Facility LayoutConfiguration of departments, work centres and equipment, with particular emphasis on movement of work through the system

Two basic types of layout:

• Product• Process

• Require substantial investment of money & effort • Involve long term commitment• Have significant impact on the cost and efficiency of operations

Why Important?

Product Layout

The work is divided into a series of standardized tasks, permitting specialization of both labor and equipment

Facility Layout

Layout that uses standardized processing operations to achieve smooth, rapid, high volume flow

Advantages

• High rates of output• Low unit cost due to high volume • Low material handling cost per unit• High utilization of labor & equipment

Limitations

• Repetitive work – boring & fatigue• System is fairly inflexible• System is highly susceptible to breakdown

Facility Layout

U-shaped Layouts

• Compact• Increased communication• Flexibility in work

Facility Layout

Process LayoutDesigned to process items or provide services that involve a variety of processing requirements

Items are frequently moved in batches to the departments in a sequence that varies from job to job

Layout features functional grouping where similar kinds of activities are performed

X-ray ECG

PathologyUltrasound

Facility Layout

Advantages

• Can handle a variety of processing requirements • Not particularly vulnerable to equipment failures• General-purpose equipment is easier to maintain

Limitations

• High inventory costs for batch processing • Routing & scheduling pose continual challenges• Equipment utilization rates are low• Slow material handling –also inefficient

Facility Layout

X-ray ECG

PathologyUltrasound

Facility Layout

X-ray

ECG

Pathology

Ultrasound

Cell 1: X-ray, Ultrasound, Pathology Cell 2: X-ray, ECG Cell 3: Ultrasound, Pathology Cell 4: X-ray, ECG, Pathology

Cell 1 Cell 2

Cell 3 Cell 4

Cells are miniature versions of Product/Process layout

Groupings are determined by operations needed to perform work for a set of similar items

Facility Layout

Cell 1 Cell 2

Cell 4Cell 3

X-ray

ECG

Pathology

Ultrasound

Cellular LayoutMachines are grouped into cells

Fixed Position Layout

The items being worked on remains stationary, and workers, material and equipment are moved about

Facility Layout

Weight, size, bulk or some other factor makes it undesirable or extremely difficult to move the product

Facility LayoutLine Balancing

Assignment of work to stations in a line as to achieve the desired output rate with the smallest number of workstations

The goal is to obtain workstations with well-balanced workload

Facility LayoutSteps of Line Balancing

Determine desired output rate

Calculate Cycle Time

Find Theoretical Minimum

Determine Idle Time

Calculate Efficiency

Assign Tasks to Stations

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Station 1 Station 3Station 2 Station 4 Station 5

Facility Layout

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