Need for Plant Layout

1) Product design
2) New product
3) Changes in volume demand
4) Facilities becoming obsolete
5) Frequent accidents
6) Poor work environment
7) Change in the location or concentration of
markets
8) Cost reduction

1
 Objectives of Plant Layout
The objectives of ideal plant layout
1) Minimizing and controlling material handling and transportation
2) Elimination of bottle necks to meet free flow of raw material and
semi-finished goods
3) Suitable design of work stations
4) High material turnover through shorter cycle operation
5) Maximization of return on investments
6) Effective utilization of installed capacity and cubic space
7) Minimization of waiting time for semi-finished products
8) Safer and convenient environment
9) Improved work methods
10) Elimination of physical efforts
11) Improved flexibility for changes in product design and future
expansion
12) Effective utilization of manpower sources 2
 Principles of Plant Layout
Six basic principles of plant layout
1) Principle of overall integration
2) Principle of minimum distance
3) Principle of flow
4) Principle of cubic space
5) Principle of satisfaction and safety
6) Principle of flexibility

3
 Symptoms of bad Layout
1) Congestion of machines, materials, parts,
assemblies and even workers
2)Excessive amounts of work in process
3)Poor utilization of available space
4)Long material flow lines
5)Some machines heavily loaded and some remain
idle for long periods
6)Excessive handling by skilled workers
7)Long production cycles
8) Unnecessary delays in delivery
9)Over mental or physical strain of workers
10) Difficulty in supervision and control properly
4
 Symptoms of good Layout
1) Safe, neat and clean layout
2)Less amount of materials in process
3)No traffic congestion
4)Better utilization of available space and machinery
5)Short material flow and production cycle
6)Steady and smooth material flow and minimum
back tracking
7)Less handling by skilled workers
8)No bottleneck
9)Comfortable working with less metal or physical
strain on workers
10)Easy to supervise and control
11)Flexible to meet variations in o/p and varieties
12)Production is economical 5
 Characteristics of good Layout
1) Minimum handling b/w operations
2) Minimum handling distances
3) Straight passages
4) Minimum back tracking
5) Minimum goods in process
6) Planned material flow pattern
7) Layout adoptable to changing conditions
8) Proper location of services
9) Maximum automatic handling
10)Control over dirt, noise, fumes, dust, humidity, temperature
etc.
11)Minimum walking by operation people
12)Minimum handling by skilled workers
13)Scrap removal by proper planning
14)Minimum rehandling
6
Advantages of Scientific Layout
1) reduces internal transport to a minimum
2)Effective space utilization
3)Increased o/p and reduced inventories-in-process
4)reduces labour turn-over due to better work
environment, safety and reduced hazards

5)reduces production delays to a large extent

6)helps in maintaining floor area as neat and clean
7)minimizes the changes in the layout
8)helps in production control

7
 Advantages of Scientific Layout…
9) eliminates waste effort - increases the speed of
production
10) Minimizes the material handling costs
11)reduces wastage and spoiled work - higher
productivity

12) Better utilization of man power

13) Possible to improve production methods
14) Higher flexibility and adoptability to changing
conditions
15) Integrates man, materials, machinery, space etc.

8
Factors influencing Plant Layout
1)Type of product
2)Volume rate of production
3)Quality
4)Type of manufacture
5)Building
6)Plant site
7)Personnel
8)Material handling plan
9)Influence of processes
9
 Types of Layout
Group
Line / Product layout layout

Functional /
Process layout

Fixed position
layout

Combination
layout

10
S.No.
Design data for plant layout
Problem Data required

1 Product Type, quantity, sp. designs

2 Production
3 Control
4 Personnel
5 Maintenance
6 Storage
7 Materials handling
Sequential operations
Qty & Qlty control points and methods
Nos. of job and area assignments and facility
requirements for employees
Activity volume
Requirements for continuous plant operation without
delays
Volume, type of activity, equipment type & qty

8 Services Requirements for personnel, equipment, plant &

general business
9 Costs Initial investments and operating costs
10 Legal restrictions Limiting design requirements
11 Space limits Building or plant area limitations
12 Appearance Public and workers acceptance
13 Future alteration and Estimates of growth
11
expansion
 Line / Product Layout

Finished Product

G G L – Lathe
G G
M – Milling
HT – Heat treatment
G - Grinding
M
M HT
HT

L
L L
L M
M

Entrance of material

12
 Product layout
 Product ‘A’ – sequence operations
 Turning, drilling & boring, milling, grinding,
slotting and inspection

