Plant Layout

The plant layout is defined as the physical

arrangement of buildings, machinery, equipment,
work places and other facilities of production to
accomplish the most efficient utilization of men,
machines and materials.
•It is one of the most important phases to be
undertaken while planning a new factory.
•The efficient layout planning is the key for the
efficient utilization of resources.
Dr Dileep Singh
 Objectives of Plant Layout
• The entire space of the plant is economically
and effectively used.
• The investment in equipments is minimum.
• The handling and transportation of material
is minimum.
• The flow of material is smooth and rapid.
• The supervision is easy, simple and
effective.
• The utilization of men and machines is
optimum.
Dr Dileep Singh
 Objectives of Plant Layout Conti---

• The plant provides adequate safety, healthy

and comfortable working condition to all
employees.
• There is a flexibility of rearrangement of
production plans.
• There is a provision for future expansion of
the plant.
• The maintenance of equipment and control
of production is easy.
Dr Dileep Singh
 Types of Plant Layout

1. Product layout or line layout

2. Process layout or functional layout
3. Combination layout or group layout
4. Fixed position layout or static product
layout

Dr Dileep Singh
Product Layout or Line Layout

• The machines and other manufacturing facilities

are located in the order of sequence required to
manufacture the product.

Raw WS1 WS 2 WS 3 Finished

Material (L) (M) (D) Good

Dr Dileep Singh
 Product layout or line layout
The machines and other manufacturing facilities are
located in the order of sequence required to
manufacture the product.
Advantages
1. The material handling is less. Thus there is less damage
to materials.
2. The work in process inventory is less.
3. The production control is better due to easier
supervision and less paper work.
4. The manufacturing time is less because there are no
work delays.
5. The manufacturing costs are low at high volume of
production.
6. The machines can be operated by less skilled workers.
Dr Dileep Singh
 Disadvantages
• The manufacturing cost increases, if the
production is limited.
• The layout is less flexible to changes in
product variety and design.
• The breakdown of a single machine may
effect the whole production.
• The capital investment in machines is high.

Dr Dileep Singh
Process or Functional Layout

All similar machines or operations are grouped

in one area or department.

M M D D

M M D

L L L
G G
L L L
Dr Dileep Singh
 Process or Functional Layout
All similar machines or operations are grouped
in one area or department.
Advantages
1. The better and efficient utilization of
machines requires low machine investment.
2. The continuity of production is in case of
• Breakdown in machines
• Shortage of raw materials
• Absenteeism of workers
Dr Dileep Singh
 Process or Functional Layout Conti----

Advantages
3. The changes in variety of product, sequence
of operations and volume of production can
easily accommodated.
4. It provides opportunity for specialization in
one type of process or machine.
5. Since the workers attend to the same type of
machines and operations repeatedly,
therefore, the supervision is easy and the
quality of product is better.
Dr Dileep Singh
 Disadvantages
• The materials handling and transportation costs
are high.
• The manufacturing time increases due to large
amount of work in process.
• The production control is difficult.
• It requires large storage space because of slow
movement of materials.
• It requires large in –process inventory of
materials.
Dr Dileep Singh
Combination or Group Layout
• The process layout and the product layout are the classic types of
layout.
• These layouts are more often found in combination than in their pure
forms.
• Most of the manufacturing industries have adopted a combination
layout.
• A set of machines or equipment is grouped together in the section so
that each set or group of machines or equipment is used to perform
similar operations to produce a family of components.
• Since this type of process layout involves the group technology
technique, therefore it is also known as group layout.
• The flow of product follows the product layout sequence, hence it is
called combination or group layout.

Raw L L D D Finished
M Good
Material
L Dr Dileep Singh
Fixed Position or Static Layout

• The product (because of its heavy weight) is kept at one

place. The men, machine, material and tools are brought
to this place and operations are performed. This type of
layout is to be used under the following conditions:
• When the product is very large.
• When the quantity is relatively small and the operation
needs assembly with hand tools.

Dr Dileep Singh
Fixed position Layout or Static Product Layout Conti--
• When the cost of moving the product is
higher than the cost of moving the
components and tools etc.
Advantages
• The movement of material, men and
tooling is reduced to a minimum.
• It is flexible to changes in the product
design and the related processes.

Dr Dileep Singh
 Fixed position Layout or Static Product Layout Conti--
Advantages
• Since the highly skilled workers are made to
work at one point, therefore, responsibility
for quality of work can be fixed.
Disadvantages
• The movement of machines to the
production point is costly and time
consuming.
• The highly skilled workers are required.
Dr Dileep Singh