This document discusses various factors to consider for optimizing an industrial facility layout, including algorithms and software programs. It covers construction algorithms like CORELAP and ALDEP that construct layouts from raw data. Improvement algorithms like CRAFT aim to minimize costs by exchanging department locations. Environmental aspects like lighting, ventilation, dust control, humidity, temperature and noise that impact worker health and comfort are also reviewed. Best practices for addressing each factor to create a safe and productive work environment are provided.

1. Module 2

3. Finding out the best layout

4. What we know
• Size of the facility
• The departments
• Size of the departments
• Proximity relationships (activity relationship chart)

6. Programs for Layout Planning
• CRAFT
• CORELAP
• ALDEP
• PLANET
• COFAD
• MULTIPLE
• M-CRAFT
• LayOpt
• FactoryPlan
• BLOCKPLAN
• LOGIC

8. Heuristic algorithms
• Algorithm works towards an optimal solution but ends its search
when it finds a ‘good enough’ solution.
• Not for finding best or optimal solution
• Finds an acceptable solution in an acceptable amount of time using
an acceptable amount of computer memory.

9. Optimal algorithms
• Finds the best solution.
• Not practical due to limitations on computing time and space.

11. Construction algorithms
Layout is constructed from the beginning and facilities are assigned to a
site, one at a time, until the complete layout is obtained. The plant
layout software using a construction type algorithm will first construct
a solution in an open floor area from raw data. The algorithm takes
relationships between activity areas into account and generates a block
layout. The basic approach is to find a starting point or initial activity
placement and then add the remaining activity areas according to
certain rules.

12. Construction algorithms
• CORELAP - Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
• ALDEP - Automated Layout Design Program
• PLANET - Plant Layout Analysis and Evaluation Technique

13. CORELAP
• Uses Relationship Chart as input (REL)
• Requires users to assign weights to the alphabetic ratings in the REL
chart . (Closeness Ratings)
• Computes the total closeness ratings (TCR) for each department by
summing all the CR associated with that department.

14. CORELAP

15. CORELAP

16. CORELAP

17. ALDEP
• Similar to CORELAP (objectives, requirements)
• The main differences:
• Randomness
• Multi-floor capability
• CORELAP attempts to produce the best layout, ALDEP produces many layouts

18. Improvement algorithms
• An improvement algorithm always begins with an initial layout. The
algorithm exchanges department locations until a layout is found that
cannot be improved. The quality of the layout generated depends
upon the initial layout and the ability of the algorithm to exchange
multiple departments at a time. The basic approach of improvement
algorithms is to minimize transportation cost or movement cost by
reducing the distance on the most traveled routes.

19. Improvement algorithms
• COFAD - Computerized Facilities Design
• CRAFT - Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities Technique
• BLOCKPLAN - Block Layout Overview with Computerized Planning
• MULTIPLE - Multi-floor Plant Layout Evaluation

20. CRAFT
• It begins with an initial layout that is entered by the analyst.
• The layout is evaluated, and pair wise exchanges of departments are
made to try to improve the layout.
• Layouts are evaluated on the minimization of material flow cost
between departments.
• Pair wise exchanges are only made between departments that are of
equal size or have common boundaries.
• Can handle up to 40 departments

22. Environmental aspects
• Lighting
• Ventilation
• Dust control
• Humidity
• Temperature
• Noise

23. Lighting

24. Health effects
• Poor light
eye strain, fatigue, headaches, stress and accidents.
• Bright light
headaches and stress due to glare

25. Best Practices
• Paint the walls and ceilings with light, pale, matt colours
• Use of matt paint avoids reflection of light which can lead to glare.
• The colour of equipment should normally be matched with that of
the walls again avoid black, shiny paints.
• Light should be focused on the work and not directly, or indirectly in
to the workers eyes.
• Lights are positioned in the correct place so that workers do not have
to adopt poor working postures to see the task in hand.
• Make full use of daylight in the factory;

26. Best Practices
• Adequate lighting near any potential hazards such as steps, ramps, etc.
and outside the factory for security at night.
• To reduce glare from windows:
• Use blinds, curtains, louvers, or shades;
• Replace clear glass with opaque/translucent materials – paint glass with
whitewash;
• Change the layout of workstations.

27. Best Practices
• To reduce glare from lamps:
• Ensure that no naked lights are in direct view of workers;
• Raise the light fittings (if suspended) providing this does not reduce the
overall level of lighting;
• Use shades or shields but ensure that the work area is well lighted.
• To reduce reflected glare:
• Change position of the light source and reduce its brightness;
• Cover reflecting surfaces with opaque, non-glossy materials;
• Change the layout of the workstations.

