Layout Planning Procedures

This chapter discusses systematic procedures for the physical arrangement of equipment and machinery taking into account a number of complex and complicating factors affecting product design and process planning. An introduction to layout planning focuses on a conceptual view of the overall layout process. This is followed by a summary of the steps of the systematic layout planning (SLP) approach. A central component of the chapter is a computerized procedure to obtain a flow matrix (known as the from–to chart) from the route sheets and production volumes for all parts. Flow planning principles and patterns are introduced as a preliminary step to continue with the layout planning chart, a document containing fundamental data for planning layouts. Space requirements are considered next. A basic procedure (facilities layout program [FLAP]) that underlies the fundamental steps of facility layout planning methodologies is described and illustrated through a numerical example. This is followed by the corresponding computerized procedures used in the factory layout project.