11/28/2023

Facility layout
• Facility layout decision entails determining
the placement of departments, workstations,
machines, and stockholding points within a
CONTENTS: productive facility.

Layout Types • The general objective of layout decision is to

Service Layouts ensure a smooth flow of work, material,
Line Balancing people, and information through the system.

The Need for Layout Decisions Strategic importance of layout decisions

• The most common reasons for redesign of layouts
 Higher utilization of space, equipment, and
include: people.
 Inefficient operations (e.g., high cost, bottlenecks).
 More convenience to the customer.
 Accidents or safety hazards.
 Improved employee morale and safer
 Changes in the design of products or services.
working conditions
 Changes in the volume of output or mix of outputs.
 Minimize material handling costs
 Changes in methods or equipment.
 Changes in environmental or other legal requirements.  Eliminate bottlenecks and so on.

1
 11/28/2023

Objectives of Layout Principles of Plant Layout

Streamline the flow of materials through the plant.
Facilitate the manufacturing process. Principle of integration
Maintain high turnover of in-process inventory.
Principle of minimum distance
Minimize materials handling and cost.
Effective utilization of men, equipment and space. Principle of safety, security and
Make effective utilization of cubic space. satisfaction
Flexibility of manufacturing operations and arrangements. Principle of flow
Provide for employee convenience, safety and comfort. Principle of cubic space utilization
Minimize investment in equipment.
Principle of maximum flexibility
Minimize overall production time.
Maintain flexibility of arrangement and operation.
Principle of minimum handling
Facilitate the organizational structure.

Cont’d
Types of layouts 1. Process layouts: are layouts that group
resources based on similar processes or
functions.
 There are five basic layout types:
 This type of layout is seen in companies with
1. Process layout
intermittent processing systems.
2. Product layout
Example: A university is. Colleges and departments
3. Hybrid/Combination layout and are grouped based on their function. You, the

4. Fixed position layout student, move between departments based on

the unique program you have chosen.
5. Group/Cellular layout

2
 11/28/2023

Cont’d The d/c b/n process and product layouts

Process layouts Product layout
2. Product layouts: are layouts that arrange
Able to produce a large number Able to produce a small number
resources in a straight-line fashion to promote of different product of products efficiently
efficient production. Resource used are general Resource used are specialized
purpose
• They are called product layouts because all Facilities are more labor Facilities are more capital
intensive intensive
resources are arranged to meet the production
Greater flexibility relative to the Low flexibility relative to the
needs of the product. market market
• Examples of product layouts are seen on High material handling cost Lower material handling cost
assembly lines, in cafeterias, or even at a car Slower processing rate Processing rates are faster
wash. Higher space requirements Lower space requirements

Cont’d
4. Fixed-position layout: is used when the
3. Combination (hybrid) layout: combine product is large and cannot be moved due to its
size.
aspects of both process and product layouts. • All the resources for producing the product
 This is the case in facilities where part of the including equipment, labor, tools, and all other
resources have to be brought to the site where
operation is performed using an intermittent the product is located.
processing system and another part is • Examples: of fixed-position layouts include
building construction, dam or bridge
performed using a continuous processing construction.
system.

3
 11/28/2023

5. Group/Cellular layout Other Types of Layout

 There is a trend now to bring an element of flexibility into
manufacturing system as regards to variation in batch sizes Office Layout: The criteria for a rational approach
and sequence of operations. to office layouts in terms of workflow are the same
 A grouping of equipment for performing a sequence of as those for manufacturing tangible goods.
operations on family of similar components or products has Retail Store Layout: Retail store layouts are
become all the important. based on the idea that sales vary directly with
 Group Technology (GT) is the analysis and comparisons of customer exposure to products. Thus, most retail
items to group them into families with similar characteristics. store operations managers try to export
 Thus group layout is a combination of the product layout and customers to as many products as possible.
process layout. It combines the advantages of both layout Warehousing and Storage Layout: The
systems. objective of warehouse layout is to find the
 In-group technology layout, the objective is to minimize the optimum trade-off between handling cost and
sum of the cost of transportation and the cost of equipments. warehouse space.
 So, this is called as multi-objective layout.

Factors Affecting the Plant Layout

Product and Material Specification
Location and Site of the Plant
Manufacturing Process
Material Handling
Storage of In-Process Inventory
Plant Personnel and Employee Facilities
Service Facilities
Design of Building
Flexibility
Work Areas and Equipment
Working Conditions
Disposal of Waste and Dangerous Gasses