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Facility Layout Design using Block Diagramming

Prepared by:

Ryan AllenBrigham Young University

March 27, 2006

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

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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)

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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)

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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.

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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.

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Example of Block DiagrammingStep 1: Gather Information (Department Size)

Department Area Needed (ft2)

1 1000

2 950

3 750

4 1200

5 800

6 700

Total 5400

(Krajewski, 455)

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Example of Block Diagramming (cont.)Step 1: Gather Information (Initial Layout)

2 4 3

6 5 1

90’

60’

(Krajewski, 456)

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Example of Block Diagramming (cont.)Step 1: Gather Information (Trips between departments

shown in interdepartmental flow matrix)

Department 1 2 3 4 5 6

1 -- 20 20 80

2 -- 10 75

3 -- 15 90

4 -- 70

5 --

6 --

(Krajewski, 456)

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

6

2

5

4

1

3

10

90

15

75 70

80

20

20

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

2

5

1

4

6

3

10

90

1570

75

8020

20

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

5 4 3

2 1 6

90’

60’

(Krajewski, 458)

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Practice

1 2 3

4 5

1. 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. Link Load (Visits)

1 to 2 100

1 to 3 110

2 to 3 200

2 to 4 150

2 to 5 50

3 to 4 40

3 to 5 50

4 to 5 60

Current Layout

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Practice Solution

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

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Practice Solution

Department 1 2 3 4 5

1 -- 100 110

2 -- 200 150 50

3 -- 40 50

4 -- 60

5 --

Interdepartmental flow matrix

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Practice SolutionCurrent Node Diagram (of existing layout)

(Suntivong, 120)

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Practice SolutionNew Node Diagram (using new design)

(Suntivong, 120)

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Strengths WeaknessesWith 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.

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Summary• Block diagrams can be effectively used to

design facility layouts that optimizes productivity.

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Terms to review• Facility Layout Design

• Process Layout

• Block diagramming

• Interdepartmental flow matrix

• Use of nodes, links, dashed lines, solid lines.

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ReferencesHouseman, John. “Production Concepts - Facility Layout.”

http://road.uww.edu/road/housemaj/Ch08FacilityLayout.ppt

Suntivong, Chaiyot. “Operation Management.” http://www.ba.cmu.ac.th/~chaiyot/download_files/Yonok/YonokMBAPOM7/Copy of POM1YN8.ppt

Krajewski, Lee J. & Ritzman, Larry P. “Operations Management”. Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2002