Drilling Milling Grinding

Lathe Shaper
m/c m/c m/c
(turning) (slotting)
(drilling (milling) (grinding)
& boring

Raw Finished Inspection

material product

13
 Line / Product Layout
 Advantages:
 1) lowers the overall manufacturing time – product moves
operation to operation without any handling
 2) Less space needed for placing machines
 3) minimum of handling / transportation
 4) less work–in-process
 5) Better utilization of machines and labour
 6) minimizes counting, inspecting and clerical work etc.
 7) smooth flow of material
 8) Promises for supply of products to customers - more
reliable
 9) Use of gravity and power conveyers for material handling
reduce the necessity of large aisles
 10) simplified Production control

14
 Line / Product Layout
 Disadvantages:
 1) When the model or type changes - the layout of machinery
also requires a change
 2) All machines not used to their maximum capacity
 3) manufacturing cost rises with a fall in the volume of
production
 4) If one or more lines are running light, there is great
machine idleness
 5) Specialized and strict supervision - needed
 6) one of the machines in the shop breaks down the other
machines have to remain idle till that machines becomes
again ready to commence operation
 7) For expansion - not possible to add more machines
 8) Each worker is not skilled for other machines

15
 Applications of Line Layout
 Suitable
for continuous process industries
such as car or automobile manufacturing
and chemical industries

16
Functional / Process Layout
Finished product

G G Grinding
section

HT HT Heat treatment
section

M M M M Milling section

L L L L Lathe section

Raw material entrance

17
 Process layout
 Product ‘A’ – sequence operations
 Turning, drilling & boring, milling, grinding,
slotting and inspection

Lathe Drilling m/c Shaper

Finished
Raw product
material

Milling m/c Grinding m/c Inspection

18
 Functional / Process Layout
 Advantages:
 1) Similar jobs - similar machines - simple supervision
 2) Less machines required
 3) areas of incentive for each worker to raise the level of performance
 4) better control on precision or complicated processes
 5) layout is flexible - change in the rate of production, or in the raw
material used - possible
 6) break-down of one machine not affect the production - continue with
a standby machine
 7) minimum capital outlay for machine
 8) New workers have better training facilities on the job. Workers know,
how to run various machines in the group and also to set-up work
 9) Foreman become specialized in the performance of the job and know
all about the equipments and their operations

19
 Functional / Process Layout
 Disadvantages:
 1) too high handling and backtracking of material
 2) necessary to plan and supervise the work of each department, each
worker and machine - production control more difficult and more costly
 3) More floor area required
 4) Specialization creates monotony - difficult for the workers to work on
other machines
 5) more total production cycle time - long distance - waiting
 6) Routing and scheduling - more difficult - work does not flow through
any definite mechanical channels
 7) not possible to provide cheaper and automatic devices for internal
transportation
 8) Inspection for work of each operation is necessary as the material
passes to the next department. Result in more inspection and causes
delays.
 9) More training required to prepare the workers for the jobs

20
 Applications of Process Layout
 Suitable for low volume of production and
varieties of product

21
 Part Operation 1 Operation 2 Operation 3

A lathe drill lathe

B drill mill
C lathe mill drill

Product Layout
L D M
A
L D M B

C L D M

A L D L A
Process
Layout
B D M B

C L M D C
22
Comparison of product and process layouts
Sl.No. Product layout Process layout

1 Lower total material handling More

2 Less work-in-progress More

3 Less floor area / unit of production More

4 Group incentive scheme is successful Individual

5 Lower production time More

6 Simple production control Complicated process due to

specialization
7 Machineries are not fully utilized Full utilization – less investment

8 Change of sequencing is very difficult Change of sequencing does not

affect adversely
23
Comparison of product and process layouts
Sl.No. Product layout Process layout

9 Useful for one or few std products Varieties of products can be

manufactured

10 Easy to conduct time and motion Difficult

study to determine the rate of work

11 Less inspection More inspection

12 Continuous handling by mechanical difficult

means

13 Machine can not be used for more Different operations can be

than one operation carried out

14 St. line of work-flow Variable flow

15 Material handling is predictable variable

24
 Fixed Position layout

Machine
Raw Material

Tool
Product

Workers

Assembled Product

25
 Fixed Position Layout
Forming and treating process
– Truss work, Sculpturing etc.
Assembling work – ship
building, aircraft assembling,
construction of building

26
 Fixed Position Layout
 Advantages:
 1) Minimum capital investment
 2) Ensured continuity of operations
 3) Less total production cost
 4) Less materials movement
 5) Very flexible – frequent changes in products
and product design is possible
 6) responsibility for quality of work can be fixed
 7) continuity of operations is ensured – gang
operators

27
 Fixed Position Layout
 Disadvantages:
 1) movement of machines to the
production center – costly & time
consuming
 2) Highly skilled workers are required
 3) Complicated jigs and fixtures may be
required in fixing jobs and tools etc.
 4) positioning of the object on machines
may be difficult.

