In order to maximizing the effectiveness of production processes and meeting employee needs & desires Facility layout and design plays a key role in business's overall operations. It entails in determining the placement off departments, work group within the departments, workstations, machines & stock holding points within a production facility.
DEFINITION:
“The physical arrangement of everything needed for the product or service, including machines, personnel, raw materials, and finished goods. The criteria for a good layout necessarily relate to people (personnel and customers), materials (raw, finished, and in process), machines, and their interactions. “- Howard J. Weiss and Mark E. Gershon
FACTORS IN DETERMINING LAYOUT & DESIGN:
There are many operational factors which need to consider while construction or renovation of a facility for maximum layout effectiveness. It includes: * Ease of future expansion or change:
Facilities should be designed so that they can be easily expanded or adjusted to meet changing production needs.
* Flow of movement:
The facility design should reflect recognition of the importance of smooth process flow. The flow need not be a straight line. Parallel flows, U-shaped patterns, or even a zig-zag that ends up with the finished product back at the shipping and receiving bays can be functional. However, backtracking is to be avoided in whatever pattern is chosen. * Materials handling:
It is essential to ensure the facility layout makes possible to handle materials (products, equipment, containers, etc.). It should be in an orderly, efficient—and preferably simple—manner. * Output needs:
The facility should be laid out in a way that is conducive to helping the business meet its production needs. * Space utilization:
This aspect of facility design includes everything from making sure that traffic lanes are wide enough to making certain that inventory storage warehouses or rooms