Objectives of a good plant layout
Only through an efficient layout, the organization can attain the following objectives:
• Economy in handling of materials, work-in-process and finished goods.
• Minimization of product delays.
• Lesser work-in-progress and minimum manufacturing cycle time.
• Efficient utilization of available space.
• Easy supervision and better production control.
• Greater flexibility for changes in product design and for future expansion.
• Better working conditions by eliminating causes of excessive noise, objectionable odor smoke etc.
Principles of a good plant layout:
Overall integration of factors: A good layout is one that integrates men, materials, machines and supporting activities and others in a way that the best compromise is obtained No layout can satisfy each and every principle of a good layout. Some criterion may conflict with some other criterion and as a result no layout can be ideal it has to integrate all factors into the best possible compromise.
Minimum movement: A good layout is one that permits the minimum movement between the operations. The plant and machinery in case of product layout and departments in case of process layout should be arranged as per sequence of operations of most of the products.
• Since straight line is the shortest distance between any two points, men and materials as far as possible should be made to move along the straight path
• A door may be made in a wall or a hole may be drilled in a ceiling if that eliminates or reduces material handling in place of stairs or a distant door.
Uni-direction flow: A good layout is one that makes the materials move only in the forward direction, towards stage of completion, with any backtracking.
• Since straight line is the shortest distance between any two, points, materials as far as possible should be made to move on the principle of straight-line flow. And when straight line flow is not possible, other flows like U-shaped flow,...