28
 Fixed Position Layout
 Suitable when:
 1) The operation or process requires
only hand tools and /or simple tools
 2) Only one or a few pieces are made
 3) The cost of moving the major piece
of material or major component is
high
 4) Where high skill is demanded

29
 Combination layout
A B C1 D E C2 F G C3 H

Product layout

D E

A B C1 C2 H

F G
30
 Group layout

L M L D L D M D

L D M M G G G G

Machines within a group need not always

be used in the same sequence; one
foreman; one team of workers complete
each part
31
 Material Flow
Advantages of planned material flow:
 Better utilization of space
 Better utilization of manpower
 Better utilization of equipment
 Reduced processing time
 Reduced in-process inventory
 Reduced chances of accidents
 Reduced materials movement
 Reduced manpower movements
 Reduced traffic congestion
 Simplified material handling
 Minimized back-tracking
 Better house keeping
32
 Material Flow
Flow pattern affects the following:
 Material handling
 Amount of work-in-process
 Capital and space tied up by work-in process
 Length of total production time
 The rate of performance and coordination of
operations
 Amount of physical and mental strain of the
operators
 Supervision and control mechanisms

33
 Material Flow

Effective
Planned material arrangement of Efficient
flow facilities operations

Success of enterprise Better Minimum cost

profitability of production

34
 Factors governing flow pattern
 External transport facilities
 Number products to be handled
 Number operations on each product
 Number of units to be processed
 Number of sub-assemblies made up ahead of assembly line
 Size and shape of available land
 Necessary flow b/w work areas
 Influence of processes
 Type of layout
 Location of service areas
 Special requirements of departments
 Material storage
 Type of building
 Desired flexibility
35
 Horizontal flow lines
Five basic types
1) I-flow / Line flow
2) L-flow
3) U-flow
4) S-flow
5) O-flow

36
 Horizontal flow lines

I - Flow

L - Flow U - Flow

O - Flow
S - Flow S - Flow

37
 Horizontal flow lines

I – U ( L + L ) Flow
S + L flow system
System

S + L flow system
O + U flow system

38
Material Flow

Unidirectional Flow

Retractional / Repeated Flow

39
 Vertical Flow Lines
 1) Processing downward or Upward
 2) Centralized or Decentralized
elevation
 3) Unidirectional or Retractional
 4) Vertical or inclined flow
 5) Single or Multi flow
 6) Flow b/w buildings

40
 Vertical Flow Lines
 1)Processing downward or Upward
flow

41
 Vertical Flow Lines
 2)Centralized or Decentralized
elevation

42
 Vertical Flow Lines
 3) Unidirectional or Retractional

43
 Vertical Flow Lines
 4) Vertical or inclined flow

44
 Vertical Flow Lines
 5) Single or Multi flow

45
 Vertical Flow Lines
 6)
Flow b/w buildings Elevated or
Ground flow

46
Tools and Techniques for developing layout
Method study

1) Process chart techniques

2) Micro-motion techniques
3) Memo- motion techniques
4) Kinetogram techniques

47
 Tools and Techniques for developing layout
Method study

1) Process chart techniques

a) Out line or operation process chart
b) Flow process chart
c) Two handed process chart
d) Multiple activity chart
e) Flow diagram
f) String diagram
48
 Symbols used in the Process Charts
Sl. Symbol Motion Explanation

1 Operation Any operation for making, alternating or changing

the job
2 Inspection Checking the quality, correction and verification

3 Transport Movement or travel of the job or any object

4 D Delay Any type of delay, i.e., breakdown interference or

time required for some adjustment etc.
5 Storage Keeping, holding and storing the job and other
things
6 Operation This occurs several time when operation and
and inspections are combined. Eg. Setting of tool
Inspection
7 Change These are used before beginning any process and
point ending or changing the process to another

49
 Operation/Outline Process chart
Operation
Inspection
 Graphical representation of the sequence
of all operations and inspections involved
in the process
 Provides a compact overall view of the
whole system of operations involved in the
manufacture of a product

50
 Operation Process Chart – Manufacturing of an
Electric Bulb
Base Glass Support wires Lead wires Glass
Bulb & Filament & exhaust Tube

