Facility Layout

The physical arrangement of

resources (including people) in
the production process.

What Is Layout
Planning
Layout planning is determining the
best physical arrangement of
resources within a facility

9-3

Facility layout refers to the specific arrangement

of physical facilities. Facility-layout studies are
necessary whenever:

1. a new facility is constructed,

2. there is a significant change in demand or
throughput volume,
3. a new good or service is introduced to the
customer benefit package, or
4. different processes, equipment, and/or
technology are installed.

Purposes of layout studies are to:

minimize delays in production, materials handling

and customer movement
maintain flexibility
use labor and space effectively
promote high employee morale and customer
satisfaction
provide for good housekeeping and maintenance
enhance sales as appropriate in manufacturing and
service facilities

Importance of Facility Layout

Minimize delays in production, materials handling and

customer movement

Maintain flexibility

Use labor and space effectively

Promote high employee morale and customer

satisfaction
Provide for good housekeeping and maintenance
Enhance sales as appropriate in manufacturing and
service facilities

Minimum Equipment Investment

Improved quality control

Revision of Layout
1.

Expansion

2.

Technological Advancement

3.

Increase in the output of the existing product

Introduction of a new product in the same line &
Diversification of the lines of activity
Replacement of labour by machines
Developments in fuel and energy
Development in process
Development in materials
Improvement in product design
Advancement in IT

Improvement in the layout

Types of Layouts

Process layouts:

Product layouts:

Designed to produce a specific product efficiently

Hybrid layouts:

Group similar resources together

Combine aspects of both process and product layouts

Fixed-Position layouts:

Product is two large to move; e.g. a building

Process Layouts

General purpose & flexible resources

Lower capital intensity & automation
Higher labor intensity
Resources have greater flexibility
Processing rates are slower
Material handling costs are higher
Scheduling resources & work flow is more
complex
Space requirements are higher

Process Layout for a Machine

Shop

Product Layouts

Specialized equipment
High capital intensity & wide use of
automation
Processing rates are faster
Material handling costs are lower
Less space required for inventories
Less volume or design flexibility

Product Layout for Wine Manufacturer

Assembly Line Layout

Comparison of Product vs. Product Layouts

Process Layouts

Product Layouts

Products:

large #, different

small # efficiently

Resources:

general purpose

specialized

Facilities:

more labor intensive

more capital intensive

Flexibility:

greater relative to market

lower relative to market

Processing
Rates:

slower

faster

Handling costs: high

low

Space requirements: higher

lower

Designing Process Layouts

Step 1: Gather information:

Step 2: Develop alternative block plans:

Space needed, space available, importance of

proximity between various units

Using trial-and-error or decision support tools

Step 3: Develop a detailed layout

Consider exact sizes and shapes of departments

and work centers including aisles and stairways
Tools like drawings, 3-D models, and CAD
software are available to facilitate this process

Process Layout Steps

Step 1: Gather information like space needed, from-to matrix,

and REL Chart for Recovery First Sports Medicine Clinic (total
space 3750 sq. ft.)
A
Radiology

B
Laboratory

400 sq. ft.

300 sq. ft.

C
Lobby &
Waiting
300 sq. ft.

D
Examining
Rooms
800 sq. ft.

E
Surgery &
Recovery
900 sq. ft.

F
Physical
Therapy
1050 sq. ft.

Fixed Position Layout

9-19

Cellular Manufacturing Layout

Machines are grouped into cells

Cell function like a product layout within a large
shop or process layout.
Each cell in the CM layout is formed to produce a
single parts family- a few parts, all with common
characteristics.
These relate to the grouping of equipment and
include faster processing time, less material
handling, less work-in-process inventory, and
reduced setup time.
Used when the operations system must handle a
moderate variety of products in moderate volumes

Cellular Layout
Process (Functional) Layout

Group (Cellular) Layout

A cluster
or cell

T
T
M
M

T
T
M
M

T
T
D
D

CG
SG
D
D

Similar resources placed

together

CG

SG

SG

CG

CG

D
D

SG

Resources to produce similar

products placed together