When you are starting a business, it is important to understand the different sectors of industry. The manufacturing industry covers everything that a business will produce in its business. Fabrication is part of manufacturing, but it represents a very specific part.
Understanding the distinctions between the two is important to understanding the scale of a business. You should understand the difference between fabrication vs manufacturing. This will help your business figure out where to focus energy.
Read on to know more about the difference between the two.
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Design
Designers often ask us “what is fabrication and manufacturing?”. Usually, the terms can be used interchangeably, but there are some subtle differences. In general, manufacturing is more about mass production. Fabrication is more about one-off production or small batches.
In terms of design, fabrication usually refers to custom-made, bespoke, or prototype items. This could be anything from a one-off piece of furniture to a small batch of products for a pop-up shop.
In contrast, manufacturing is more about taking a design and scaling it up for mass production. This could involve anything from setting up a production line to sourcing components from overseas.
So, next time you’re designing something, think about whether it’s something that will be fabrication or manufacturing. If it’s a one-off or small batch, then it’s probably best to look for a local fabricator. If you’re looking to mass produce, then you’ll need to find a manufacturer.
One of the manufacturing tips is you can look for equipment for your needs. An example where you can find these is in Wilco Manufacturing.
Prototyping
The most important difference is that manufacturing creates finished products from raw materials. While fabrication creates components that are used in the manufacturing process.
Prototyping is the process of creating a prototype or model of a product. A prototype is small and usually functional. It is a version of a product that is used to test the design, function, and assembly of the product.
They are essential in the product development process. They allow engineers and designers to test the product before it goes into production.
Materials
In terms of materials, fabrication generally relies on more expensive, higher-quality materials. While manufacturing often uses cheaper, lower-quality materials.
This is because fabrication generally requires less material overall. So the individual pieces can be made from higher-quality materials.
Manufacturing, on the other hand, generally uses more material overall. This means the individual pieces must be made from cheaper, lower-quality materials.
Quality
One of the most important differences is the level of quality control. In general, fabrication is a more custom process, while manufacturing is more mass production.
As a result, there is typically more quality control in manufacturing. This means that manufacturing typically results in higher quality products.
Fabrication Vs Manufacturing
Many wonders about the differences between fabrication vs manufacturing. But the most important difference is that fabrication is the process of making something from individual parts. While manufacturing is the process of making something from a single piece.
Both processes have their advantages and disadvantages, but ultimately it is up to the individual to decide which is best for their needs.
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