1.0 1 Form steam in glass tube

2.5 2 Assemble the lead wires, exhaust

tubes & sealed
1.0 3 Support wires and element are fixed
in position and sealed
1.0 4 Inserting the mount assembly and
sealed
0.5 5 Drawing air with vacuum pump

0.5 6 Bulb is filled with nitrogen and argon

0.1 Base fixed and sealed

7
0.1 8 Electrical connections to base
Summary soldered and contacts formed
Operation 9 0.5 1 Lamp testing

Inspection 1 0.5 Packing 51

9
 Out Line Process Chart (Present Method)
Job: Manufacture and assembly of bolt, nut, washer & pin
Chart begins: Raw material for each component Chart ends: Completed assembly inspected
Charted by:----------- Date:-------------- Approved by:--------- Date:----------------
Bolt
Nut
12 Hex.rod Ø20 ms 1 Face
Hex. Rod Ø20 ms face
Washer Turn
13 Chamfer 2
1mm thick
steel plate
14
Drill 1
10 Blank
3 Thread
15 Thread
5 2
6 Chamfer
Part off 4
16
Part off
5
17 Face opp.side Face opp. Side

18 Chamfer 6 Chamfer

7 7
Drill cross hole
19 3
Drill cross hole
8 8
Deburr 4
20 Deburr
9 Assemble
Assemble
Summary 11
Operation 22 Pin – XYZ & Co 21 Assemble

9 22
Inspection 9
 Flow Process Chart

Material type

Opertor (Man) type

Machine (Equipment)
type

Graphical representation of the sequence of all

operations, transportations, inspections, delays, and
storages occurring during a process or procedure
 Flow Process Chart - Material Type
(Present Method)
Job: Making a Tin sheet disc
Chart begins: Material in store Chart ends: Finished goods in store
Charted by:--------------- Date:------------- Approved by:-------------- Date:----------
Tin sheet
1 Material in store
200x100 mm, 1mm thick
To stripping m/c – 4m
1
1
Cut into strip
1
2 To rack – 1m
2 In rack

3 To 10T press – 12m

Blanking
2
To embossing m/c – 10m
Summary 4 Embossed
3 To degrease – 5m
4 5
1 2
Degreased
4
7 (50m) To inspection – 10m
6
2 1 To store – 10m
7 In store
3
3
 Flow Process Chart - Man Type
(Present Method)
Job: Writing a letter using a short hand typist
Chart begins: Typist in his room Chart ends: Letter typing completed
Charted by:--------------- Date:------------- Approved by:-------------- Date:----------
1 Typist in his room
To manager’s room – 5m
1
Takes dictation
1
To his room – 5m
2 Prepares for typing
2
Typing letter & copy
3
From m/c separates copy
4 Checks
1
Summary 5
Places in pad for signature
To manager’s room – 5m

9 3 During checking & signing

1 1
Takes pad
6 To his room – 5m
4 (20m) 4 Types envelope
7 Letter to envelope
1
8 Letter & copy aside to out tray

1 9
 Travel Chart

 Analytical technique
 Similar to mileage chart in road maps
 No. indicates the amount of materials handling
 Eg: skid loads/day or frequency of handling, no. of
products etc.
 Travel Chart
Steps in preparation:
1) Restrictions within which the study is to operate are
mentioned first
2) Assumptions made in the study are mentioned
3) Required data collected
4) Sequential summary prepared
5) Chart is prepared based on the data and assumptions
6) Schematic layout is prepared
7) Efficiency of layout checked
8) Items 5 to 7 repeated till satisfaction
Travel Chart
 Computerized Layout Planning
Layout analyst can
1. Explore great many potential relationship
2. Generate a number of alternate solutions to a
problem
3. Learn from the data collection process
4. See into the problem by watching the printout
process
5. Define the problem better, which is necessary
for computerisation
 Computerized Layout Planning
Advantages:
1. Time savings to create or modify layouts
2. Ability to explore limitless alternatives
3. Extensive storage capacity of layout plans
4. Summarizing equipments by functional areas
5. Physical characteristics of facility plans including space
requirement and percent of aisle are determined
6. Instantaneous scale changes and metric conversion
7. 3 dimensional capabilities to illustrate overhead
conveyor routing and equipments spacing
 Computerized Layout Algorithms

