Systematic serial production of plastic components.

Mass production offers clear advantages, particularly when products are manufactured to a consistent specification and in large quantities. Standardised processes, automated workflows and the efficient use of machinery can significantly reduce unit costs. At the same time, the fixed process structure ensures consistently high quality, a high degree of repeatability, and production and delivery times that are easy to plan.

However, these advantages are offset by a number of limitations. Mass production requires a significant amount of preparatory work – for example, in terms of development, tooling and set-up processes – and is only economically viable once a certain production volume is reached. Furthermore, changes to the product during the production run are only possible to a limited extent.

It is therefore advisable to start with prototypes and a structured sampling process before moving on to series production. This allows components and assemblies to be tested under real-world conditions, functions to be verified, and materials, tolerances and surfaces to be fine-tuned. Changes can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively at this early stage, before significant investment is made in tools and series production processes. Prototypes and sampling thus provide the necessary certainty and form the basis for stable, high-quality and cost-effective series production.