28. Ventilation

29. Types
• Natural ventilation which relies on wind pressure and temperature
differences to move fresh air through a building and is usually not
fully controllable
• 'Forced' or mechanical ventilation which uses mechanical supply
and/or extraction to provide fresh air and is controllable

30. Need
• Provide oxygen for breathing and remove carbon dioxide
• Remove excess heat or provide heat (air conditioning) and keep a
comfortable temperature
• Dilute and remove body and other types of odours
• Dilute any contaminants caused by workplace activities

31. Health effects of insufficient fresh air
• tiredness,
• lethargy,
• headaches,
• dry or itchy skin
• eye irritation

32. Standards
• fresh air supply rate to workplace should not normally fall below 5 to
8 litres per second, per occupant
• Higher fresh air supply rates of up to 36 litres per second per person
are recommended for heavily contaminated buildings
• At normal temperatures an air flow velocity of between 0.1 to 0.15
metres per second and up to 0.25 metres per second during the
summer is recommended

33. Best Practices
• Keep doors and windows open to provide a good supply of make up
air (in winter when the doors and windows are shut, you can supply
make up air through air vents and extract any contaminated air using
a suitable system eg via roof vents);
• Locate any exhaust fans as near the source of the contamination as
possible.
• Use fans on the wall of each side of the building to keep fresh air
flowing throughout the building ie one extracting the contaminated
air while the other supplies fresh air

34. Best Practices
• Rate of contaminant produced must be low enough for it to be
effectively diluted by the airflow rate
• Contaminant must be of low toxicity
• Contaminant may be produced at a uniform rate
• Contaminant air must not be drawn or blown towards the faces of the
operators
• Enforce 'no smoking' policy or allocate separate smoking areas.

35. Dust Control

36. Exposure to dust
• Filling bags or emptying them into skips or other containers
• Cutting, sieving and screening, crushing and grading, milling, grinding,
sanding down or other similar operations
• Conveying materials by mechanical means or by hand
• Cleaning and maintenance work

37. Health effects
• Dust that can enter the nose and mouth during breathing is referred
to as ‘total inhalable dust’. Larger or heavier dust particles may get
trapped in the nose, mouth, throat or upper respiratory tract where
they can cause damage.
• Dust particles that are small enough to be breathed into the lungs are
called ‘respirable dusts’; these dusts can build up in the air spaces in
the lungs and can ead to lung damage.
• The build up of any dust in lungs could produce lung damage with
inflammation and eventually fibrosis (scar tissue). This could lead to
breathing impairment.

38. Health effects
• Some dusts are well known for their ability to produce serious lung
diseases of this type, eg respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can cause
silicosis and also lung cancer.
• Certain dusts, eg dusts from grain, flour, wood, reactive dyes and
proteolytic enzymes are respiratory sensitisers which can cause
occupational asthma (attacks of coughing; wheezing and chest
tightness), rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose) and extrinsic allergic
alveolitis (symptoms can include fever, cough, worsening
breathlessness and weight loss).

39. Health effects
• Ulceration of skin and irritation or skin sensitisation can be caused by
dusts such as epoxy resins, rubber processing chemicals, wood dust
and fibreglass and can lead to dermatitis.
• Dust produced during cutting, grinding and drilling of materials can
cause eye damage/irritation, and some dusts may cause eye
damage/irritation due to their chemical nature.
• Inhaled dusts can get into the digestive tract, where they can cause
gastrointestinal tract irritation. Dust can enter the bloodstream and
produce effects in other organs and tissues.

40. Best Practices
• Usie special cutting techniques rather than by grinding or sawing, or
by using wet-cutting processes;
• Use less toxic materials
• Use pellets rather than dusty powder;
• Use dust-suppressed materials and emulsions or pastes rather than
mixing dry constituents.
• Use mechanical handling systems and enclose the process so that
dust does not escape.
• Extract dust emissions near the source.
• Minimise the number of workers that are at risk.

41. Best Practices
• Reducing the length of time that workers are exposed to dust.
• Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, coveralls
and a respirator. Protective clothing
• Minimising the height that material is allowed to fall;
• Local exhaust ventilation (LEV)
• Washing facilities
• Information, instruction and training
• Develop Emergency procedures and health surveillance

42. Humidity

43. • Low levels of humidity can exacerbate respiratory and skin conditions.
There may be a build up of static electricity in dry air leading to
electrostatic shocks.
• Generally the relative humidity should be between 40% and 70%. If
there is a problem with humidity it tends to be because it is too low
and the air feels ‘dry’. This can be improved by several means ranging
from having indoor plants to humidifiers.

44. Temperature

45. Exposure to heat
• glass and rubber manufacturing plants
• mines
• compressed air tunnels
• conventional and nuclear power plants
• foundries and smelting operations
• brick-firing and ceramics plants
• boiler rooms

46. Health effects
• inability to concentrate
• muscle cramps
• heat rash, severe thirst, fainting
• heat exhaustion - fatigue, giddiness, nausea, headache, moist skin
• heat stroke - hot dry skin, confusion, convulsions and eventual loss of
consciousness.

47. Standards
• The minimum temperature in a workroom, should be 16 degrees
Celsius unless much of the work involves severe physical effort in
which case the temperature should be at least 13 degrees Celsius.
• However 16 degrees Celsius is rather cold for sedentary work. The
Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers recommends 20
degrees Celsius.
• World Health Organisation recommends a maximum of 24 degrees
Celsius for working in comfort.

48. Best Practices
• Control the temperature using fans or air conditioning, use physical
barriers that reduce exposure to radiant heat
• Prevent dehydration
• providing periodic rest breaks and rest facilities in cooler conditions
• Provide personal protective equipment such as protective clothing
• Training and monitoring health

49. Noise

51. Permissible Exposure Time