Manufacturing vs. fabrication
Manufacturing and fabrication are common term words in the world of industry. People sometimes use manufacturing and fabrication interchangeably describing the process of creation and assemblage of a product from multiple raw resources. Although using them in this context is correct, there are minute differences that separate the two processes. Manufacturing in particular is defined as repeatedly creating new products and tools while fabrication is the creation of specialized tools and products from raw materials. In this piece, we will delve into these two processes and point out the differences between the two.
What is manufacturing?
Manufacturing serves as the foundation of modern society, propelling economies to new heights, igniting innovation, and elevating the standard of living for billions worldwide. From the tiniest gadgets to monumental industrial wonders, manufacturing brings ideas to life, materializing them into concrete accomplishments. In specific terms, Manufacturing is the process of converting raw materials and components into finished products on a large scale. You probably heard of the different industries that were built behind strong manufacturing fundamentals such as electronics, automotive, and pharmaceuticals. In fact, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), manufacturing contributed $2.3 trillion to the U.S. GDP amounting to 12% of the total U.S. GDP.
There are a lot of manufacturing processes that are currently being used by different industries, but we will only focus on the four major ones.
- Casting – One of the oldest processes of manufacturing. Casting is pouring (or injecting) molten materials like (but not limited to) iron, steel, aluminum and other alloys into molds to create the desired product. Casting is widely used due to its flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, once the mold is made, it can be used repeatedly to produce multiple identical castings.
- Machining – A manufacturing process that involves cutting and removing parts of a material to shape it into the desired product. The machining process usually starts with a solid material called a “workpiece” or “stock”. Machining is widely used in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, electronics, and manufacturing, to produce precision components with tight tolerances. It offers several advantages, such as the ability to work with a wide range of materials, high accuracy, repeatability, and the capacity to produce complex shapes.
- Forming – A manufacturing process that involves shaping a raw material using pressure or heat into a fashioned portion or part of a part for industrial use. There are two types of metal forming processes, bulk forming and sheet forming.
- Joining – A manufacturing process of joining multiple components or materials into a finished product. Joining may include welding, brazing, soldering and adhesives use.
What is Fabrication?
Fabrication, on the other hand, is a specific subset of manufacturing. It involves the construction of products or structures by assembling various components through cutting, bending, welding, or other techniques. Unlike manufacturing, fabrication typically deals with smaller-scale production and is often customized or made-to-order based on specific requirements. A use case scenario is parts support for obsolete yet high-end or luxury car models. Because manufacturing moved on to creating new car models, the manufacturer may set up a small part of their production to focus on fabricating parts for their old models.
Unlike manufacturing, fabrication is done on a much smaller scale and on products that are popular and high value. Another use case is in the space industry. Due to the high cost of rocket manufacturing, instead of a full-blown manufacturing production, companies fabricate smaller batches. This approach limits the risk and increases the agility as almost everything involving the space industry is experimental and the turnover of technology is quite fast compared to other industries.
Conclusion
Instead of thinking about manufacturing and fabrication as separate entities. It’s more accurate to say that fabrication is a subset of manufacturing that focuses on smaller and specialized production. Specifically, manufacturing is a broader term encompassing various processes to produce finished goods on a large scale, while fabrication is a specific type of manufacturing focused on assembling and constructing products from individual components or materials, often on a smaller scale and with a higher level of customization.