Construction algorithm Improvement algorithm

Successive selection and Dept. interchanged for

placement improvement
 Computer Programmes for layout planning

1. Systematic Layout Planning (SLP)

2. Computerized Relative Allocation of facilities
Techniques (CRAFT)
3. Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
4. Automated Layout Design Program (ALDEP)
 Systematic Layout Planning (SLP)
 Necessary to interrelate the production activity with
supporting activities wrt degree of closeness required
by materials, process and information
 Used to analyze the interrelationship with the aid of
Activity Relationship Diagram for solving the layout
process
 similar to operation sequence and block diagram in
both the procedure and end results
 Systematic Layout Planning (SLP)
 Primary characteristics for consideration
a) Does single / specialized / particular group of activities
occur?
b) Does the activity require a significant amount of floor
space?
c) Does the activity have a lot of flow through?
 Systematic Layout Planning (SLP)
 Degrees of activity inter-relationship

Value Closeness Line code Code

(#) (+)
A Absolutely necessary Red
E Especially necessary Orange
I Important Green
O Ordinary closeness OK Blue
U Unimportant None
X Undesirable Brown

X: dirt, noise, fumes, odors, vibration, safety and health hazard, interruptions,
distractions
Systematic Layout Planning (SLP)
Systematic Layout Planning (SLP)
Systematic Layout Planning (SLP)

1
Automated Layout Design Program (ALDEP)
- Presented by Seehof and Evans
- Developed by IBM
- Construction & improvement program
- Constructs layout without any existing layout
- Used when activity relationships are a major consideration and when
constantly changing conditions prohibit the collection of precise
numerical data
- Layout is developed by locating the most related activities and then
progressively adding other activities based closeness desired1 (ie. A or
E)
- Process continued until either all dept. are placed or no dept. are
available for placement
- Numerical values assigned to the closeness ratings
- Process repeated for specified number of times
Automated Layout Design Program (ALDEP)
- Values assigned for ALDEP are
A = 43 = 64, E = 42 = 16,
I = 41 = 4, O = 40 = 1,
U = 0, X = -45 = -1024
- Capable to handle upto 63 dept. or activities and generate
multistory layouts upto 3 floors
- Possible to place restrictions on the solution such that
1
layout is designed around such areas as aisles, elevator
shafts, stair wells, lobbies and existing dept.
Automated Layout Design Program (ALDEP)
Advantages:
1. Can fix specific locations within confines of space
available
2. Solution is within specified area
3. Many alternatives are developed
4. Have most inter-relationships 1

5. Has multiple-level capability

Automated Layout Design Program (ALDEP)
Limitations:
1. Cost of movement not calculated
2. Undesirable (X) relationships not honored (is not
questioned)
3. Evaluation scoring method questionable
4. Difficulty in evaluating production process 1

5. Mandatory space configuration not taken into

account
6. Limited to 63 departments
Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities
Technique ( CRAFT)
- Presented in 1963 by Armour and Buffa
- Main criteria – minimization of total cost of movement of items
- Cost expressed as a linear function of distance travelled
- Used as an aid in designing layout for non-manufacturing
activities also and develop office layouts
- Improvement program
- Optimum design by making improvements in the layout1 in a
sequential fashion
- Evaluate the given layout and then considers what the effect
will be if the dept. under considerations are interchanged
Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities
Technique ( CRAFT)

1
Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities
Technique ( CRAFT)
Advantages:
1. Permits fixing locations
2. Input shapes can vary
3. Short computer time
4. Mathematically sound
5. Can be used for office layouts
6. Can check previous interactions
7. Cost and saving printout
Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities
Technique ( CRAFT)
Limitations:
1. Initial layout required – used for modification of
existing layout – outline shape of layout required
for new layout
2. Distance b/w depts. taken as st. line
3. Requires hand adjustments ( output not usable)
1

