am working on a project where I am manufacturing Furfural from bagasse. The reaction is thermodynamically possible. I took some amount of bagasse and added it to a reactor at atmospheric pressure. I then added diluted Sulphuric acid which acts as catalyst...
  20. P

    Steps to calculate Air Consumption of a Pneumatic System

    Hi there, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post so nice to meet you all! Since English is my second language, I apologize for some odd sentences. I'm a 4th year university student and currently has an internship in a Press Shop of a car manufacturer in Thailand. The project has been...
  21. P

    Maximise profit knowing manufacturing data

    Homework Statement Hi, this is my data and problem. [PLAIN]http:// Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution So I am thinking that I can use system of equation to get the number of tables and closets for given resources. 0,2x+0,1y=40 0,1x+0,3y=60 1,2x+1,5y=371,4 But this does not include...
  22. S

    Material starting form for stub axle

    I am unsure whether I am posting in the right place, but was hoping someone could help me out. I was wondering if anyone knows the shape of the material at the beginning of the manufacturing process of a stub axle, and how the shape will vary depending on the quantity of products being made...
  23. E

    Manufacturing Help -- Need a highly viscous material

    First time post, I appreciate any advice! I own a small manufacturing company that makes RF connectors and adapters. Our automated machinery makes the connector bodies out of brass, and many of the parts we make have fairly delicate threads or features that are easily damaged when one part...
  24. B

    MHB Optimizing Oz Jeans Manufacturing Costs: Mydney & Selbourne

    Oz Jeans has factories in Mydney and Selbourne. At the Mydney factory, fixed costs are \$28 000 per month and the cost of producing each pair of jeans is \$30. At the Selbourne factory, fixed costs are \$35 200 per month and the cost of producing each pair of jeans is $24. During the next...
  25. CaptainJonathanNorth

    What is the Role of the 'Unofficial Chief of Naval Innovation' in the US Navy?

    Hello, I used to hang out here many years ago, like 30 years ago. I am have some definite ideas about physics that might or might not be important. I have seen and done some amazing things in terms of science in the US Navy. I am, and have been for some 30 years, the "Unofficial Chief of...
  26. S

    Engineering Continuum Mechanics or Design/Manufacturing?

    Hi, people of PF I'm trying to decide between concentrating on continuum mechanics or design/manufacturing for my master's degree. My goal is to ultimately work in the industry, so design/manufacturing seems to make a lot of sense. However at the same time, continuum mechanics (and physics in...
  27. R

    Engineering Robotics and Controls Career

    Hi all, I've finally narrowed down my career interests to robotics and controls. I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology. I'm looking at a couple different grad programs at a local school: MSEE with a focus on robotics and controls. M. Eng. in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on...
  28. F

    Identifying Manufacturing Impurities & Deliberate Doping in Metal Composition

    Hi. If a metal is very pure but still has other elements in it like this: -1 or 2 at 500ppm, 1 at 150ppm, 2 or 3 at 20-30ppm, 1 or 2 at 3-5ppm. Which are manufacturing impurities and which are deliberate doping? Are the 500ppm doping?
  29. S

    Microspectrophotometers -- manufacturing process

    Hello! Can someone please help me with finding a full explanation on the production (manufacture) process of microspectrophotometers? I need to do a presentation on microspectrophotometers and I have a problem with finding this information. Thanks!
  30. D

    How to design discrete circuits for transistor beta changes?

    In my circuits/active devices course we had to make amplifier designs with various type of transistors (BJT, JFET, MOSFET). In each design the transistor beta parameter played an important role in deciding which resistors to use in the final amplifier circuit. This beta parameter changes widely...
  31. B

    What are the highest paying manufacturing companies?

    What are the highest paying manufacturing companies that a production engineering master degree graduate could try and go for? Doesn't matter if it's in states or elsewhere. Let me know your opinion.
  32. S

    What is the req.thickness of sheet metal to prevent buckling

    My project involves making a 5 ft*3 ft*4 ft (l*b*h) aluminium/stainless steel sheet metal box at the back of a slow moving pedal vehicle. There is no load on the sheet metal, except from small vibrations from road travel. My question is: 1. What gauge of sheet metal thickness would be enough...
  33. M

    Precision hole making methods for small holes

    I'm designing a fixture for quality control and need a few precision holes. Their diameters range from 1/8" to 5/16" and need to be ±0.0002" with a depth of 1/2". I've been looking into EDM hole making and honing, but neither seem to be great for that range of diameters. Anyone know of any other...
  34. A

    Shoulders on railway tracks concrete sleepers

    Hi, I want to ask the shoulders that are used on railway tracks concrete sleepers, should they be forged or ductile cast and why? If someone can post an article it'll be great. Thank You for your help and support.
  35. A

    Shock absorption properties better from casting or forging?

