Plant Layout : Definition, Objectives, Types, Case Studies, Factors
Did you know that a good planning of your Plant Layout can give you more utilisation of space and resources, overall increase your productivity and profit.
When we talk about running any manufacturing company there are a lot of factors to consider. As Owner or Top management, you’re probably looking for ways to increase your productivity and profitability.
Let’s discuss what a Plant Layout is?
What is Plant Layout?
Plant layout is simply a mechanism which involves knowledge of the physical arrangement of every component of the production Process for the facilities to additional space efficiency for manufacturing cost reduction to continuous and steady movement of the production cycle.
This arrangement includes the space needed for material movement, storage, indirect labour and all other supporting activities or services.
Plant Layout is a master blueprint which provides for the most effective utilisation of machine, manpower, materials for coordinating all operations performed inside the factory to increase overall productivity.
Here are objectives of Plant Layout that we can achieve by using Effective Plant Layouting.
Objective of Good Plant Layout
- Effective Utilisation of installed machinery and Manpower
- Minimization of Material Handling
- Elimination of bottleneck through line balancing
- Elimination of physical efforts with Low Cost Automation
- High turnover with reduction in Delivery Failure
- WIP(Work in progress) reduction between processes
- Natural light,Ventilation,Control of noise and vibrations for better Ergonomics and Energy Cost reduction
- Sufficient work space for a better Work Environment
- Aisle and Gangways planning for better Accessibility and Monitoring
- Store designed based on better Flow, Accessibility, Capacity of storage and Traceability of materials
- Reduction in changeover time through SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die)
- Dust control based on different types of Clean rooms/ ISO norms
- Distance travel reduction of Material and Manpower etc
- Reduction in Labour cost
- Reduction in manufacturing time
- Increased flexibility
- Future Expansion
Types of Plant Layout
Plant Layout is the arrangement of machines, equipment and other physical facilities in a planned manner.
We design Plant Layout according to many factors like- Machinery , Product , material etc. On the basis of arrangement of the factors we have following 4 types of Plant Layout-
1-Product or Line Layout
2-Process or Functional Layout
3-Fixed or Position Layout
4-Combination Layout
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Product or Line Layout
If all the machines are arranged in a line sequence according to the sequence of operations of the products then it is known as Product or Line Layout.
In this arrangement each following machine or section is arranged to perform the next operation that is performed by its preceding machine or section,
i.e. raw material starts from one end of production lines and moves from one machine to next with a storage and material handling and minimum work in process in a sequential path.
This type of layout is suitable for mass production and for the products having steady demand.
This arrangement is also good for the continuous production system where the products have small parts that are highly standardised and interchangeable.
Product or Line Layout
Advantages
- Low material handling cost
- Less WIP (Work in progress)
- Better utilisation of Machine and Manpower
- Lesser time in Production
- Less space requirements
- Minimum possible cost of manufacturing
Disadvantages
- No flexibility
- Breakdown of any machine in the line may shut down the whole production line
- Difficulty in increase the production beyond the capacities of the production lines
- If the output rate of one machine is slower than the other machine,over all production rate decreases
Process or Functional Layout
In Process or Functional Layout all the similar machines are positioned together so that all the similar operations are performed at the same place.
Machines are arranged according to the nature or type of the operations or their functions.
For all the different types of functions separate machines are available i.e. For carrying out tapping work, all the tapping machines are grouped together and for carrying out drilling work all the drilling machines are arranged together.
This type of layout is useful where low volume of production is needed.
It is normally preferred for the industries involved in batch production, manufacturing and maintenance activities of non- repetitive type.
