1 Facility Layout Design using Block Diagramming Prepared by: Ryan Allen Brigham Young University March 27, 2006

2 Outline What is Facility Layout Design? What is Block Diagramming? Using Block Diagramming in your organization Explanation of Block Diagramming Practice Strengths / Weaknesses Summary

3 What is Facility Layout Design? Facility layout means planning: –for the location of all machines, utilities, employee workstations, customer service areas, material storage areas, aisles, restrooms, lunchrooms, internal walls, offices, and computer rooms –for the flow patterns of materials and people around, into, and within buildings. (Houseman, Slide 2)

4 Facility Layout Design – Process Layouts The purpose of facility layout design is to determine the most productive way to design the layout of a building. Process Layout involves three basic steps, whether the design is for a new layout or for revising an existing one: –(1) gather information –(2) develop a block plan –(3) design a detailed layout (Krajewski, 455)

5 What is Block Diagramming? Block diagramming is one way to visualize the amount of movement that occurs between departments. –Each block represents one department of a facility. –Blocks can be moved around in order to minimize the distance traveled between them.

6 Using Block Diagramming in your organization Block Diagramming (performed as part of a complete facility layout design) is performed infrequently. –The resulting layouts are usually implemented for the long-term. –Proper designs can lead to increased efficiency within a company.

7 Example of Block Diagramming Step 1: Gather Information (Department Size) DepartmentArea Needed (ft2) Total5400 (Krajewski, 455)

8 Example of Block Diagramming (cont.) Step 1: Gather Information (Initial Layout) ’ 60’ (Krajewski, 456)

9 Example of Block Diagramming (cont.) Step 1: Gather Information (Trips between departments shown in interdepartmental flow matrix) Department (Krajewski, 456)

10 Example of Block Diagramming (cont.) Step 2: Develop a block plan (Show initial traffic)

11 Example of Block Diagramming (cont.) Step 2: Develop a block plan (Show new traffic)

12 Example of Block Diagramming (cont.) Step 2: Develop a block plan (Show new layout) ’ 60’ (Krajewski, 458)

13 Practice Create an Interdepartmental flow matrix showing the “load” between these 5 departments. 2.Create a diagram with nodes and links showing the load between departments. 3.Design a new layout showing a diagram with nodes and links showing the new optimized load between departments. LinkLoad (Visits) 1 to to to to to to to to 560 Current Layout

14 Practice Solution Take a few minutes to work through the above problem before continuing.

15 Practice Solution Department Interdepartmental flow matrix

16 Practice Solution Current Node Diagram (of existing layout) (Suntivong, 120)

17 Practice Solution New Node Diagram (using new design) (Suntivong, 120)

18 StrengthsWeaknesses With correct information, layout efficiency can be improved. Sometimes, the data is hard to gather or quantify. Some computer programs can quickly determine optimal solutions. Sometimes it is hard to give proper weight to qualitative factors. With many nodes, it is harder to determine optimal solutions.

19 Summary Block diagrams can be effectively used to design facility layouts that optimizes productivity.

20 Terms to review Facility Layout Design Process Layout Block diagramming Interdepartmental flow matrix Use of nodes, links, dashed lines, solid lines.

21 References Houseman, John. “Production Concepts - Facility Layout.” Suntivong, Chaiyot. “Operation Management.” onokMBAPOM7/Copy of POM1YN8.ppt onokMBAPOM7/Copy of POM1YN8.ppt Krajewski, Lee J. & Ritzman, Larry P. “Operations Management”. Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2002