Add on Layout Planning in Systematic layout planning

Purpose or importance of Layout Planning

The primary purpose of any plant layout is to facilitate the manufacturing process. 

Additional objectives include: 

• Minimizing material handling, especially travel distance and time 
• Maintaining flexibility of arrangement and operation as needs change 
• Promoting high turnover of work-in-process – keeping it moving 
• Holding down investment in equipment 
• Making economical use of floor space 
• Promoting effective utilization of labour 
• Providing for employees’ safety, comfort and convenience

Phases of Layout Planning

The four steps that the layout planner takes may be translated into what is known as the “Four Phases of Layout Planning.” These include the following:  

• Phase I – Location  Determine the location of the area to be laid out.  

This is not necessarily a new site problem. More often it is one of determining whether the new layout (or re-layout) will be in the same place it is now, in a present storage area which can be made free for the purpose, in a newly acquired building, or some other potentially available space.  

• Phase II – General Overall Layout  Establish the general arrangement of the area to be laid out.  

Here the basic flow pattern(s) and the areas allocated are brought together in such a way that the general size, relationships, and configuration of each major area are roughly established.  Phase II is sometimes termed block layout or area allocation or merely rough layout.  

• Phase III – Detailed layout Plans  Locate each specific piece of machinery and equipment.  

In detail planning, the actual placement of each specific physical feature of the area to be laid out is established. And this includes utilities and services as well. The detailed layout plan is customarily an electronic drawing or sheet or board with replicas of the individual machines or equipment placed or drawn thereon.  

• Phase IV – Installation  Plan the installation, seek the approval of the plan, and make the necessary physical moves.  

Once the detailed layouts are completed (Phase III), considerable detailing of installation drawings and planning of moves must be worked out. Funds for the installation must be appropriated and the actual moves to install the machinery, equipment, and the services as planned must be made.  

The Key to Unlocking Layout Problems (2015 – 16)

There are two basic elements on which every layout problem rests: 

1. Product (or material or service) – what is to be made or produced  

2. Quantity (or volume) – how much of each item is to be made  

Directly or indirectly, these two elements underlie all other features or conditions in layout work. Therefore, facts, estimates, or information about them are essential. 

P Product (Material)

Q Quantity (Volume)

R Routing (Process sequence)

S Supporting Services

T Time (Timing)

By Product (or material or service) we mean the goods produced by the company or area in question, the starting materials (raw materials or purchased parts), the formed or treated parts, the finished goods, and/or service items supplied or processed.  Products may be termed items, varieties, models, styles, part numbers, formulations, product groups, or material classes.  

By Quantity (or volume) we mean the amount of goods or services produced, supplied, or used.  Quantity may be termed number of pieces, tons, cubic volume, or value of the amount produced or sold.  

After obtaining the product and quantity information, we must next learn about the routing (or process). The routing refers to how the product or material will be made. By Routing we mean the process, its equipment, its operations, and their sequence.  Routing may be defined by operation-and-equipment lists, process sheets, flow sheets, and the like. 

By Supporting Services we mean the utilities, auxiliaries, and related activities or functions that must be provided in the area to be laid out, so that it will function effectively.  Supporting services include: maintenance, machine repair, tool room, toilets, locker rooms, cafeteria, first aid, and frequently shop offices, rail siding, receiving dock, shipping dock, receiving (or “in area”), and shipping (or “out area”). It is common to include storage areas as a part of the supporting services as well.  Taken all together, the supporting services often occupy more floor area than the producing departments themselves. Therefore, adequate attention must be given to them.  

One other basic element of the key to unlocking layout problems is Time (or timing). By Time (or timing) we mean when, how long, how often, and how soon. Time or timing involves when products will be produced or when the layout being planned will operate.