Cairo University – Faculty of Engineering – Mechanical Design & Production Dept.

Production Systems Design (MDP4330) – Fall 2022

Tutorial #8: Facilities location problem
Problems to be solved by the TA: 1, 3
Problems to be solved by students and submitted as in-class assignments: 2, 4

1) Management is considering three potential locations for a new cookie factory. They have signed
scores shown below to the relevant factors on a 0 to 10 basis (10 is best). Using the weighted scoring
method, which location would be preferred?

Location The Sesame Peewee’s

Factor Weight Neighborhood Street Playhouse
Material Supply 0.1 5 9 8
Quality of Life 0.2 9 8 4
Mild Climate 0.3 10 6 8
Labor Skills 0.4 3 4 7

2) A new back-up power generator is to be located to serve a total of six precision machines in a
manufacturing facility. Separate electrical cables are to be run from the generator to each machine.
The locations of the six machines are P1 = (0,0), P2 =(30, 90), P3 = (60, 20), P4 = (70,80) and P5 = (90,
40). Determine the location for the generator that will minimize the total required length of the
electrical cable. Assume rectilinear distance.

3) Management is investigating which location would be best to position its new plant relative to two
suppliers (located in Cleveland and Toledo) and three market areas (represented by Cincinnati,
Dayton, and Lima). Management has limited the search for this plant to those five locations. The
following information has been collected. Which is best, assuming rectilinear distance?

Location x,y coordinates Trips/year

Cincinnati (11,6) 15
Dayton (6,10) 20
Cleveland (14,12) 30
Toledo (9,12) 25
Lima (13,8) 40

4) Management is investigating which city would be best to position its new plant relative to two
suppliers (located in Ismailia and Alexandria) and three market areas (represented by Mansoura, El
Sadat City, and Helwan). The following information has been collected for the five locations. By
using the included map of North Egypt, Suggest a suitable city for locating the new plant. Show the
details of your calculations and work.
Location Longitude Latitude Trips/year
Ismailia 32 16' 18'' E 30 36' 32'' N 150
Alexandria 30 E 31 15' N 300
Mansoura 31 23' 5'' E 31 2' 41'' N 200
El Sadat city 30 34' 29'' E 30 23' N 250
Helwan 31 18' 34'' E 29 49' 27'' N 400
 30 E 31 E 32 E

31 N

30 N