    Hi I want to ask which of the cast steels or forged steels provide with better shock absorption? The component has to be used in the under chassis of heavy trucks in bumpy roads. Can anyone help me with that? Thank You
  36. marcus

    Ceres/Mars as manufacturing outposts (analytic exercise)

    Note from mfb: This thread is a fork of our Dawn and Ceres thread, as we got multiple posts about potential missions to Mars and Ceres and further exploration. End note.Part of astrophysics is being able to calculate---things like the altitude of a geosynchronous satellite, for example. Even if...
  37. C

    How TO make a variable 3D metal box

    Hi i want to know how to make a 3D metal box whose length, width, and height i can change. For example, i have a box of 3 m x 3 m x 3 m. i should be able to extend any dimension by a maximum of 1 meter i.e 4 meter (say). I want to use this to store items whose size is unknown, but the limits of...
  38. R

    Design, Manufacture and Machining of Carbon composites for RC planes

    Hi Guys Recently I have started a new hobby into RC planes. What I have noticed is extensive use of Carbon composites weight yet sturdy structures. Now the problem is that these structures seem to be cut (milling/drilling/laser cutting/water jet cutting) from a sheet (or laminates) of carbon...
  39. B

    Intermediate Algebra -- Maximize profit when manufacturing clothes

    Homework Statement Hello all, Can someone help me figure this out? "It takes cosmic stitching 2 hrs of cutting and 4 hrs of sewing to make a knit suit. To make a worsted suit, it takes 4 hrs of cutting and 2 hrs of sewing. At most 20 hrs per day are available for cutting and at most 16 hrs...
  40. V

    Want learning Material for motorcycle manufacturing

    I am undergoing internship in an motorcycle company (OEM) and would like to know if there are any ebooks about motorcycle parts, manufacturing processes, general manufacturing practices, Engine, vehicle assembly operations and stuff like these?
  41. L

    What are the challenges facing cranes manufacturing today?

    Cranes manufacturing today is geared up to meet the challenges of change, in a constantly changing market, to meet the critical demands of material handling solutions.
  42. A

    Manufacturing question for thermal expansion disagreement

    Hello, my colleague and I are having a disagreement about the amount of thermal expansion in a particular part we are working on (manufacturing environment). It is a piece of structural steel, which has a thermal expansion value of 12 (10^-6/K according to the chart at...
  43. B

    3D Printing Technology/Additive Manufacturing

    Hello Everyone, I am currently in my last year of studies, working towards a BSc in Mechanical Engineering. Anyway, I recently came across a very interesting article about the recent advancements in industrial 3D printing. The article discusses 'AMAZE', a project launched by the European...
  44. I

    Masters Dissertation Topic Needed (Metal Additive Manufacturing?)

    Hi, I've recently started a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. I've never taken on a research project before and I've been recommended to look into the area of Metal Additive Manufacturing as it's an area that's quickly developing. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a...
  45. C

    Viscous fluid flow in a manufacturing process

    In work that I've been doing, we've come across an interesting problem. In a manufacturing process, a highly viscous, non-Newtonian fluid goes down a vertical chute and then gets pushed horizontally out the bottom by some rotating screws. Sometimes, the fluid gets pushed out the bottom, but...
  46. M

    Heat Loss for a Manufacturing Plant

    Homework Statement I have a manufacturing plant, and I know the material/thickness of every wall and the roof. I want to estimate the plant as an empty box, where I know the surface area of each material surrounding the box (ex. 4000 sq ft concrete, 1000 sq ft of windows, 1000 sq ft of xyz...
  47. W

    Development of a contactor, prototype manufacturing

    I am designing a contactor for both DC and AC mainly for polarity independent circuit-breaker. It has a contactor unit, actuating solenoid, arc chute, Electromagnetic arc blow out coil Auxiliary contacts and base plate. Basically i got stuck in the Time constant measurement, ie the Bracking and...
  48. K

    Creating Carpet Cleaning Solutions: Civil Engr or Chemical Engr?

    I want to create a company that makes carpet cleaning solutions and shampoos. I am currently a second year civil engineering student, strongly considering switching to chemical engineering in pursuit of my dream. I want to know if I need the chemical engineering training to go after such a...
  49. L

    Manufacturing a new product

    Hi everyone, I have a project in which I have to introduce a new product into a companies manufacturing setup. The product has to include at least one of the following processes, metal forming, casting and at least one from the machining processes such as milling, drilling and turning. The...
  50. T

    Quarter Manufacturing Force Estimate

    Hi, What would be the approach to getting a good estimate of the amount of force needed to stamp an American quarter? (This is assuming you have the blank already made) I'd like to get a good estimate, but more importantly an idea of what numbers go into this estimate, i.e yield strength...
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