Chapter 9 Layout Strategy

1
Chapter 9 Layout Strategy

• Layout types Fixed position, Functional (or
  Process), Product, Cellular, Mixed

2
Layout Types

• Fixed-Position
• Functional or Process
• Product
• Cellular
• Mixed

3
Fixed-Position

• Product is in a fixed position (e.g., airframe,
  ship, building, highway, etc.)
• Resources (people, machines, material) come to
  the product
• Requires complex scheduling of resources
• High space requirements to accommodate resource
  movement
• Usually associated with the Project environment

4
Process or Functional

• Groups similar resources together by the function
  or process performed
• Machine examples are milling machines, lathes,
  routers, grinders
• People examples are Invoicing, Accounts Payable,
  Payroll Processing
• Many crossed paths, high space requirements
• Easy to supervise, train, etc.
• Usually associated with the Job and sometimes the
  Batch environments

5
Product

• Resources are arranged to follow the flow of the
  product
• Examples are auto assembly, steel production,
  bottling, etc.
• Often called production lines or assembly lines
• May be straight line, U-shaped, snake
• Provides for very little WIP storage
• Usually associated with Repetitive and Continuous
  Flow environments

6
Cellular

• Resources (labor and equipment) arranged in small
  groups (cells)
• Have responsibility for output, quality,
  maintenance, etc. for a grouping of tasks or
  parts
• Referred to as teams in services sector
• Teamwork essential
• May be straight line or U-shaped no WIP storage
• Most recently developed layout
• Usually associated with Repetitive environment

7
Mixed

• Two or more layout types in 1 facility
• Examples
• Manufacturing burn-in or baking
• Restaurants (kitchen is functional, buffet line
  is product, menu ordering is fixed-position)
• More difficult to plan
• More costly to equip
• More troublesome to maintain

8
U-Shaped Advantages

• Staff flexibility and balance
• Teamwork
• Immediate rework
• Accessibility
• Work and tool distribution
• Linking with other U-shaped layouts