Two classifications of industrial manufacturing, 3 minutes to master!

Process Industries Discrete Industries

Does the concepts of "process industry" and "discrete industry" sound profound? In fact, in daily life, it is "within reach" - when we pick up laundry detergent and pour it into the washing machine, we are actually exposed to these two types of production methods at the same time:

In the production of laundry detergent, the raw materials go through a continuous process before they are "transformed" into their final form, so they belong to the "process industry"

To make a washing machine, you need to prepare various parts and then "assemble" them together, which is called "discrete industry".

What are the differences between the two?

What kind of future will it take?

Don't worry, this article will take you all over!

Process vs. Discrete

What's the difference, exactly?

As can be seen from the above examples of laundry detergent and washing machines, the process industry mainly generates value from raw materials through hybrid molding or chemical reactions, and products such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and food and beverages are all "born" in this way. Discrete industries, on the other hand, need to add value to different parts and components to build more complete and larger products, such as automobiles, computers, rockets, etc.

Due to the different production processes, the two types of factories also have different characteristics in terms of operation:

The manufacturing process of the process industry is usually relatively fixed, the technology is more mature, and the main responsibilities of the staff are material management, output adjustment and equipment inspection and maintenance.

Discrete machining processes are more fragmented, requiring more detail to control and being more staff-intensive. Production planning is usually made in the form of orders or market forecasts.

Challenge to reduce costs and increase efficiency, and attack with multiple solutions

It is the top priority for the process industry to achieve efficient and continuous production, avoid unexpected "shutdowns" and material shortages, and ensure that the "process" can continue to "flow". Discrete industries, on the other hand, require a high level of overall scheduling planning – even under the same equipment and environmental conditions, different management methods can lead to very different production benefits. These different challenges mean that both need to actively find their own ways to "reduce costs and increase efficiency".

At present, Honeywell Intelligent Production Management Execution System (Honeywell MES) is the core platform adopted in the digital transformation of the process industry, which can monitor information in real time and efficiently drive production operation management workflow and collaborative work. Honeywell's lean digital management system can help enterprises realize digital system management in a rapid modular manner, improve production quality, reduce manufacturing costs, and assist in the upgrading and transformation of discrete manufacturing industries.

Towards the digital future HOS for efficient operations

While the differences are numerous, as global economic uncertainty continues to increase and industry struggles alike, there is an urgent need for process and discrete industries to embrace the same digital future. However, for any enterprise, digital construction needs to be combined with enterprise management, and the implementation of digital transformation must match the management process and organizational development of the enterprise.

Honeywell's Honeywell Operation System (HOS), built on the foundation of Lean Six Sigma, can help solve this management dilemma – a methodology that focuses deeply on digital transformation and breakthrough goals, covering the entire value chain from R&D, production, sales, customer experience to supplier management. No matter what stage the customer is currently in, they can accurately grasp their current situation through the HOS system, "prescribe the right medicine" and make accurate decisions.

Two classifications of industrial manufacturing, 3 minutes to master!

Digital transformation is not only a technical proposition, but also a strategic and management issue, as well as a kind of stimulation and cultivation of new capabilities. In the face of enterprises in different industries, different scales, and different models, the paths to promote digital transformation are very different, which requires in-depth analysis of specific needs and breakthroughs, and a clear transformation path. In this long-term development journey, Honeywell will accompany customers to accelerate the transformation process with lean digitalization!

Two classifications of industrial manufacturing, 3 minutes to master!

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