Low-Volume Processes

Abstract

Low-volume manufacturing processes are limited in the viable options for both assembly and testing. The driving factor for the application of a particular type of testing is most often cost-related. The options open include manual test processes, semiautomated test processes, and automated test processes. Because of the limited number of units produced in most low-volume processes, setup costs for many options simply cannot be justified as they constitute an added expense to each unit produced. In a few situations where quality or performance are paramount, the issue of cost may be diminished or ignored, and the number of options open in selecting process steps increases. A process is most often considered low volume by virtue of the number of units processes. A low-volume process is one where the rate at which units are produced is low, even though the process may be used for years to produce thousands of units. Manual assembly and testing processes are used by the majority of low-volume manufacturers because of cost constraints. The cost of full manual test processes quickly rises with any appreciable volume.