What Is Discrete Manufacturing?

Discrete manufacturing involves both producing and assembling countable, individual components into finished products. Additionally, products can later be disassembled into individual components again for reuse or recycling. The discrete manufacturing production process is characterized by noncontinuous, independently controlled production steps that can operate at different rates, so each one can be started or stopped individually.

Key features include the production of distinct units that can be uniquely identified, customized according to customer specifications, and manufactured in varying quantities. With the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and intelligent edge solutions, discrete manufacturing is becoming increasingly data driven, enabling manufacturers to optimize cost, quality, and efficiency while reducing waste and energy consumption.

Discrete vs. Process Manufacturing

Manufacturing can be grouped into two distinct categories: discrete and process. These are the key differences:
 

• Discrete manufacturing creates finished, tangible products by assembling them from individual parts. Examples include automobiles, appliances, and consumer electronics.
• Process manufacturing synthesizes finished products by combining or refining raw ingredients in a continuous flow, often by following a recipe or formula. Examples include beverages, gasoline, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

Examples of Discrete Manufacturing

While assembly lines are still common in today’s industrial sector, most discrete manufacturing tasks are now completed—or at least supported—by AI-enabled robots and other high-precision, computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM) systems and tools. Here are some examples of goods produced by discrete manufacturing:
 

• Vehicles and vehicle parts
• Machinery and heavy equipment
• Computers and electronics
• Furniture and appliances
• Textiles and apparel
• Medical equipment
• Toys

The industrial intelligent edge is shaping each of these manufacturing outputs. Their operations generate large volumes of data every day, which can be leveraged with near-real-time analytics to find ways to improve production and business outcomes.

Benefits of Smart Discrete Manufacturing

Modern factories are getting smarter. Industry 4.0 represents a paradigm shift in discrete manufacturing, driven by the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems and edge computing.

This transformation combines and leverages artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, machine vision, high performance computing, and real-time analytics to connect physical factory operations with digital systems. The result is smart manufacturing, where machines can predict when they need maintenance, cameras can automatically spot defects, and production systems can instantly communicate with inventory and shipping departments.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Supports Smart Manufacturing Outcomes

IIoT is the foundational architecture for Industry 4.0, facilitating edge data processing and seamless integration between previously siloed operational systems. By implementing a software-defined infrastructure, discrete manufacturers can synchronize supply chain and order management, production systems, quality control, and product delivery functions in near-real time.

This integration enables centralized management for data-driven decision-making, automated quality assurance, reduced waste, and dynamic production optimization for scalability, which is particularly valuable in discrete manufacturing where flexibility and customization are paramount. The architecture’s scalability allows manufacturers to rapidly iterate products and processes in response to market demands or regulatory requirements. It’s all possible because different factory systems that used to operate separately can now work together and share data seamlessly.

Challenges of Discrete Manufacturing

Discrete manufacturing is currently navigating a complex landscape of interconnected challenges. Manufacturers are simultaneously pressured to reduce costs while maintaining or increasing production throughput, requiring sophisticated data-capture and analytics capabilities. Supply chain disruptions have further complicated manufacturing operations, creating intricate challenges around component availability, traceability, and accountability.

Tools such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems can help manufacturers overcome these challenges and drive more value from Industry 4.0 initiatives. ERP systems support manufacturing operations by providing centralized oversight of data related to processes, personnel, supply chains, and more. With IT/OT convergence, data generated by appliances on the factory floor can feed into ERP systems. This provides more visibility into shop floor conditions, production volume, and maintenance needs.

Discrete Manufacturing Use Cases

Discrete manufacturing produces a variety of goods, equipment, and vehicles that we use every day. The following are just a few examples.

Automotive

The automotive industry is a classic example of discrete manufacturing. Vehicles and auto parts involve a complex, global network of suppliers producing separate components. Modern auto plants rely heavily on robotics and leading-edge technology, like AI, for fast assembly with strict quality controls and safety standards.

Electronics

Electronics, like smartphones, televisions, and computers, have many removable and replaceable parts, including circuit boards, processors, screens, and cases. AI-enabled computer vision supports quality control and inventory management, while smart robotics complete sophisticated assembly tasks.

Aerospace and Defense

The construction of aircraft and spacecraft is so complex that many pieces are assembled separately and at different physical locations, often by subcontractors, before being shipped and assembled at a primary facility.

Industrial Manufacturing

Industrial manufacturing is the production of heavy machinery, appliances, and industrial-use products like packaging, or infrastructure such as ventilation, all of which are used in industrial settings. Many of the outputs from industrial manufacturing make manufacturing in other sectors possible.

The Future of Discrete Manufacturing

Today’s discrete manufacturing factories are moving to a software-defined infrastructure to converge IT and OT systems. This strategy can help ensure uptime, enhance productivity, and simplify management. Other leading-edge technologies that are becoming more integrated in discrete manufacturing include machine vision to help improve automation, supply chain efficiencies, and quality control.

To catch potential issues, digital twin technology will also increasingly be used to simulate manufacturing processes and prototyping before full production runs. Leading-edge manufacturers will also replace their legacy systems with scalable solutions, including industrial PCs that can consolidate and run a variety of workloads—such as human-machine interfaces, process control, and robotics control—on a single device.

The first step in transitioning legacy systems to an open solution is to build infrastructure that can accommodate an integrated technology stack. Over time, multiple single-purpose devices and systems can be consolidated in a scalable, shared platform that improves operational efficiency, enhances security, reduces costs, and enables innovation.