production line

American  

noun

1. an arrangement of machines or sequence of operations involved with a single manufacturing operation or production process.

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production line British  

noun

1. a factory system in which parts or components of the end product are transported by a conveyor through a number of different sites at each of which a manual or machine operation is performed on them without interrupting the flow of production

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Etymology

Origin of production line

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

In addition to the Pearl plant, Shell has a 30% stake in a Qatari LNG production line that hasn’t been damaged in the war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

In an inconspicuous building near the UK's Mildenhall air base, drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems is opening a new production line, like other Ukrainian arms companies looking to secure supply chain and boost capacity.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

"It's challenging as our supply chains are complex, in an insulating jacket there are120 components. To make sure the products are PFAS-free we have to make sure the entire production line is cleaned," she said.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

The Federal Aviation Administration offered a sign of confidence in September when it allowed the company to perform some final safety checks on planes rolling off the production line.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

The night bombers took off in a line three minutes after each other—just like a factory production line.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• assembly line