Supply Chain Facility Layout

SUPPLY CHAIN FACILITY LAYOUT According to James Lundy, "Layout identically involves the allocation of space and the arrangement of equipment in such a manner that overall operating costs are minimized." OBJECTIVES OF LAYOUT ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Making optimal use of the floor space that is available Providing enhanced and pleasant working conditions provide enough capacity for production minimize production delays lower material handling costs minimize worker hazards; to maximize labor utilization boost employee morale lower the number of accidents provide volume and product flexibility make supervision and control easier protect the health and safety of employees permit high machine or equipment utilization; increase productivity PRINCIPLES OF GOOD FACILITY LAYOUT ● A well-designed plant layout is one that maximizes the integration of its personnel, supplies, and equipment. ● A well-designed plant layout minimizes or almost eliminates material movement during operation. ● An efficient and appropriate use of the available space characterizes a well-designed plan. ● A well-designed layout is one in which materials move through activities in a single direction without having to go back and forth. ● A well-designed industrial layout maximizes flexibility while guaranteeing appropriate security. ● Other crucial elements of a well-designed plant layout include optimum accessibility, minimum handling, and maximum visibility. TYPES OF FACILITY LAYOUT ● Product layout ● Process layout ● Fixed Position/ Stationary layout ● Cellular or group layout ● Service Facility Layout ● Combined Layout Product layout A product arrangement arranges workstations in groups based on the items they are assigned to handle. Small batches of semi-finished goods can be swiftly transferred from workstations in a product layout to the following station in a manufacturing line. Smaller manufacturing companies that produce less than their giant corporate competitors may find that their product layouts are ideal. Arrangement that produces a high-volume, smooth, and quick flow through the utilization of standardized processing activities. In this case, the machines are set up in the same order as the processes required for manufacturing and in accordance with the needs of the product. For instance, _back office' services provided by banks and insurance providers. Process layout Regardless of the products each workstation is working on, a process layout arranges the workstations according to the tasks being completed. Before delivering semi-finished goods in bulk to the next location, which could be as close as the other end of a building or as far away as another facility on the other side of the world, workstations create larger volumes of output at a time. Stationary layout In this arrangement, personnel, supplies, and equipment are moved as needed while the project or product stays in one place. e.g., DAMS construction. Due to its size and/or weight, the product stays in one place while procedures are brought to it. Cellular or group layout The group technology (GT) concept serves as the foundation for cellular arrangement. As a result, another name for it is group layout. This design works well in a manufacturing setting where a wide range of items are required in small quantities, or batches. According to the group technology principle, components with comparable designs or manufacturing processes should be grouped together into a single family, referred to as part-family. Service facility Layout The layouts of manufacturing and service facilities differ primarily in that the purpose of the former is to house services and clients. The arrangement of service facilities should make it simple for traffic routes and freeways to access these locations. Some needs of service facility layouts are spacious, well-organized, well-lit parking areas and well-designed paths to and from parking areas. Combined Layout It is rare to find the use of fixed location layout or product layout concepts in their strictest senses. Most industrial facilities have a mix of the product and process layouts, with a focus on one or the other. Neither pure form is ever laid forth for plants. If the items being created are not too complex and somewhat similar, then it is possible to integrate two forms of layout in an efficient way.