Process industries and discrete industries are two different types of industrial production methods.
A process industry is a mode of production that is based on a continuous and stabilized process. Typical process industries include petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical and food processing industries. In process industries, raw materials undergo a series of chemical, physical, and biological reactions and go through different process steps to be eventually transformed into finished products. Process industries usually require a high degree of automation and precise control to ensure the stability of the production process and the consistency of product quality.
Discrete industries are production methods based on discrete units (e.g., products, parts) where the production process is a discrete, individual operation. Typical discrete industries include machinery manufacturing, automobile manufacturing and electronic equipment manufacturing. In a discrete industry, raw materials undergo a series of processing and machining steps that ultimately transform them into finished products. Discrete industries typically require flexibility and adaptability to accommodate changes in market demand. The key to the production process in discrete industries is maintaining productivity and quality control.
There are significant differences between process and discrete industries in terms of production processes, raw materials, product forms, production equipment layout and program management.
1. Production process: The production process in process industry firms usually involves continuous chemical or physical changes, e.g., petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and food processing. On the other hand, production processes in discrete industrial enterprises are usually discrete and discontinuous, such as machinery manufacturing, electronics manufacturing and furniture manufacturing.
2. Forms of raw materials and products: Raw materials in process industry enterprises are usually liquid, gaseous or powdery substances, and the products are also usually in these forms. For example, petrochemical raw materials are liquids, raw materials for pharmaceutical plants are solids or liquids, and products for food processing are solids or liquids. Discrete industrial enterprises are usually solid raw materials and products, such as metal materials in machinery manufacturing, electronic components in electronic manufacturing.
3. Production equipment layout: process industrial enterprises production equipment layout is usually arranged according to the production process, for example, according to the different stages of the chemical reaction to the layout of the equipment. The discrete industrial enterprises are usually arranged in accordance with the production equipment layout of the product process to layout, such as according to the car, grinding, planing, milling and other process steps to arrange the location of machine tools.
4. Plan management: process industry enterprises usually use centralized plan management, that is, the entire production process, there is only one plan, the plan at the same time to guide the operation of all equipment, personnel and raw materials. Discrete industrial enterprises are usually distributed plan management, each work center has its own plan, these plans are coordinated to meet the overall production goals.