Manufacturing systems & Plant Layout

- By Hitesh Parmar

Determinants of Manufacturing
systems
Volume

Variety
Flow

Manufacturing

Systems

SINGLE ITEM / ONE OFF PRODUCTION

SINGLE ITEM
PRODUCTION

SAMPLE PRODUCTS
PROTOTYPES
SPECIALIST MODELS
HANDMADE ITEMS
SPECIALIST ENGINEERING
ONE OFFS

 Characteristics
A highly specialised company.

A small highly skilled workforce, possibly

one or two workers, sometimes more.

Constant communication with the client,
constant discussion regarding the design.
Company specialises in particular areas such
as engineering or musical instruments etc...
Specialist materials are often required e.g..
specialist woods or modelling materials

 The final product is expensive due to

the level of skill needed to

manufacture the product and the cost
of
specialist
materials
and
equipment.
A high standard of quality control
Products are manufactured for a
specialist market / clientele eg.
musicians,
medical
profession,
aerospace

Advantages
Each Piece is made to the customers exact

requirement.
Job Satisfaction is high for the worker.
Quality of the goods is very high
The design is flexible and can be changed.

Disadvantages
The products are very expensive.
Work is very time consuming
The advantages of economies of scale are

Cont
BATCH
PRODUCTION

BATCH PRODUCTION

SAMPLE PRODUCTS

FURNITURE
ELECTRICAL GOODS
CLOTHING
NEWSPAPERS BOOKS
SAMPLE PRODUCTS

Characteristics
A production line is set up.

Each worker completes one task and

passes work down the production line to

the next worker.
The workers are semi skilled or unskilled.
The workers must be able to switch from
one part of the production line to another

Advantages
Workers may specialized some degree

Labor cost is reduced so the final price is

lower
Machinery may be used
Production is faster
Begins to take advantages of economies of
scale

Disadvantages
The work is less interesting, repetitive than in

Job/One off production system.

More space is required for working and storage.
Larger stock of raw material must be kept
Machines may have to be re-set between batches
which looses time

Continue.
CONTINUOUS
PRODUCTION

CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION

SAMPLE PRODUCTS

CARS
PETROL / OIL PRODUCTS
BRICKS
MANY FOOD PRODUCTS
WASHING POWDER
CHEMICALS
ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS
PAPER / PULP PRODUCTS

 Production line runs twenty four hour in a day and

365 days in a year .Only at the time of any

breakdown maintenance or planned shutdown
,the production line stops .
Production line is semi-auto mated which is
relying on both computer as well as human
resources .
Investment in machinery is very high
Less flexible workers as product line changes
less
At every stage of production ,quality control is
done
Training requirement would be less
Normally associated with large quantity and high

Advantages
Final Product is inexpensive

Large quantities can be manufactured

The quality of the product is standardized
Machinery can be used so the labor cost is

reduced
Unskilled wages further reduce costs
Assembly lines can run continuously
Production is fast
Take full advantage of Economies of scale

Disadvantages
The work is repetitive and boring

There is an increased risk of accidents

Employee Motivation is Low
The Products are all identical
Large capital investment is required
Large buildings are usually needed
Large stock of raw material must be kept
Machinery breakdown can halt production
There is a loss of traditional skills

Identify the Method of Production

Designer Cloths

Identical Houses

Design of Kitchen

Production of bread

Assembly Lines

Plant Layout

Objectives of Good layout

Minimize material handling costs

Utilize space efficiently

Utilize labor efficiently
Facilitate communication and interaction

between workers and their supervisors, or

between workers and customers
Reduce manufacturing cycle time or customer
service time
Eliminate waste or redundant movement

Cont
Facilitate the entry, exit, and placement of

material, products, or people

Incorporate safety and security measures
Encourage proper maintenance activities
Provide a visual control of operations or
activities
Provide flexibility to adapt to changing
conditions

Cont
Provide for volume and product flexibility
Provide ease of supervision
Provide for employee safety and health
Allow ease of maintenance
Improve productivity

Factors influencing layout

Materials
Product
Machinery
Type of industry
Managerial Policies

Principles of layout
The Principle of minimum Travel
Principle of sequence
Principle of usage
Principle of safety and satisfaction
Principle of flexibility
Principle of Minimum investment

