Pom 176

Principles of Plant Layout
1. Principle of integration: A good layout is one that integrates men, materials, machines
and supporting services and others in order to get the optimum utilisation of resources and
maximum effectiveness.
2. Principle of minimum distance: This principle is concerned with the minimum travel
(or movement) of man and materials. The facilities should be arranged such that, the total
distance travelled by the men and materials should be minimum and as far as possible straight
line movement should be preferred.
3. Principle of cubic space utilisation: The good layout is one that utilise both horizontal
and vertical space. It is not only enough if only the floor space is utilised optimally but the third
dimension, i.e., the height is also to be utilised effectively.
4. Principle of flow: A good layout is one that makes the materials to move in forward
direction towards the completion stage, i.e., there should not be any backtracking.
5. Principle of maximum flexibility: The good layout is one that can be altered without
much cost and time, i.e., future requirements should be taken into account while designing the
present layout.
6. Principle of safety, security and satisfaction: A good layout is one that gives due
consideration to workers safety and satisfaction and safeguards the plant and machinery against
fire, theft, etc.
7. Principle of minimum handling: A good layout is one that reduces the material handling
to the minimum.
CLASSIFICATION OF LAYOUT
Layouts can be classified into the following five categories:
1. Process layout
2. Product layout
3. Combination layout
4. Fixed position layout
5. Group layout
2.8.1 Process Layout
Process layout is recommended for batch production. All machines performing similar type of
operations are grouped at one location in the process layout e.g., all lathes, milling machines, etc.
are grouped in the shop will be clustered in like groups. Thus, in process layout the arrangement of
facilities are grouped together according to their functions. The flow paths of material through the
facilities from one functional area to another vary from product to product. Usually the paths are
long and there will be possibility of backtracking. Process layout is normally used when the
production volume is not sufficient to justify a product layout. Typically, job shops employ process
layouts due to the variety of products manufactured and their low production volumes.
2.8.2 Product Layout
In this type of layout, machines and auxiliary services are located according to the processing
sequence of the product. If the volume of production of one or more products is large, the
facilities can be arranged to achieve efficient flow of materials and lower cost per unit. Special
purpose machines are used which perform the required function quickly and reliably.
The product layout is selected when the volume of production of a product is high such that
a separate production line to manufacture it can be justified. In a strict product layout, machines
are not shared by different products. Therefore, the production volume must be sufficient to
achieve satisfactory utilisation of the equipment.
Combination Layout
A combination of process and product layouts combines the advantages of both types of layouts.
A combination layout is possible where an item is being made in different types and sizes. Here
machinery is arranged in a process layout but the process grouping is then arranged in a sequence
to manufacture various types and sizes of products. It is to be noted that the sequence of
operations remains same with the variety of products and sizes.
Fixed Position Layout

This is also called the project type of layout. In this type of layout, the material, or major
components remain in a fixed location and tools, machinery, men and other materials are brought
to this location. This type of layout is suitable when one or a few pieces of identical heavy
products are to be manufactured and when the assembly consists of large number of heavy parts,
the cost of transportation of these parts is very high.
Group Layout (or Cellular Layout)

There is a trend now to bring an element of flexibility into manufacturing system as regards
to variation in batch sizes and sequence of operations. A grouping of equipment for performing
a sequence of operations on family of similar components or products has become all the
important. The application of group technology involves two basic steps; first step is to determine
component families or groups. The second step in applying group technology is to arrange the
plants equipment used to process a particular family of components. This represents small plants
within the plants. The group technology reduces production planning time for jobs. It reduces the
set-up time.
PRINCIPLES OF MATERIAL HANDLING

Following are the principles of material handling:
1. Planning principle: All handling activities should be planned.
2. Systems principle: Plan a system integrating as many handling activities as possible and
co-ordinating the full scope of operations (receiving, storage, production, inspection, packing,
warehousing, supply and transportation).
3. Space utilisation principle: Make optimum use of cubic space.
4. Unit load principle: Increase quantity, size, weight of load handled.
5. Gravity principle: Utilise gravity to move a material wherever practicable.
6. Material flow principle: Plan an operation sequence and equipment arrangement to
optimise material flow.
7. Simplification principle: Reduce combine or eliminate unnecessary movement and/or
equipment.
8. Safety principle: Provide for safe handling methods and equipment.
9. Mechanisation principle: Use mechanical or automated material handling equipment.
10. Standardisation principle: Standardise method, types, size of material handling equipment.
11. Flexibility principle: Use methods and equipment that can perform a variety of task
and applications.
12. Equipment selection principle: Consider all aspect of material, move and method to
be utilised.
13. Dead weight principle: Reduce the ratio of dead weight to pay load in mobile equipment.
14. Motion principle: Equipment designed to transport material should be kept in motion.
15. Idle time principle: Reduce idle time/unproductive time of both MH equipment and
man power.
16. Maintenance principle: Plan for preventive maintenance or scheduled repair of all
handling equipment.
17. Obsolescence principle: Replace obsolete handling methods/equipment when more efficient
method/equipment will improve operation.
18. Capacity principle: Use handling equipment to help achieve its full capacity.
19. Control principle: Use material handling equipment to improve production control,
inventory control and other handling.
20. Performance principle: Determine efficiency of handling performance in terms of cost
per unit handled which is the primary criterion.
SCOPE OF PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Production and operations management concern with the conversion of inputs into outputs, using
physical resources, so as to provide the desired utilities to the customer while meeting the other
organizational objectives of effectiveness, efficiency and adoptability. It distinguishes itself from
other functions such as personnel, marketing, finance, etc., by its primary concern for ‘conversion
by using physical resources.’ Following are the activities which are listed under production and
operations management functions:
1. Location of facilities- Location of facilities for operations is a long-term capacity decision which
involves a long term commitment about the geographically static factors that affect a business
organization.
2. Plant layouts and material handling- Plant layout refers to the physical arrangement of facilities.
It is the configuration of departments, work centres and equipment in the conversion process.
3. Product design- Product design deals with conversion of ideas into reality. Every business
organization have to
design, develop and introduce new products as a survival and growth strategy.
4. Process design- Process design is a macroscopic decision-making of an overall process route for
converting the raw material into finished goods.
5. Production and planning control- Production planning and control can be defined as the process
of planning the production in advance, setting the exact route of each item, fixing the starting and
finishing dates for each item, to give production orders to shops and to follow up the progress of
products according to orders.
6. Quality control- Quality Control (QC) may be defined as ‘a system that is used to maintain a
desired level of quality in a product or service’.
7. Materials management- Materials management is that aspect of management function which is
primarily concerned with the acquisition, control and use of materials needed and flow of goods and
services connected with the production process having some predetermined objectives in view.
8. Maintenance management- In modern industry, equipment and machinery are a very important
part of the total productive effort. Therefore, their idleness or downtime becomes are very expensive.
Hence, it is very important that the plant machinery should be properly maintained.

Pom 176

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pom 176

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Pom 176

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Principles of Plant Layout

Fixed Position Layout

Group Layout (or Cellular Layout)

PRINCIPLES OF MATERIAL HANDLING

You might also like