PLANT LAYOUTS AND DESIGN

ETZC 424 – L 3

BITS Pilani Pavan Kumar

Mechanical Engineering
Pilani Campus
 BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus

Topic: Types of Layouts

Recap : Lecture 2

• Listed the various factors that influence the layout design

• Identified few inter-related factors
• Understood how each factor relates to the objectives of
layout design.

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BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
This session

• Types of layouts
• Advantages / disadvantages of each type
• P – Q chart
• Break Even Analysis
• FMS

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Why do we need layout?

• Basic need is to organize the resources in the most optimal

way so as to meet the objectives of a good layout design.
• [Let us recall the objectives of a good layout]
• Selection of an optimal layout depends upon
– The type of product to manufacture
– Volume of production
– Size of product
– Skill / tools needed to manufacture

• Break Even Analysis is used to analyze selection of layouts.

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What are the types of layouts?

Fixed Process Product GT Hybrid

Layout Layout Layout Layout Layout

1 2 3 4 5

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1. Fixed Position Layout

• Material or product is placed in a fixed location and machines,

tools, subassemblies etc. are brought to the product.
• Operations are performed by a team of highly skilled
operators.
• Usually used for those parts that are huge and bulky, which
can not be moved from one place to another place.
• The manufacturing time for product is generally big.
• Number of parts to be produced are very few.
• Project Management techniques are used to perform
scheduling of tasks; CPM / PERT, Gantt Charts etc.

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BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
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BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
Advantages of Fixed Position Layout

• Highly flexible to frequent changes in product design

• Reduced handling and assembly of major
components
• Responsibility of quality is easily pin pointed
• Caters to intermittent demand and variety of product
types
• Capital investment in layout is low
• Production planning and scheduling are simple.

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Disadvantages

• Mass Production is not possible

• Not adaptable to operations requiring complex and
huge equipment.
• Productivity is very low.

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Typical Industries

• Ship building / dismantling, infrastructure

projects, Steam or hydraulic turbines
assembly, blast furnaces, Cooling towers,
boiler installation etc. come under this type of
layout.

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2. Process Layout

• All machines / equipment of similar nature are grouped

together in one area.
• Part travels from one machine to another machine located at
different areas depending upon the sequence of operation
needed.
• Is preferred when the variety in the product is high and the
volume (quantity) required is less.
• Job shop type production used this type of layout.
• Manufacturing cost is relatively high.
• Machine utilization is average
• Multi-skilled workforce is a must.
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BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
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Advantages of Process Layout

• Low capital investment in equipment as they are general

purpose machines and standard tools / jigs and fixtures are
used.
• Higher machine utilizations due to flexible sequencing of
operations for low and medium production runs
• Machine breakdowns will not hold up production
• Change of product design can be easily accommodated
• Expansion is less costly and does not disrupt production.

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Disadvantages of Process Layout

• Production planning and control / routing is complex.

• More time spent in material handling as the flow of work does
not follow a fixed pattern.
• High WIP
• Longer manufacturing lead times due to WIP and more
material handling.
• More floor space utilization
• Lower machine utilization due to frequent setups due to
change in product varieties
• Multi-skilled workforce required or more frequent training
required.
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Typical types of industries

• Industries engaged in producing customized

products – boiler components, turbine
components, Heat Exchangers components,
vanity vans, customized furniture, prototype
components, Pathology / QC Laboratories etc

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3. Product Layout

• Used when one product or a variant is to be manufactured in

large quantities.
• The sequence of operations is fixed and hence the machines
are arranged in the same sequence.
• Use of SPMs and MHEs are possible.
• Productivity and utilization of machines is high
• Reduced material handling times and virtual elimination of
WIP leading to shorter Manufacturing Lead Times

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Advantages of Product Layout

• Flow of work is fixed and streamlined

• Reduced flow and movements – low handling costs
• Improved coordination between machines
• Reduced MLT and steady production
• Negligible WIP
• Better incentives for workers to improve productivity
• Reduced inspection
• Reduced congestion and optimal use of floor space
• Minimum setup time
• Simplified production control

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Disadvantages

• High investment in machinery and equipment

• Special facilities may be required
• Rigid layout – can not be respond to changes in product
design / technological changes
• Difficult to expand the line – requires complete re-plan
• Fluctuations in production quantities can render the line
inefficient and increase in manufacturing costs
• Breakdown of any machine can halt the complete line.

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Typical Industries

• Automobile assembly lines, home appliances

industries, food and beverage industries, all
Chemical / Pharma / Oil & gas companies etc.

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4. Combination Layout

• (Repetitive Focus in your PPC course.)

• It is a combination of Process layout and Product layout.
• Incorporates the benefits of both layouts
• Able to cater to a small variety of products (with variants)
with similar operations.
• Most preferred when few high cost machinery has to have
higher utilization.
• Degree of flexibility depends upon the key machines that are
shareable between different product lines.

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Typical Industries

• Automotive assembly line with few

customized components which are assembled
in house.
• High speed packaging machine shared
between different product lines

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5. GT Cell

• Useful when parts can be classified into part families

• Each cell consists of machines that can manufacture parts
belonging to few related part families only.
• Each cell can be tooled according to the part families it is
expected to handle. (Jigs / Fixtures / MHS / Tools)
• The cell will have a product layout and the routing of parts
depends upon the operation that are required; some
machines may be skipped if no operations are required to be
performed on those machines.
• Provides ease of handling restricted variety of products using
a product layout.

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Advantage of GT Cell Layout

• Reduced delay in MLT and WIP inventory

• Reduced setups and MH costs
• Improved utilization of machines, floor space and storage
• Simplified production planning and control
• Faster generation of route sheets – from templates in file
• Reduced inspection and quality control

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Typical Industries

• Automotive ancillary units catering to a fixed

set of components
• Industries planning to upgrade from Process
Layout.

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Another classification of layout

In addition to the layouts covered earlier,

additional layout types have been defined to
address industries engaged in material
movements.
• Office Layout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwditSsaN6U
• Warehouse Layout - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6H7nfHjHtY
• Distribution Centre Layout – (fig in next slide)
• Retail Layout -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_VEKoLcNh8
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P-Q Chart

• Chart used to simplify selection of type of layout based on the

production quantity and product variety.
• It is a ordered frequency chart representing the product
variety Vs product quantity.
• It is a simplified way of identifying the type of layout that is
suitable for a given number of products and the volume of
production required.
• A better method would be to use the Break Even Analysis.

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P-Q chart

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Break Even Analysis

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Wrapup

• Studied different types of layouts – Fixed,

Process, Product, Combination & GT Cell.
• Advantages and disadvantages of each layouts
were analyzed
• P – Q chart to identify type of layout suitable
• BEA for better clarity of layout decision
• FMS and its application.

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 Q&A

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