Process or Functional Layout
Advantages
- In this type of layout there is no need for layout change for different types of products
- Breakdown of any machine can be easily handled by transferring work to another machine
- Wide flexibility exists regarding allotment of work to workers and equipment
- There is a better utilisation of all the machines
- There is an improved product quality because of separate supervisors and workers for all types of machines
- Breakdown of any machine does not affect the production of other machines
- Load distribution is easily controlled
Disadvantages
- High cost of material handling
- Large space required
- High investment required for inventory
- High cost of supervision
- Production time is longer
- Bottlenecks occur due to more work is in queue and waiting for further operation
- More floor area is required
- Scheduling is tedious because work does not flow through definite lines
Fixed or Position Layout
In Fixed or Position type of layout the major part of a material remains at a fixed position and all accessories, material, required tools , machinery and other supporting equipment are brought to this location and this layout is also known as project layout.
This layout is good for extremely large items manufactured in very small quantities and highly preferable when the cost of moving a major piece of material is high.
This layout is used in the manufacturing factory of boilers, hydraulic and steam turbines etc.
Advantages
- Less material and workers movement
- Less Capital investment
- Highly flexible for varieties of products
- Ensures Continuity
- Less production cost
Disadvantages
- Complicated fixtures
- Required highly skilled manpower
- Movement of machines is time consuming
- Machines are not fully Utilised
- It is limited to large items only
Combination Layout
Combination Layout is also known as group layout.
In this layout we use a combination of all above layouts.
Every layout has its advantages and disadvantages therefore industries prefer to use a combination of layouts.
These days most of the manufacturing industries have adopted this kind of layout.
In this type of layout we connect all the good features of all the types of layout to obtain a compromise solution which will be more economical and flexible.
Advantages
- Reduction in cost of material handling and machine set-up time
- Elimination of excess work-in-process inventory
- Simple production planning functions
- Smooth flow of work
Disadvantages
- Change of the existing layout is costly and time consuming
- Including new components requires thorough analysis
- Complex to use
Here We discuss types of Plant Layout and their advantages & disadvantages after reading that you can be confused to choose the perfect layout for your Plant so, let’s discuss the factors you need to keep in mind when choosing layout for your plant.
How can you determine the optimum Layout for your Factory?
Once a Plant layout is frozen it’s almost impossible or very cost-intensive to change the layout especially after the civil works are completed and it is a critical investment for any manufacturing company.
Do you know how much time your employees waste in moving for material, inventory and in searching for tools?
How often does your machine break down and are workers satisfied with the current workflow?
So, let’s discuss the factors that you need to consider before making a decision about which type of Plant Layout is best for your company?
Factory building structure
The size and nature of the building determines available floor space and cubic area and according to availability of area we can decide a particular type of Layout.
Nature of product
The nature of product that will be manufactured has a significant role to decide a Plant Layout type of any factory.
For small and light products that can move from one machine to another with minimum effort and time we can select Process or Functional Layout and for large products we can choose a fixed layout and if the production is in sequence we can use Line Layout.
Nature of Material
Nature and state of material, Durability, Heat and cold resistance etc are many factors which we need to keep in mind when we select type of Plant Layout because Dimensional tolerances can be inconsistent, Cracking is possible and some materials environment so Processing can be challenging.
Production volume
Production volume is also a big factor to choose the type of Plant Layout.
If a Factory is manufacturing the products on a large scale then Line Layout can be the best option and if we have different products then we can go with Process Layout.
Machinery
The requirements of each machinery are quite different in terms of their space, speed, maintenance and repair and material handling process so these factors should be given proper consideration while choosing out a particular type of layout.
If we arrange machines according to our need then we can get adequate space between machines and movement of inventory, people become easy.
Factory Location
Factory location also affects our Plant Layout decision.Climate, sun light, noise, ventilation etc are factors to be considered for adequate safety arrangements.
The efficiency of any production depends on how well the various machinery, tools, equipment and other supportive production facilities and employee’s amenities are located in a plant.
Only an efficient Lean Plant Layout can ensure the smooth and rapid flow of material from the raw material stage to the end product stage.
Everything can be improved let’s talk about Lean Layouting.
