Process Manufacturing
Process manufacturing is the production of goods through chemical, biological, or physical transformation of raw materials, where the output is a bulk product that cannot easily be disassembled into its inputs. Pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, food and beverage, personal care products, and paints are process manufacturing industries. The formula or recipe—not the BOM—is the central product definition artifact, and output is tracked by batch or lot number.
Why it matters
Process manufacturing has fundamentally different PLM requirements than discrete manufacturing. Recipe/formula management, batch/lot traceability, regulatory submission management, and ingredient provenance are capabilities that mainstream discrete PLM platforms do not address adequately without significant industry-specific extensions.
Related concepts
External References
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Cite this definition
Finocchiaro, Michael. “Process Manufacturing.” DemystifyingPLM PLM Glossary, 2026, https://www.demystifyingplm.com/glossary/process-manufacturing