Low-volume manufacturing is gaining popularity in many industries due to its advantages.
In order to determine whether low-volume production services are suitable for your business, you’d better understand what it is and some related information, including:
Low-volume manufacturing explained with examples
Low-volume manufacturing refers to the production of a small number of products, such as one piece, a dozen pieces, dozens of pieces, etc. In our daily lives, it’s common to see low-volume manufacturing for different purposes.
Low-volume manufacturing for prototyping and technologies involved
When developing new products or making complex improvements to existing items, businesses usually make prototypes to test designs and functionality. Only after confirming the final sample does mass production begin.
Common examples include developing new electronics such as smartphones or computers, or customizing jewelry, accessories, toys, furniture, and so on. The most widely used technologies for rapid prototyping and small-batch production include 3D printing, accounting for accounting for about 90%, as well as CNC machining.
Low-volume manufacturing for market testing
Launching a new product in a small, controlled batch to gauge consumer interest and gather feedback before committing to larger production scales.
For example, startup tech firms will produce a limited run of a new smartwatch or fitness tracker. They use this batch to test market acceptance, collect user feedback on functionality and design, and adjust features before a full-scale launch.
Low-volume manufacturing used for highly personalized products
Low-volume manufacturing is indeed pivotal for producing highly personalized products. Typically examples are varied custom items offered by print-on-demand businesses. For example, POD pet photo socks, personalized image mugs, POD T-shirts, hoodies, etc.
Four advantages of low-volume production
There are several advantages to low-volume manufacturing, including:
Cost-effectiveness
Compared to full-scale production, low-volume manufacturing will reduce the cost of tooling without requiring any minimum orders. For example, 3D manufacturing works directly from a CAD file. There is no need for tooling or expensive and time-consuming machine setup.
Closing the gap to production
Small-volume production can see the gap between prototype and production, and any problems can be found and solved in time before going to mass production.
Faster time to market
This way enables companies to produce small quantities of products quickly and bring them to market faster. This can be an advantage in industries where speed to market is critical. For example, designing an injection mold might take months, while a 3D printer might make a replacement in several hours.
Reduced risk
With low-volume manufacturing, companies can test the market demand for their products with a smaller investment. This reduces the risk of investing heavily in a product that may not sell.
Jingsourcing can find low-volume production companies for you.
As a leading sourcing company in China, Jingsourcing has helped 4000+ clients find professional factories to produce their small-volume orders. This is because we have many advantages, including:
We have a rich supplier resource database.
Jingsourcing has its own supplier resource database, which can quickly and accurately match you with manufacturers who provide small-volume production services. CNC machining and 3D printing production are all available.
Those manufacturers usually have been in the industry for more than ten years or more, and are very proficient in the industry and products. In addition, they have cooperated with us many times and passed our strict factory audit. You don’t have to worry about being cheated.
We ensure that the final product is consistent with the sample.
We maintain strictness in every process of your production. That is, we use the same materials, the same equipment, and the same strict quality control when we process your small-volume orders. We can ensure that the final products you receive are consistent with the PP sample.
We always stand in your shoes and save money for you.
If you need to customize a new product, we will stand in your shoes and help you save costs to the greatest extent possible.
For example, if you want to customize a plastic toy that contains many parts, we will carefully evaluate your project and tell you which parts can be sourced from existing inventory, which can be modified on existing molds, and which require new molds. This can save a lot of money.
In addition, we can also choose a suitable manufacturing process based on your product. Different manufacturing processes have different prices, and some expensive processes may not necessarily produce the best results.
