Manufacturing Systems: 6 Common Systems & Processes Used in Production

Every factory runs on a manufacturing system, even if it doesn’t always feel that way. The layout of your production lines, how work flows, and what tools your teams rely on day to day, that’s all part of your system.

And the type of system you use has real consequences. It affects everything from cost and lead time to product quality and flexibility. Whether you're building jet engines, batch-formulated cosmetics, or 3D-printed prototypes, your system shapes how work gets done.

In this guide, we’ll break down six widely used manufacturing systems, from discrete to continuous and explore where each works best. You’ll also learn how modern tools like MES platforms are changing what’s possible on the shop floor.

A manufacturing system is any combination of actions and processes used throughout the production of any goods. While businesses have developed various different systems and processes over time, they’ve become an increasingly important element of any production environment.

Developing the right system provides a medium through which commands can be transmitted to the machines, orders can be distributed to the workers, and they are an increasingly essential component of quality control.

Some of the most common systems used for manufacturing include:

• Discrete Manufacturing

• Repetitive Manufacturing

• Job Shop Manufacturing (Mass Customization)

• Batch Manufacturing

• Continuous Manufacturing

• Additive Manufacturing

In this post, we’re going to explore these different systems and processes used by manufacturers across industries around the world.

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Discrete manufacturing is a term that refers to any type of assembly process that results in the construction of distinct, finished products, made up of any number of individual parts or components. The concept is often applied to businesses that create a variety of products with different sizes and features, including most consumer goods, smartphones, medical devices, cars, and clothing.

Repetitive manufacturing can be similar to discrete manufacturing in that it describes the production or assembly of distinct goods that can be broken down into its individual components, but is more applicable for processes with little to no variation. With repetitive manufacturing processes, there is less changeover between steps, resulting in greater production efficiency. Repetitive manufacturing processes are often found in environments producing durable goods such as furniture and appliances, as well as many types of consumer electronics/electrical components.

Job shop manufacturing, also known as mass customization, is a process that combines the personalization of custom products, increasingly popular across many consumer goods, with the low costs and production efficiency found in traditional production systems. In contrast to discrete and repetitive manufacturing processes, a job shop environment makes use of defined production areas as opposed to traditional assembly lines. This allows businesses to fulfill smaller batches of custom products, however, can be difficult to automate depending on the level of personalization. Industries where mass customization processes can be found include custom clothing and furniture, specialty automobiles, and any consumer good that allows the consumer to personalize the end product.

A batch manufacturing process involves a set of ingredients and a sequence of one or more production steps that follow a pre-defined order. A set amount of product(s) are produced at the end of each sequence to make up a single batch. The processing of subsequent batches will only begin once all of the set amounts of products have been produced. Batch production processes are often found in the food and pharmaceutical industries as they enable more control over quality, better traceability, and shorter production times.

A continuous manufacturing process moves raw material from the start of the process through each production step to a final product. Rather than waiting until the unit of product is complete (like in batch manufacturing), raw material is fed and processed continuously to produce additional units of product. Continuous production processes are primarily found in industries where facilities can run uninterrupted such as oil refining, paper production, chemical and cosmetic manufacturing, and some types of foods and beverages.

3D printing or additive manufacturing processes are among the newest forms of production that have continued to gain popularity over the past decade. Compared to traditional methods of manufacturing, 3D printing provides several advantages when it comes to customization, complexity, sustainability, and innovation. As a result, additive manufacturing processes have been embraced by a wide variety of industries from aerospace and defense to medical and dental device manufacturers.

Picking a manufacturing system is not about chasing the most efficient chart in a textbook but more about matching processes to reality. What matters is the kind of product you make, the pace you need to hit, and the way your business is set up to operate.

What to Weigh in Your Decision

Production Volume
If you’re turning out tens of thousands of the same part, continuous or repetitive lines usually make sense. When every order looks different, like ten custom components for ten different customers, you’re better off with a job shop or additive.

Product Complexity
The more variation and configuration in your product, the more flexibility you’ll need from the system. That’s where job shops, batch setups, or additive excel. If your product is highly standardized, a continuous flow is often the cleanest option.

Lead Times
Continuous and repetitive systems are built to push parts through quickly. Job shops and additives can get you moving faster at the start, but don’t always keep that pace once demand scales.

Cost Pressure
Unit economics usually favor continuous or repetitive when you’re producing at scale. If every cent counts and volumes are high, those are the systems that deliver.

Space and Infrastructure
Continuous systems demand dedicated floor space, utility support, and long-term investment. Batch and additive setups are easier to move, expand, or reconfigure.

Digital Integration
Automation and MES tend to slot in more smoothly with repetitive, continuous, and some discrete systems. Those setups benefit the most from advanced digital tools.

Matching Systems to Situations

• Need to scale fast across multiple sites with little variation: Repetitive or continuous

• Making custom, low-volume products: Job shop or additive

• Running seasonal or mixed-product demand: Batch

• Looking to automate and connect through MES: Repetitive, continuous, or discrete

• Prototyping or early product development: Additive

• Driving down unit cost at scale: Continuous or repetitive
  
  

The next step is to look at how hybrid approaches are starting to blend these models to handle more complex and shifting demands.

Walk through most plants today and you won’t find a single textbook system running end to end. What you’ll see are mash-ups, a continuous run for filling bottles, then a switch to batch handling for labeling. Or a discrete line that’s been bolted together with a couple of 3D printers for custom parts. These setups aren’t built to win a design award, they're built to keep work moving without tearing down everything when demand shifts.

Why are shops mixing models more often? Because the tools have changed.

Sensors are everywhere now. Machines can flag problems and tweak their own settings before an operator even notices. Engineers use digital twins to play out “what if” scenarios without touching the floor. Machine learning is creeping into quality and maintenance, helping teams stop chasing problems after the fact. And automation isn’t just for giant facilities anymore in fact smaller operations can plug in modular robots without rewriting their whole process.

All of this changes how systems get designed. The old assumption that once a process was set, it stayed locked, doesn’t hold now. Product lines rotate faster. Customers want more variation. Regulations don’t stop shifting. The system has to flex, or it breaks.

That’s the gap Tulip is trying to close. Instead of one big MES that expects stability, it gives you smaller building blocks you can slot in where you need them. Start with a single app on a pilot line, then add more as the operation evolves. Eventually, hybrid processes only work if your software can bend with them.

Modern manufacturing doesn’t sit in one box. High-volume, complex variation, or a mix of both, the system has to match how work actually runs on your floor. Job shop, batch, additive, continuous: each has its place, and many plants blend them. The real test is whether your digital tools can keep pace. A composable MES gives you that flexibility - start where you need, expand as things change.

Over the past decade, there’s been an explosion in the number of software vendors that have entered the market aiming to automate manufacturing systems and solve countless different use cases and challenges experienced across manufacturing environments every day.

According to Allied Market Research, the global manufacturing operations management software market is expected to reach $15.2B by 2026. While much of this growth will be made up of incumbent solutions including siloed point solutions and traditional Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), we believe that a new generation of no-code, IoT-enabled solutions will lead the way, capturing an increasing percentage of market share.

With Tulip’s industry-leading Frontline Operations Platform, manufacturers are able to configure a holistic, flexible solution no matter what system(s) they have in place on the shop floor. Whether you’re making products on assembly lines, in job shops, or in batches, Tulip’s library of applications can help you solve whatever challenges exist in your environment.

If you're interested in learning how you can digitize your operations with Tulip's platform, reach out to a member of our team today!