Case Study of Leading Furniture Manufacturing Company
Layout problems are found in every industry with a variety of types.There are a number of solution techniques available to optimise plant layout design but Lean Layouting is a very effective idea and technique that gives unbelievable results.
In Lean Layouting our approach is elimination of 8 types of wastes that we discussed above. For a manufacturing company waste can be anything which can’t add value to tha product.
In this case study we try to know about the case of Leading Furniture Manufacturing Company and see how Tetrahedron improves their layout by using Lean Layouting.
Pain Area of the Leading Furniture Manufacturing Company
The Leading Furniture Manufacturing Company wants Lean Layout for effective utilisation of resources and area for additional facilities in existing plant and wants to decrease distance travelled by material and manpower also wants better monitoring and supervision of the process.
Existing furniture section area of the company was 32,600 sqft.
Area required for the additional facility(5-year projection) was 16,350 sqft.
They required total area = Existing area + Area for new facilities
Total area they required= 48,950 sqft
The Proposed area by us with the new facility was 41,000 sqft.
Total area saved = 7,950 sqft
Area/Space Optimization by Tetrahedron was 24.3%
| Existing furniture section area | Area required for additional facility | Total area required | Proposed area with additional facility | Area Optimization by Tetrahedron |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32,600 sqft | 16,350 sqft | 48,950 sqft | 41,000 sqft | 24.3% |
Area optimization by Lean Layouting
And the company also wants to reduce distance travelled by material and manpower.Total distance travelled by material and manpower of the company was 4,775 m. We proposed a layout with material and manpower distance travelled reduction of 1,572 m
| Total Distance Travelled by material & manpower in existing layout | Total distance travelled by material & manpower in Proposed layout | Reduction in distance travelled by material & manpower | Reduction Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,775 m | 3,203 m | 1,572 m | 33% |
Reduction in distance travelled by material & manpower
Step by Step Lean Plant Layout by Tetrahedron
Company is a furniture manufacturing company.They want to add some more facilities for which they supposed that they need 16,350 sq ft new area with existing area of 32,600 sqft. We helped them to optimise their area and proposed overall 41,000 sq ft area with new facilities and saved 7950 sqft area with 24.7% optimization of area.
Company also wants to reduce distance travelled by material & manpower. Total distance travelled by material & manpower in the existing layout was 4,775 m, Tetrahedron reduced distance travelled by 33%.
Following are the steps how Tetrahedron did this job:
1. Understanding clients’ needs
It all starts with understanding clients’ needs. First we understand the Pain area and Objective and growth of clients then we discuss with management and make specific strategies with 5-Year Business Growth Projection.
In this case we received a clear request for area optimization and reduction in distance travelled by material & manpower.
We take 5-year projection growth data from client to understand their growth forecasting for making a lean layout which can be applicable for a minimum of 5 years. Data of 5-year projection growth of this company is given below.
| S. No. | Product Family | 5-year Projection Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Product 1 | 20% Per Year |
| 2 | Product 2 | 15% Per year |
| 3 | Product 3 | 20% Per year |
5-Year Business Growth Projection
The Objective and Scope of New layout was Designed and implementation of the flow focused and lean layout for Plant.
We also focus on company products and demand calculation.For better understanding we provide some data of this company.
2. Data Collection Process
Before making any plan we need some data and information about the operation to be explored.
We collect Data for Product analysis, Raw material analysis, Machine analysis, Process analysis to select the best strategy.
Then we discuss it With management and share Best Practices of Other Industry and set Criteria for Effective Layout.
In this case first we do Product analysis based on Quantity, Shape, Size and weight. For example-
| Product Details | Product Dimensions (mm) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Family Name | Product Name | Comp. Name | L(mm) | W(mm) | Max use=80% | |
| Family 1 | Cubicle-5ft | Door | 1750 | 600-910 | 600 | |
| Divider | 1886 | 1350-1850 | 1550 | |||
| Plaster | 1941 | 100-1200 | 600 | |||
Like this we take details of all the products of the three families.
