Production Service Department
In the context of a manufacturing company, a production service department, also known as a support or auxiliary department, is a unit that provides services, support, and assistance to the primary production departments but does not directly participate in the production of goods. These departments help ensure that the production process runs smoothly and efficiently.
Examples of production service departments include:
- Maintenance Department: Responsible for maintaining, repairing, and servicing the production machinery, equipment, and infrastructure.
- Quality Control Department: Ensures that the products manufactured meet the quality standards set by the company and comply with relevant regulations.
- Material Handling Department: Manages the movement, storage, control, and protection of materials and goods throughout the process of manufacturing, distribution, consumption, and disposal.
- Planning Department : Helps plan the production schedule, taking into account factors like demand forecasts, production capacity, and material availability.
- Technical Support Department: Provides technical support to the production department, such as resolving issues related to machinery, production software, etc.
- Safety Department: Implements and monitors safety protocols to ensure a safe working environment for the employees in the production department.
The services provided by these departments are typically allocated as overhead costs in the calculation of the cost of the products produced. Effective management of these departments can help a company enhance the efficiency and quality of its production operations and ensure a safe and effective working environment.
Example of Production Service Department
Let’s consider a fictional manufacturing company, “ABC Electronics,” that produces smartphones. ABC Electronics has several production service departments, also known as support or auxiliary departments, that help ensure the production process runs smoothly and efficiently. Here are a few examples:
- Maintenance Department: This department is responsible for keeping all production equipment in good working order. They regularly service the assembly line machinery to prevent breakdowns, and when a machine does break down, they’re responsible for repairing it or arranging for its repair. They play a critical role in reducing production downtime and maintaining efficiency.
- Quality Control Department: This team inspects the smartphones at various stages of production to ensure they meet the company’s quality standards. They might check that the screens are free from defects, that the software runs correctly, and that the phones’ physical buttons work as expected. Any phones that fail these checks are removed from the production line.
- Material Handling Department: This department is in charge of all aspects of handling the materials used in production. They receive shipments of raw materials, such as glass for the screens and metal for the phone bodies, store these materials, and then deliver them to the production line when they’re needed. They also manage the inventory of these materials to ensure there’s always enough on hand to meet production needs.
- Planning Department: This department works closely with sales and marketing to forecast demand for the smartphones. They use this information to create a production schedule, ensuring that the company produces enough units to meet anticipated sales without overproducing and creating excess inventory.
- Technical Support Department: This department helps resolve any technical issues that arise during production. For example, if the software that controls the assembly line machines malfunctions, the technical support department would work to diagnose and fix the problem.
- Safety department: This department ensures that all production activities adhere to safety standards and regulations. They might provide safety training to employees, monitor the production floor for safety hazards, and implement protocols to prevent accidents.
Each of these departments plays a crucial role in supporting the production process, helping ABC Electronics produce high-quality smartphones efficiently and safely.
