Facilities Planning

Chapter 1 - Introduction
 Introduction

• Facilities Planning: Engineering field

concerned with the planning and design of
the fixed assets of an organization to best
achieve its operational objectives.
• Engineering Disciplines Involved: Civil,
Electrical, Industrial, and Mechanical.
 Objectives of Facilities
Planning
• Support organization’s vision.
• Effective utilization of people, equipment,
space, and energy.
• Minimize capital investment.
• Employee safety and job satisfaction.
• Adapt and promote ease of maintenance.
 Facilities Location Problem
• Concerned with the location of the facility
with respect to customers, suppliers,
employees, and other interacting facilities.
Divided into two problems:
1. Geographical Location Problem:
Concerned with the geographical location of
the facility in light of the following
considerations:
Facilities Location Problem (cont.)

• Transportation system relative to

suppliers and markets.
• Labor: availability, type, and cost.
• Living conditions and costs.
• Construction factors and costs.
• Government regulations and laws.
Facilities Location Problem (cont.)

2. Site Location and Layout:

• Once the geographical location has been
decided, what specific property, and how
should the facility be located on the site?
• Factors to consider: traffic, patterns,
topography of the land, etc…
 Facilities Design
Concerned with the design of the facility and its
contents. Divided into three problem areas:
1. Structural Design: Relates to the building
architecture and construction. Includes support
services, e.g., utilities.
2. Layout (plant layout): relates to the
arrangement of equipment and space in the
building.
3. Material Handling System: Material handling
is a system or combination of methods, facilities,
labor, and equipment for moving, packaging, and
storing of materials to meet specific objectives.
 Plant Layout Objectives
• Integration of all factors affecting the
layout.
• Minimizing distances moved.
• Logical work flow.
• Utilize space efficiently.
• Safety and satisfaction of employees.
• Flexibility to meet changing future
requirements.
 Facilities Planning Process
• Define the objective of the facility.
• Specify the activities to be performed in accomplishing
the objectives.
• Determine the interrelationships among all activities.
• Determine the space requirements for all activities.
• Generate alternative facilities plans.
• Evaluate alternative facilities plans.
• Select a facilities plan.
• Implement the facilities plan.
• Maintain and adapt the facilities plan.
• Redefine the objective of the facility.