3. 4.1. Plant layout Tools and Techniques
The following tools are used in layout planning
1. Operation process chart
2. Flow process chart
3. Flow Diagrams
4. String diagrams
5. Templates
6. Three dimensional models
7. Machine Data cards
4. 1. Operation Process Chart
The operation process chart subdivides manufacturing process in to
separate operations and inspection.
It indicates the points at which materials are introduced in to
the process and the sequences of all operations and inspections
except those involved in material handling.
The chart enables overall visualisation of the process and
serves as a basis for studying possibilities for the improvement of
operations by elimination, combination, re-arrangement or
simplification.
2. Flow Process Chart
This chart is a graphic(detail) representation of all production
activities including transportation, storage and delay.
It is an extension of operation process chart.
This chart provides complete information for analysis and
improvement of plant operations as a whole.
5. 3. Flow Diagrams
This diagram is used to supplement the flow process chart. It is
a plan of the work area drawn to scale. It shows the relative
position of productive machinery, storage area, etc and the path
followed by men or materials is marked on the flow diagram.
All routes followed by different items are shown by joining the
symbols with straight lines.
4. String Diagrams
The string diagram is a scale plan or model on which a thread
is used to trace and measure the path of workers, material or
equipment during a specified sequence of events.
Machine Data Cards
These cards contain information such as capacity, space and
other details required for layout.
6. 5. Templates
The area (or space) required by machine benches, racks,
material handling equipment etc. maybe cut to scale from a sheet
of card board plywood or plastic.
Different colours could be used to represent different machines.
These templates can be placed on the work area drawn to scale.
Layout can be optimised by placing the templates and by
analysing the alternatives.
6. Three Dimensional Models
The work space is represented in three dimensions to visualise
the actual work situations
9. Systematic Layout Planning - 9
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Information Gathering
PQRST items
Product: what is to be produced
Quantity: volume to be produced
Routing: how it is to be produced
Support services: with what will we produce
Timing/Transport: when to produce and how to move parts in & out
Quantity & Variety often dictate the layout type (product/process, etc.)
can be used to determine
o which products justify their own lines,
o which families justify their own cells.
10. Systematic Layout Planning - 10
Photographs about the product
“Exploded” drawings
Engineering drawings of individual parts
Parts list
Bill of materials (structure of product)
Assembly chart
Route sheet
Operations process chart
Etc.
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Information Gathering
12. Systematic Layout Planning - 12
Schedule design decisions tell us how much to produce and when
to produce.
Market
Forecast
Number of
Machines
Production
Demand
Production
Rate
Product Mix
+
Production Rate
Continuous or
Intermittent
Production
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Information Gathering
13. Systematic Layout Planning - 13
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Flow Analysis and Activity Analysis
Flow analysis concentrates on some quantitative measure of movement
between departments or activities
Activity analysis is primarily concerned with the non-quantitative factors
that influence the location of departments or activities
Charts and diagrams useful in flow analysis:
- Flow process chart
- Multi-product process charts
- Flow diagram
- From-to-charts
14. Systematic Layout Planning - 14
A
B
C
D
E
A B C D E
A B
C
D
E
F
A B
D
E
F
B
C
A
D
E
A B C
Basic Flow Patterns
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Flow Analysis and Activity Analysis
17. Systematic Layout Planning - 17
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
F
F
F
F
F
F
P P P
Receiving and
Shipping PACKING
GARMENT Department
Spinning
Department
WEAVING PR
Department LOOM SHEED Department
FINISHING
Department
SEWING LINE
SEWING LINE
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Flow and Activity Analysis
20. Systematic Layout Planning - 20
Code Reason
1 Frequency of use high
2 Frequency of use medium
3 Frequency of use low
4 Information flow high
5 Information flow medium
6 Information flow low
Rating Definition
A Absolutely Necessary
E Especially Important
I Important
O Ordinary Closeness OK
U Unimportant
X Undesirable
1. Directors conference room
2. President
3. Sales department
4. Personnel
5. Plant manager
6. Plant engineering office
7. Production supervisor
8. Controller office
9. Purchasing department
I
1
O
5
U
6
O
5
A
4
I
4
U
6
I
4
I
1
U
6
I
4
O
5
A
4
O
5
O
5
U
3
O
5
O
5
O
5
O
5
E
4
O
2
U
6
O
5
O
5
O
5
U
3
U
6
E
4
O
4
U
3
I
4
I
4
U
3
O
5
U
6
Activity Relationship Chart
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Flow and Activity Analysis
21. Systematic Layout Planning - 21
Value
A
E
I
O
U
X
Closeness
Line
code
Numerical
weights
Absolutely necessary
Especially important
Important
Ordinary closeness OK
Unimportant
Undesirable
16
8
4
2
0
-80
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Relationship Diagram
22. Systematic Layout Planning - 22
1
2
4
3
5
U U
E
A
I
The number of lines
here represent paths
required to be taken in
transactions between
the departments. The
more lines, the more
the interaction
between departments.
