ABSTRACT
Engineer-to-order (ETO) is a type of manufacturing that is inherently different from mass
production. It refers to a strategy by which design, engineering, and production do not
commence until after a customer order has been received. ETO as a manufacturing approach
is typically characterized by a high variety of customized products produced in low volumes
(often one-of-a-kind), a series of complex, non-repetitive, labor-intensive processes (often
demanding highly skilled labor), and long lead times due to the additional elements of
engineering lead time and procurement lead time in addition to production and delivery
lead times.