Types of Layout
Process layout
Product layout
Fixed position layout
Cellular manufacturing layout

Process Layout

Inward goods
store

Planers

Automatics

Grinders

Milling Machines

Central
inspection
Area
Electroplating shop

Heat
treatment

Raw material
holding stores
Drilling Shop

Turning shop (Lathes)

Paining shop

Assembly

Packing
&
Shipping

Finished
goods
storage

Inward goods
store

Planers

Automatics

Grinders

Milling Machines

Central
inspection
Area
Electroplating shop

Heat
treatment

Raw material
holding stores
Drilling Shop

Turning shop (Lathes)

Paining shop

Assembly

Packing
&
Shipping

Finished
goods
storage

Inward goods
store

Planers

Automatics

Grinders

Milling Machines

Central
inspection
Area
Electroplating shop

Heat
treatment

Raw material
holding stores
Drilling Shop

Turning shop (Lathes)

Paining shop

Assembly

Packing
&
Shipping

Finished
goods
storage

Inward goods
store

Planers

Automatics

Grinders

Milling Machines

Central
inspection
Area
Electroplating shop

Heat
treatment

Raw material
holding stores
Drilling Shop

Turning shop (Lathes)

Paining shop

Assembly

Packing
&
Shipping

Finished
goods
storage

Inward goods
store

Planers

Automatics

Grinders

Milling Machines

Central
inspection
Area
Electroplating shop

Heat
treatment

Raw material
holding stores
Drilling Shop

Turning shop (Lathes)

Paining shop

Assembly

Packing
&
Shipping

Finished
goods
storage

Inward goods
store

Planers

Automatics

Grinders

Milling Machines

Central
inspection
Area
Electroplating shop

Heat
treatment

Raw material
holding stores
Drilling Shop

Turning shop (Lathes)

Paining shop

Assembly

Packing
&
Shipping

Finished
goods
storage

Inward goods
store

Planers

Automatics

Grinders

Milling Machines

Central
inspection
Area
Electroplating shop

Heat
treatment

Raw material
holding stores
Drilling Shop

Turning shop (Lathes)

Paining shop

Assembly

Packing
&
Shipping

Finished
goods
storage

Inward goods
store

Planers

Automatics

Grinders

Milling Machines

Central
inspection
Area
Electroplating shop

Heat
treatment

Raw material
holding stores
Drilling Shop

Turning shop (Lathes)

Paining shop

Assembly

Packing
&
Shipping

Finished
goods
storage

Advantages
Reduced investment on machines as they are

general purpose machines

Greater flexibility in the production
Greater scope for expansion as the capacities of
different lines can be easily increased .
Easier to handle breakdown of equipment by
transferring work to another machine .
Investment on equipment would be comparatively
low

Disadvantages
There is a difficulty in the movement of materials.

Mechanical devices for handling materials can not

be conveniently used .
Layout requires more floor space
Difficulty in production control
Production time is more as work in process has to
travel from place to place

Product Layout

Product
A

Product
B

Product
C

Advantages
There is a mechanization of Material handling

Layout facilitates better production control

Requires less floor area per unit of production
Greater Incentive to a group of workers to raise

their performance .

Disadvantages
Inflexible

Expensive
Expansion is difficult
Any breakdown of equipment along the

production line can disturb the whole line

Fixed Position layout

Raw material
Finished Product
M/c & Equipment

Labour

Air craft Assembly

Advantages
Men and Machines can be used for a wide variety

of operations producing different products .

Small Investment
Worker identifies himself with the product and
takes pride in it when the work is complete.

Group Technology
Machine
2
Machine
3

Machine
1

Materials in

Finished
goods out

Machine
5

Machine
4

Group Technology

Assembly
area
A

Cell 2

Cell 1
Receiving

Cell 3
L

Shipping

Group Technology

Assembly
area
A

Cell 2

Cell 1
Receiving

Cell 3
L

Shipping

Group Technology

Assembly
area
A

Cell 2

Cell 1
Receiving

Cell 3
L

Shipping

Group Technology

Assembly
area
A

Cell 2

Cell 1
Receiving

Cell 3
L

Shipping