4. Does not guarantee the least cost layout

5. Can not be easily improved
Computerized Relative Allocation of Facilities
Technique ( CRAFT)…
Limitations:
6. Depts. Interchanged only – same size –
adjacent – border on a common dept. )
7. I/P data requires careful structuring
8. Better adapted to rearrangements
1
9. Solution obtained is path dependent
10. Undesirable relationship taken into
consideration
11. Limited to 40 depts.
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
- Construction program
- Employs REL chart in constructing layouts
- Handle upto 70 depts.
- Building outline not required
- Possible to place constraint on the length-to-width ratio
- Able to pre-assign some depts. in the layout
- Can be done only along the periphery of the layout
- Constructs layout by locating rectangular shaped depts.
- REL provides basis for the order
- Both REL and numerical weighted rating assigned to the
closeness ratings
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
Minimum I/P requirements:
1. Relationship chart for the depts.
2. No. of depts.
3. Area of each dept.
4. Weight of REL chart entries
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
Optional I/P parameters:
1. Scale of o/p printout
2. Building length to width ratio
3. Plotting of the final layout
4. Dept. pre-assignment
Lee and Moore, who developed this program, adopted
the following rather unusual terminology
Victor: a dept. which has earned the privilege of being
next to be placed in the layout
Winner: a victor which has been placed earlier in the
layout
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
Each of the closeness ratings used in the relationship
chart, i.e. A.E.I.O.U.X are assigned a numerical value
A=6
E=5
I=4
O=3
U=2
X = 1 and Total Closeness Rating (TCR)
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
Steps:
1. TCR for each dept. is calculated by adding together the
value for that dept’s relationship with all other depts.
2. V(rij) – numerical values assigned to closeness rating
for depts. I and j
3. For m depts. The total closeness rating
m
TCRi = V (rij )
j i
4. Depts. listed in descending order
5. Highest TCR is the first to be placed – becomes winner
6. Program asks which is to be next?
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
Steps:
7. Where is the victor to be placed in the layout?
8. Program searches the relationship with the first winner
9. Dept. with the highest TCR becomes the first victor
10. Procedure is repeated until all depts. With an A
relationship with the first and subsequent winners have
been palced
11. The complete procedure is repeated for E, I, O and
finally U relationship
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning (CORELAP)
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
Advantages:
1. Desired relationship b/w depts. Can be taken into
account – depends solely upon product layout
2. Initial layout not required – max. length and width of
building required
3. I/P and O/P terms are the same
4. Easy to get going on, to complete
5. Each step is visible during the process of layout
development
Computerized Relationship Layout Planning
(CORELAP)
Limitations:
1. System can not specify fixed activity locations
2. Does not calculate cost
3. Does not allow layout of facilities in irregular format
 Machine Data
M/C layout data cards help in planning the
layout
It includes the data of
 Power requirements
 Compressed air
 Foundation
 Handling facilities
 capacity

87
 Layout Planning Procedure
 1) Fixing the objectives
 2) Collection of necessary data
 3) formulation of over all plan
 4) determining the nature of manufacturing
operation
 5) Developing the plant layout using various
techniques, charts, diagrams etc.
 6) deciding building requirements- floor space,
floor load capacities, ceiling heights, location
partitions, sizes and locations of doors and
windows 88
 Layout Planning Procedure
 7) deciding the location of service activities
 8) determining the sequence operations
 9) drafting outlines of manufacturing center
 10) arrangement of finance accr. to the plan
 11) preparation of layout drawings and test
production run

89
 Data required for plant layout
improvement
 1) Products – material, quality, quantity
 2) Process – sequence of operations
 3) Existing layout flow process chart, flow
diagram etc.
 4) Machines and material handling
equipments
 5) Space available for work and machines
 6) Data related to receiving, storing,
outgoing areas
90
 Steps to make better layout
 1) Development of detailed material flow
pattern
 2) Determination of material handling
methods
 3) Work area plan
 4) Coordination of all planning activities
 5) Laying of master plant layout
 6) Evaluation of newly laid plant layout
 7) Installation of plant layout
 8) Necessary changes incorporated, if
required 91
 Visualization of Data
 Scaled drawings of plant layout will not
give effective 2D or 3D view
 Some visual analogue techniques are
used – templates or scale models
 Sheet of ply wood, fibre, or some heavy
paper with different colours shall be used
for making machines and equipments
 For better visualization and presentation, a
combination of 2D & 3D models can be
used
92
Need for revision and improving
of the existing plant layout
 1) to meet the ever increasing
demand
 2) to incorporate new technological
improvements in product design
 3) for work simplification
 4) to attain greater competitive
efficiency

93
Reasons for redesigning of layout…
 1) Expansion of capacity
 2) Shrinkage in output
 3) Change in product design
 4) Replacement of equipment
 5) Relocation of department
 6) Poor work environment

94
 Reasons for redesigning of layout
 7) Poor to reduce materials handling
 8) Frequent accidents
 9) Delays in process and idle time
 10) Backtracking and bottlenecks in
material flow
 11) Excessive temporary storage
 12) Poor lighting, ventilating, heating,
house keeping facilities in the layout

95
 Line balancing
 Important technique to achieve efficiency and
economy
 Important to balance the work loads of the men
and machines along the line and give nearly
equal work assignments to all
 Line balancing in a layout means arrangement
of machine capacity to secure relatively uniform
flow at capacity operation
 It can also be said as a layout which has equal
operating times at the successive operations in
the process as a whole

