What Does lot Mean
The first definition of batch mentioned by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) in its dictionary refers to the part that is generated by the division of an element that must be distributed among different individuals . To each subject, in this way, corresponds a lot.
A piece of land , for example, can be divided into several lots. It is common to use the notion of lot to refer to the plot obtained by dividing an area that will be used for building .
A surface, in this framework, can be divided into several batches. Each lot works as an independent piece of land , with its own documentation (title deed). The owner of a lot can decide on his plot , but not on the adjoining lots, since they belong to other people.
On the other hand, it is called a lot to the set of articles similar or identical to each other that are grouped with a certain objective . This meaning of the concept is used frequently in the field of commerce .
Let us suppose that a group of inspectors in charge of carrying out bromatological controls detect a bacterium in a chocolate of a certain brand. To prevent consumers from being affected, the authorities take the decision to prohibit the sale of a specific batch of said product: all the chocolates that were packaged in a certain period, as they could be contaminated.
On the other hand, we have the concept of a batch production system , which consists of dividing everything into parts so that it is not possible to start a process until the previous one has finished. This means that production is not continuous, since an accumulation of material is generated at one point until it is transferred to the next step.
It is important to note that there are several manufacturing systems used in the industry, and that each one has its advantages and disadvantages. In fact, each company chooses the one that best suits its needs, depending on the products and materials used, the continuity of demand and the phases that comprise the process.
Let's see below some of the advantages of the batch production system:
* it is ideal for manufacturing large quantities : companies that manufacture a single product in mass through a process that does not vary can choose this system to benefit from the experience that comes with repetition;
* Training and specialization do not require large investments : since there are no changes in the operation of the machines or in the process flow, employees do not need to receive constant training.
On the other hand, we can take a look at its disadvantages:
* Inventory accumulates : as it is not possible to start a process if the previous one has not finished, much of the material goes too long without being used, something that increases the cost of storage;
* downtime for machines and employees : for the same reason as the previous point, many machines remain inactive until the next process arrives and, in the same way, many workers have to wait, without having assigned tasks ;
* It only allows one class of product to be manufactured : if the company wants to incorporate more to expand its horizons in the market, it must invest a lot of money and time , since the batch production system is not flexible or versatile;
* Longer delivery times : the inevitable losses of time caused by this system delay delivery to customers .
A library, meanwhile, may auction off a batch of books to raise funds. These are the repeated copies that are part of the entity's collection. By selling this lot, the institution aspires to obtain money to acquire new reading materials.