Then we do Raw material analysis based on Quantity, Shape, Size, lead time and with 5 year projection data.
After Raw Material analysis we do Machine analysis based on Dimensions, Weight, Tools and CTM. Tetrahedron verified all Machine details/dimensions physically on site for every process.
All the machines have been planned as per the process requirements using lean focused tools. Space for Tools have been planned along with the machines.
Then we do Process Analysis based on Flow, Cycle time, Manpower, CTQ/CTB. Process analysis has been done for the existing and proposed layout.
Value stream mapping has been plotted for the products and with the use of Cycle time work balancing graphs have been developed.
Manpower details have been taken into consideration for planning and manpower reduction was the focus for the entire plant.
CTQ/CTB has been considered while designing the layout proposed to the team of the company.
3. Flow Design
Now it’s time for flow design for smooth flow of actions. We make a layout in our static 3D layout, so it can be changed later.
In this we will work on Manual Accessibility Path Design,Aisles and Gangways,Safety Equipment and Exits to Minimise Distance Travel by Material.
In this Case Tetrahedron does Aisle/Gangway design. All the aisles required for material and manpower movements have been mentioned and proposed in the layout.
After that we do Manual Accessibility path design and all accessibility has been considered while designing the proposed layout.
Tetrahedron also focuses on Safety Equipment and Exits. Based on process flow and nature of material/product we have proposed the required exit locations and the material movements considering the safety related points.
4. Stores Design
In Store design we make space for Store and Inventory. Store design done to ensure the Zero Delivery Failure and Zero Line Stop,reduce or optimise Inventory for reducing material handling cost, distance travelled by material.
In this case we do Finished goods store design,Raw material store design,WIP Place/Line side Stores design.
Finished goods Racks and storage has been planned based on the product quantity, Size and stacking requirements.
Raw material has been calculated based on customer demand and lead time. Racks have been planned for the storage system.
WIP space and the provision has been planned as per the product requirement and process flow. We also provide a WIP calculation sheet.
5. Machine and Workstation Design
After store design we do machine and workstation design to ensure Zero Machine Stop due to Material Unavailability and reduce manual transfer and ensure quick maintenance by Machine Sequencing,Tool & Fixture Space Designing,Machine Accessibility and by Machine Input and Output Space Design.
The designer will move around equipment, change its orientation, and find the best place for the physical pieces.
In Machine sequencing,Machines have been planned based on process requirements and the sequences required.
When we do machine sequencing we consider details that have been based on discussion with the team of the company.
Also we work on Tool and fixture space designing,Machine accessibility for maintenance,Machine Input & Output space design based on the requirements of the company regarding the space considerations.
6. Facility Support Design
In Facility Support Design we work on Safety, Ergonomic, Security & Other Environmental Factor Design.We work on Industrial Safety, Fire Protection,Noise Control,Dust Control (If Applicable),Ventilation and Exhaust,Lighting (Day & Artificial),Industrial Sanitation & Plumbing and Security.
We do Facility designed for Safety and Better Performance and Use Natural Lights for energy saving. If needed then we also provide Ergonomic and Behavioural trainings.
A good production support should ensure short moves and focus on reducing moving cost. It also includes interdepartmental movements and material handling equipment, flow pattern reduction of unnecessary handling.
After machine and workstation designing we need to work on the support function.In this case we do 360 Coverage of all non production activities like Utilities & Support, Material Handling and Employee Facility Centres.
7. Validation, Iteration & Confirmation
This is the final stage we are ready to handover the design and with all the things in mind we are ready to make changes according to the client to ensure the Optimum Layout Efficiency.
We Iterate the Draft Layout For Improvement,take validation from management then Confirm & Handover.
We handover 2D and 3D Design and Our team is ready for 3D (Live) simulation and we also provide Future state value stream map to the company.
Finally we handover the Lean Layout design to the client. After approval we help in implementation and If the company demands a lean layout according to Vaastu then Tetrahedron also considers this factor and works accordingly.