96
 Conditions for Line production
 A) Sufficient demand
 B) Line must operate continuously ie.
Without breakdown due to equipment
failure
 C) Individual operations must have app.
the same time allotted to each, as o/p of
the line is determined by the slowest
operation

97
 Integration of production machines

 Factors considered for the attainment of

continuity in the flow of work

 1) Machine time ( rate of o/p)

 2) Interruptions and emergencies

98
 Line balancing criteria

 A) Production at the desired o/p capacity

 B) Feasible sequential tasks
 C) Line should be efficient

99
Methods of attaining balanced capacity…
 1) By establishing the rate of o/p of the line
 2) By Sub-division or regrouping of
operations in such cases, a std task
performed in a given interval of time may
be established
 3) Balance in the time can also be attained
by moving the worker along with the line
 4) Identifying slow or bottleneck in work
stations - prevent the establishment of
balanced line
100
Methods of attaining balanced capacity
 Detailed operation analysis of a given work
station can increase the o/p in the following
ways
 a) by designing of special tooling
 b) by developing automatic feeding devices
 c) by designing special materials handling
equipment
 d) by training the employees
 e) by adopting incentive system of wages
 5) Slow work stations may be operated for extra
hours
101
 Heuristic Approach
 Heuristic – serving to find out or discover
things from oneself
 Used for problem solving, decision making
and control
 Thumb rules, and adopt logical analysis,
common sense and past experience
 Provides solutions which are good enough
for all practical problems

102
 Steps for balancing the Line
- Heuristic Approach
 1) Define tasks
 2) Sequencing of the tasks
 3) Calculate minimum no. of work stations
required to produce desired o/p
 4) Assign tasks to each stations
 5) Evaluate effectiveness and efficiency
 6) Improve the layout by trial and error

103
 Hetgeson and Burnie method
for Line Balancing
 Also known as Ranked Positional Weight
Technique
 Steps
 1) Develop the precedence diagram
 2) Determine the positional weight for each
operation
 3) Rank the work elements based on the
positional weight
 4) Assign work elements to the work stations
based on the positional weight and rank
104
 Terms used in Line Balancing
 1) work element – a rational divisional of the
total work
 2) Total work content – the aggregate amount of
total work – total work content time is the time
required to perform the total work content
 3) Work station – different points where work
operations are carried out – each work station is
responsible for a predetermined work
 4) Operation time – time required to complete
the allotted work at each station
 5) Cycle time – time available at each station for
the performance of the work
 Cycle time = operation time + Idle time 105
 Example: 1
Operation Time per unit in minutes
1 10
2 20
3 10
4 20

The total working hours per month are 150. The required production is 450 units per
month. Suggest how should the time be balanced for maximum utilization of
machines. What percentage of each machine time is idle?

Soln.: Working hours per month = 150 x 60 = 9000min

Production per month = 450 units
Time/Unit = 9000 / 450 = 20 min
Work station 2 & 4 or operation 2 & 4 consumes 20 min each.
For a production of 450 units per month, time per unit = 20min
Therefore, work stations 2 & 4 are 100% engaged while the work stations 1 & 3 are
50% engaged

106
 Balancing Losses
The total work content of the task is 15min, the actual
labour i/p is 16.5min/unit, The balancing loss = 16.5-15 =
1.5min/unit
%age balancing loss = (1.5/16.5)x100 = 9.1%
Ways of reducing imbalance
a) Changing the design of the product or the nature of the
work
b) Rearranging the allocation of work b/w operations to
obtain a more balance work load
c) Varying the no. of operators at each operator in the
sequence
d) Improving the method used by more heavily loaded
operators
e) Dividing the task into a no. of self-contained operators 107
Prob: If useful production time available per
day is 420min and daily o/p is 500 items,
calculate cycle time.
Soln:
Let, T = useful production time per day
Q = Daily o/p required in number of units

Then, Cycle time C = T/Q

C = 420/500 = 0.84min/item

108
Prob: If in the previous example, total work content is
195sec, then find out minimum no. of work stations. Also
calculate balancing losses.
Soln:
Let, T = useful production time per day, Q = Daily o/p
required in number of units
Then, Cycle time C = T/Q, C = 420/500 = 0.84min/item
Nmin = no. work stations
Nmin = o/p required x total work content / prod. time
available
=Qx∑t/T (T/Q = C)
=∑t/C
= 195 / 50.4 = 3.87
No. of work stations Nmin = 4
Balancing losses = ((4 x 50.4) – 195 / 4x 50.4 ) x 100
= 3.3%
109
 Precedence Diagram
3 6 3 5
2 3 4 5

