Production Systems Design

Types of Production Systems

Outline

Important Considerations

Types of Production Systems

Characteristics

Pros and cons.

To design a facility, we need to know

Flow How do things move around?

Space

Activity Relationships

How much room do we need?

Close together or far apart?

How do things move around? (Flow)

Lot sizes

Unit load sizes

MH Equipment

Layout arrangements

Building Configurations

How much room do we need? (Space)

Lot sizes

Storage systems

Production Equipment

Layout arrangements

Building Configurations

Personnel areas

Close together or far apart? (Relationships)

Material Flow

Personnel flow

Environmental

Teamwork

Process Requirements

The Type of Production System affects Flow, Space and Relationships…

Low Medium High

Low

Medium

High

Product Variety

Production Volume

Fixed Location Layout

Group Technology

Layout

Product Layout

Process Layout

Fixed Location Layout

Low, sporadic demand

Large products

Hard (or impossible) to move

Highly customized

“Have them come to me”

People and equipment come to the product

What to do?

Bring personnel and equipment to the product

Combine all workstations with the staging area for the product

Product

Product Layout

Designed for a specific product

Flow Lines

Sequential arrangement of equipment

High demand, low variety

What does a Product Layout look like?

T T M D G

Standardized product

Large, stable demand

Combine all workstations required to manufacture a product

Characteristics of Product Layout

Very fast – High throughput

Low WIP

Short lead times

Can be automated

Higher consistency

Specific for one product

Low flexibility

Process Layout (or Job Shop)

Higher variety

Moderate to low volumes

Not enough demand to dedicate equipment

SolutionG

P

G G

D D

D D

M M

M M

P

B B

T

T

T

Organize depts. according to processes

Machines with similar capabilities and functions

Batches might use different tooling and setups: High skill levels

G

Characteristics of Process Layout

Long throughput times

High WIP

Crossed Product routings

Harder MH and transportation

Higher Machine utilization

Process knowledge accumulation (in the workers)

Group technology

Similar parts (product families)

Enough to justify dedicated equipment

Might have similar routings

Groupings not according to physical appearance

Organize cells !

T M

M

DG

D B

DM

Configure a cell for each product family

Dedicate a set of machines in a designated physical area

Characteristics of cellular layouts

More than one machine per operator

Low WIP

Faster response to quality problems

Shorter Throughput time

Easier scheduling and control

1 2 3

4

5

678

In summary…

Characteristic Product Process Group Fixed Position

Throughput Time

W.I.P.

Skill Level Choice Mixed

Product Flexibility

Demand Flexibility

Machine Utilization

Worker Utilization

Unit Production Cost

High Low Medium Medium-High Medium-Low

What type of process would go better with…

Hospital?

Airport?

Mall? (points of view of the consumer and the stores)

Fast Food Restaurant?