INTRODUCTION TO

PRODUCTION
ENGINEERING

Abdirahim Khalif Ali

M.Eng (Electrical-Electronics and Telcommunications)

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

Email: abdirahim.kh@gmail.com
 Chapter 6
Process Selection and
Facility Layout
Part 2
 Designing Process Layouts
• The main issue in designing process
layouts concerns the relative
placement of the departments
• Measuring effectiveness
– key objectives in designing process layouts are
to minimize:
• transportation cost
• distance
• time
3
 Information Requirements
• In designing process layouts, the following
information is required:
1. A list of work stations (departments) to be arranged
and their dimensions
2. A projection of future work flows between the pairs of
work centers
3. The distance between locations - and the cost per unit
of distance to move loads between them
4. The amount of money to be invested in the layout
5. A list of any special considerations
6. The location of key utilities, access and exit points, etc.
4
 Designing Process Layouts
Minimize Transportation Costs
• Goal:
– Assign departments 1, 2, 3 to locations A, B, C in a
way that minimizes transportation costs.

A B C
• Heuristic:
– Assign departments with the greatest
interdepartmental work flow first to locations that
are closet to each other.
5
Example 3: Minimize
Transportation Costs

6
Solution 3

7
Solution 3

8
 Closeness Ratings
• Allows the considerations of
multiple qualitative criteria
Dept. 1
12
Dept 2. 13
• Input from management or 23 14
15
subjective analysis Dept 3. 24
25 16
34
Dept 4. 35 26
45 36
• Indicates the relative Dept. 5 46
56
importance of each combination Dept 6.
of department pairs.
• That
• information is then summarized
in a grid like that shown in Muther’s grid
Figure 6.12 .

9
 Closeness Ratings
• Muther suggests the following list:
1. They use same equipment or facilities.

2. They share the same personnel or records.

3. Required sequence of work flow.

4. Needed for ease of communication.

5. Would create unsafe or unpleasant conditions.

6. Similar work is performed.

10
 Closeness Ratings
• Muther’s Grid

11
 Closeness Ratings: Example

1. List critical departments (either A or X):

Dept. 1
X A
Dept 2. A
1-4 E X
3-6 Dept 3. U U
X I O
3-4 Dept 4. A A
O X
Dept. 5 A
A
Dept 6.

12
 Closeness Ratings: Example
2. Form a cluster of A links
(beginning with the
department that appears
1-2 Dept. 1
most frequently) A
4 1-3 A
Dept 2.
2-6 E X
Dept 3. U U
2 6 3-5 X I O
5 Dept 4. A A
4-6 O X
5-6 Dept. 5 A
A
3. Take the remaining A links in order Dept 6.
and add them to this cluster where
possible (rearranging as necessary) 4

Form separate clusters for 2 6

departments that do not link with the 1 5

3 6-13
main cluster.
 Closeness Ratings: Example
4. Graphically portray the X links

X Dept. 1
A
1 1-4 Dept 2. A
E X
4 3-6 Dept 3. U U
3 X I O
3-4 A A
6 Dept 4.
O X
Dept. 5 A
A
5. Adjust A cluster as necessary. Dept 6.

(in this case, the A cluster also satisfies

the X cluster).
4

2 6
1 5
3 14
 Closeness Ratings: Example

4 Dept. 1
A
Dept 2. A
2 6 E X
Dept 3. U U
1 5 X I O
Dept 4. A A
3 1 O X
Dept. 5 A
4 A
3 Dept 6.
6

6. Fit cluster into arrangement (e.g., 2x3) may require some

trial and error.
Departments are considered close not only when they touch side to side but also when they
touch corner to corner. 1 2 6

7. Check for possible improvements 3 5 4

15
 Key Points
• Process choice is demand driven.
• Process type and layout are a function of expected
demand volume and the degree of customization that will
be needed.
• Each process type and layout type has advantages and
limitations that should be clearly understood when
making process selection and layout decisions.
• Line balancing helps improving the efficiency of product
layouts whereas Muther’s grid helps deciding process
layouts

16
SOLVED PROBLEMS

17
Problem 1

18
Solution P1

19
Solution P1

20
Solution P1

21
Problem 2

22
Solution P2

23
Problem 3

24
Solution P3

25
Solution P3

26