4
1

4 7 2 3 6
6 7 8 10 11

3
9

Question: Fig. indicates the activities and timings required

for them. Arrange these activities into different zones so
that the average zone time is equal or nearly equal. 110
 Precedence Diagram…
3 6 3 5
2 3 4 5

4
1

4 7 2 3 6
6 7 8 10 11

3
9

Zone I II III IV V
Time , 6
11 13 8 8
min 111
 Precedence Diagram…
The cycle time is 13min and the problem has 5
work stations, which are highly imbalanced with
6min to 13min, having idle time of 2+ 5+5+7 =
19min with line balancing efficiency =
(11+13+8+8+6) x100 / 5x 13 = 70.77%

The problem is further improved by readjusting the

III, IV and V zones where the idle time is high.

112
 Precedence Diagram
5
3 6 3
2 3 4 5

4
1

4 7 2 3 6
6 7 8 10 11

3
9

Zone I II III IV
Time , 11
11 13 11
min 113
 Precedence Diagram…
In this case the idle time is 2+2+2 = 6min which
again is considerable for further improvement

line balancing efficiency = (11+13+11+11) x100 /

4x13 = 84.62%
a) Shift the activities 8 & 10 to zone II
b) Shift the activity 3 to zone III

114
 Precedence Diagram
6 3 5
3
2 3 4 5

4
1

2
4 7
6 7 8
3 6

10 11
3
9

Zone I II III IV
Time , 11
11 12 12
min 115
 Precedence Diagram…
Now, the idle time is 1+1 = 2min

line balancing efficiency = (11+12+12+11) x100 /

4x12 = 95.83%

116
Prob: Details of time consumed at each of the work stations is given
under
Station 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
Nos.
Time 2 2 3 4 2 2 15
(min)

a) Calculate the line balancing efficiency and balancing losses

b) Examine whether the line balancing efficiency can be increased
Soln:
Sum of time elements/station = 15
Number of work station = 6 , Cycle time = 4min
Line balancing efficiency = (15/6x4) x 100 = 62.5%
Balancing losses = 1- 0.625 = 0.375 = 37.5%
Efficiency of line balancing can be improved by reducing the idle time.

117
Work stations 1 & 2 can be combined, similarly 5 & 6 can be combined

Station 1 2 3 4 Total
Nos.
Time 4 3 4 4 15
(min)

Line balancing efficiency in new arrangement = (15/ ( 4x4) ) x 100 =

93.75%

Balancing loss = 1- 0.9375 = 0.0625 = 6.25%

New arrangement has improved line balancing efficiency considerably.

118
 Techniques for Analyzing
Material Flow
 1) Operation Process Chart
 2) Flow Diagram
 3) String Diagram
 4) Templates
 5) Scale Models
 6) Flow process Chart
 7) Man-Machine Chart
 8) Two Hand Chart
 9) Simo Chart
 10) Multi Product Process Chart
 11) From-to-chart ( travel chart)
 12) Network
 13) Machine data cards
119
 Templates
 Scale representation – scale 1:50 used
 Object: m/c, material handling equipment,
storage area, worker
 Matl. used: heavy sheet, bristol board, plywood,
fibre – must be durable
 Used to reproduce the proposed layout
 Two main purposes: flexibility and ease of
changing the layout for a better one on the
board and ease of visualizing the layout

120
 Templates
 Flexibility:possible to consider a large number
of different alternative proposals
 Classification: 1) Block (rectangle – max. length
and width of equipment), 2) Contour ( projection
of equipment on floor to scale), 3) Clearance
contour ( color templates with clearance for
movable part)
 Arrangement of the templates should be
photographed before the templates are removed
from the board

121
 Models
 3D representation
 Give best visualization
 Used for complex layout
 Shows proposed plant very clearly – easier for
the management to visualize the proposal
 Weakness can be deducted easily and quickly
 Though the cost is high – benefits justify the cost
 Cubic models are simplest – lacks in contour
details
 For getting full advantage – models made with
accurate, exact shape and dimensions
122
 Models
 Models are available in market for std.
machinery and equipment
 Drawbacks – not handy to over the plant while
installation
 Difficult to put dimensions and other information
 Overcome by adding identification tag to models
and photographing from more than one angle
 For exact presentation – a combination of 2D &
3D models can be used
 templates or models as a tool only for checking
the final layout – how it will look like and detect
any fault in the conceived layout
123
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Flow Diagram

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