Note here again, Depts. (1) and
(2) are linked together, and
Depts. (2) and (5) are linked
together by multiple lines or
required transactions.
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Relationship Diagram (or Activity Relationship Diagram)
23. Systematic Layout Planning - 23
Code Reason
1 Flow of material
2 Ease of supervision
3 Common personnel
4 Contact Necessary
5 Conveniences
Rating Definition
A Absolutely Necessary
E Especially Important
I Important
O Ordinary Closeness OK
U Unimportant
X Undesirable
1. Offices
2. Foreman
3. Conference Room
4. Parcel Post
5. Parts Shipment
6. Repair and Service Parts
7. Service Areas
8. Receiving
9. Testing
10. General Storage
O
4
I
5
U
U
U
E
3
U
U
E
3
E
5
O
4
U
O
4
U
U
E
3
A
1
O
3
I
2
U
U
U
I
4
U
U
I
2
U
U
U
U
U
I
2
U
U
A
1
U
O
2
U
I
1
U
I
2
U
U
I
2
U
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Activity Relationship Chart
24. Systematic Layout Planning - 24
10
5 8 7
9 6
4 2 3
1
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Relationship Diagram
The Relationship Diagram
positions activities spatially.
Proximities are typically used
to reflect the relationship
between pairs of activities
25. Systematic Layout Planning - 25
Muther’s
Systematic
Layout Planning
Procedure
Based on the input data and an understanding of the roles and
relationship between activities, a material flow analysis (from-to-chart)
and an activity relationship analysis (activity relationship chart) are
performed.
From the analysis performed, a relationship diagram is developed.
26. Systematic Layout Planning - 26
Step 4 and 5: Space requirement and available
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
determined space needs , space availability; space requirements
This can be done through estimates or calculations adjustment of
areas. This is a critical stage, but for almost all organizations, in-
process storage and machine areas can be predicted accurately,
so that space requirements can be determined. requirements are
known, it is necessary to consider the space available
27. Systematic Layout Planning - 27
• Raw material storage
• In-process inventory
storage
• Finished-goods storage
• Aisles, cross isles, and
main aisles
• Receiving and shipping
• Material handling
equipment storage
• Tool rooms and tool cribs
• Maintenance
• Packaging
Space Determination
• Quality control and
inspection
• Supervision
• Health and medical
facilities
• Food service
• washrooms, etc.
• Offices
• Employee and visitor
parking
• Receiving and shipping
parking
• Other storage
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
31. Systematic Layout Planning - 31
Relationship diagram:
all departments are of equal size.
Space Relationship diagram:
templates proportional in size to departmental space requirement
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
32. Systematic Layout Planning - 32
Relationship diagram
Activity Relations and Relationship Diagram – Another example
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
34. Systematic Layout Planning - 34
Step 7 and 8: Modifying considerations and limitations
Site-specific and Operation-specific conditions
possible adjustment to the layout
Example:
Location of external transportation system (e.g., rail, road, river access)
→ may restrict the location of shipping and receiving
limitations on access to utilities ( lighting, etc) in certain areas
aisles should be straight and close to the point where move requests are
generated without obstructing manufacturing activities
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
35. Systematic Layout Planning - 35
Alternative block layout
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
Step 9: develop layout alternative
37. Systematic Layout Planning - 37
Step 10: Evaluation
Factor-analysis method (evaluating the layout alternatives)
List all of the factors to be considered important
Weight the relative importance of each of these factors to each other
Rate the alternative plans against one factor at a time
Calculate the weighted rating values and sum up those values to obtain
the total value for each of the alternatives
Select the alternative with the highest total value
Factors
Cost, flexibility, maintainability, expandability (modularity), safety, operation
ease
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure
38. Systematic Layout Planning - 38
Evaluation - Location Rating Factor
Identify important factors
Weight factors (usually 0.00 - 1.00 or 0.00 - 100)
Subjectively score each factor
Sum weighted scores
Systematic Layout Planning Procedure