Layout Planning (ALDEP algorithm)

ALDEP (Automated Layout Design Program) procedure

S0: Input data

Number of departments in the layout
Area of each department
Length and width of the layout
REL-CHART (Relationship Chart)
MDP value, Sweep width, No. of iterations (N)
Current iteration number (I)
Locations and sizes of fixed departments if present
Score of the current layout
S1: Select a department randomly and place it in the layout
S2: Scan the relationship (REL) chart and classify the unselected departments into two lists,
namely List A and List B
List A contains the unselected departments whose relationship values in relation to the
lastly selected department are less than the MDP value
List B contains the unselected departments whose relationship values in relation to the
lastly selected department are greater than or equal to the MDP value
S3: Is the List B empty? If so, go to S4; otherwise go to S5
S4: Select a department randomly from List A and place it in the layout; go to S6
S5: Select a department from List B which has the maximum REL value in relation to the
lastly selected department and place it in the layout
S6: Whether all the departments are placed in the layout? If not, go to S2; if yes, go to S7
S7: Compute the score of the layout
S8: Is the score of the layout more than the core of the current best layout? If yes, update the
new layout as the current best layout and store the corresponding score; otherwise, drop
the new layout
S9: Is the current iteration number I = N? Is yes, go to S10; otherwise, increment the iteration
number by one and go to S1
S10: Print the current best layout and its score

Relationship Chart:

Closeness Notation Value

Absolute necessary A 64
Especially important E 16
Important I 4
Ordinary closeness OK O 1
Unimportant U 0
Not desirable X -1024
Problem:
Consider the following problem
Basic Data:
1. Number of departments in the layout = 7
2. Areas of departments:

Department Function Area (sq.m)

1 Receiving 12,000
2 Milling 8,000
3 Press 6,000
4 Screw machine 12,000
5 Assembly 8,000
6 Painting 12,000
7 Shipping 12,000

3. Relationship Chart

From
1 -
2 E -
3 O U -
4 I E U -
5 O I U I -
6 U I O U A -
7 U U U U I E -
To 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
The triangular matrix is represented in a rectangular matrix form as follows:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
To
From
1 - E O I O U U
2 E - U E I I U
3 O U - U U O U
4 I E U - I U U
5 O I U I - A I
6 U I O U A - E
7 U U U U I E -
4. Minimum department preference (MDP) value = 4
5. Sweep width = 2
6. Number of iterations to be performed = 2
Apply ALDEP algorithm to design a suitable layout
Solution:
S0: No. of departments = 7
Area of departments:
Assume 1 square for a department = 400 sq.m

Department Area (sq.m) No. of squares

1 12,000 30
2 8,000 20
3 6,000 15
4 12,000 30
5 8,000 20
6 12,000 30
7 12,000 30
Total 70,000 175
The length and width of the proposed layout is selected as 12 m × 15 m = 180 sq.m
A matrix of 12 × 15 will be filled by various departments
S1: Randomly select a department to enter the layout first. Let it be department 4. Area is 30
squares.
When filling the layout matrix positions, the procedure starts filling from the upper left
corner and moves to the bottom. The filling can be done 1 or 2 or 3 . . . or n columns at a
time. This information is called the sweep width.
S2: Scan the REL chart and classify the unselected department into List A and List B. The
unselected departments are divided into two groups based on the minimum department
preference value of I = 4.
Unselected department
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Lastly selected department 4: I E U - I U U

List A = [3, 6, 7] List B = [1, 2, 5]

S3: Since the List B is non-empty set, go to S5.
S5: Select the department from List B with the maximum REL value in relation to
department 4. So, department 2 is selected and placed in the layout.
S6: Since all the departments are not placed in the layout, go to S2.
S2: Form List A and List B
Unselected department
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Lastly selected department 2: E - U - I I U
List A = [3, 7] List B = [1, 5, 6]
S3: Since the List B is non-empty set, go to S5.

S5: Select the department from List B with the maximum REL value in relation to
department 2. So, department 1 is selected and placed in the layout.
S6: Since all the departments are not placed in the layout, go to S2.
S2: Form List A and List B
Unselected department
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Lastly selected department 1: - - O - O U U

List A = [3, 5, 6, 7] List B = [Empty]

S3: Since the List B is an empty set, go to S4.
S4: Select a department from the List A randomly. Place the department 6 in the layout.
S6: Since all the departments are not placed in the layout, go to S2.
S2: Form List A and List B
Unselected department
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Lastly selected department 6: - - O - A - E

List A = [3] List B = [5, 7]

S3: Since the List B is non-empty set, go to S5.
S5: Select the department from List B with the maximum REL value in relation to
department 6. So, department 5 is selected and placed in the layout.
S6: Since all the departments are not placed in the layout, go to S2.
S2: Form List A and List B
Unselected department
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Lastly selected department 5: - - U - - - I

List A = [3] List B = [7]

S3: Since the List B is non-empty set, go to S5.
S5: Select department 7 and place it in the layout. Then place department 3 in the layout.
Use zeros to represent empty spaces in the layout.
S6: Since all the departments are placed in the layout, go to S7.
S7: Compute the score of the layout. The score is the sum of the REL values of various
neighbouring pairs of departments in the layout.
Neighbouring REL REL
pair of Grade Value
departments
4-2 E 16
4-1 I 4
2-1 E 16
2-6 I 4
1-6 U 0
1-5 O 1
6-7 E 16
5-6 A 64
5-7 I 4
5-3 U 0
7-3 U 0
Total 125
The score based on two-way relationships is 250
S8: Since this is the first layout, treat this as the current best layout and store the
corresponding score.
S9: Increment the iteration number by I. If I <= N, go to S1.
S10: Print the current best layout with the best score.

4 4 2 2 2 2 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 0
4 4 2 2 1 1 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 0
4 4 2 2 1 1 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 0
4 4 2 2 1 1 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 0
4 4 2 2 1 1 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 0
4 4 2 2 1 1 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 0
4 4 2 2 1 1 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 3
4 4 2 2 1 1 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 3
4 4 2 2 1 1 6 6 5 5 5 5 7 7 3
4 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 5 5 5 5 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 1 1 1 1 5 5 5 5 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 1 1 1 1 5 5 5 5 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 1 1 1 1 5 5 5 5 3 3 3

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