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Facility layout is a classical industrial/production engineering problem. Good layout will help any company to improve its business performance. Presents a general overview of the facility layout problem and includes information about approaches to the solution of the problem. Discusses the role of the computer; and the contribution of facility layout to an organization’s competitive advantage. Describes experiences of organizations with facility layout.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the use of a product‐oriented layout and a work‐cell strategy in order to maximise efficiency. These two categories of layout strategies are discussed separately, and are then used collectively in an analysis of the company. The aim is to understand how improvements on layout design could positively impact the future efficiency of the case study company.

A model was developed and measured using 26 weeks of data between the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010 during layout transformations at the case study company based in upstate New York. The model compared variables such as the distance traveled to retrieve parts, average daily output of engines, labour cost per unit produced, and the amount of time the engine remains in each cell; the aim of which is to increase the efficiency of the facility.

The findings indicate that there is a strong correlation between the variables improved at both the cell‐structures and the product‐structures of the facility and the overall efficiency of the manufacturing facility itself. The results also show that an overall higher efficiency allows for the facility to handle much larger workloads and also drives down both short‐run and long‐run costs. The outcomes also allow for a suggestive redesign of the facility in order to further maximise efficiency. However, it was found that the amount of time a product remains in each cell on the assembly line does not have an effect on the overall output of diesel engines.

Various studies have been conducted focusing on the “facility layout problem,” yet thorough analyses of the redesigning of layout in regards to efficiency are not as available. Instead, an understanding of the topic was derived through sources focusing on the specificities of manufacturing layout.

This paper describes layout efficiency through redesigns and layout using work‐cells in a product‐oriented environment. This study would be useful to manufacturers having low variability in their product and having the ability to use work‐cell layout within their facility.

A plant layout in the context of manufacturing facilities design consists of the production areas, manufacturing support areas and personnel areas. In facilities design, plant layout has been determined to be one of the most important elements in the effectiveness of systematic manufacturing operability. This paper describes the development of a split departmental plant layout generation system (LAYSPLIT) in the domain of facilities design to develop layouts that will minimize the material handling costs. The plant layout generation system consists of a data acquisition module, a pair‐wise departmental exchange module, a layout development module, and a graphical representation module. The approach used to develop the system using a split departmental method, and the characteristics of the system are outlined. The advantages of the developed system in terms of facilitating effective operations and increasing productivity in manufacturing environments are discussed. The results obtained from LAYSPLIT are compared with that produced by the MCRAFT system and discussed.

This paper aims to propose an innovative building information modelling (BIM)-based framework for multi-objective and dynamic temporary construction site layout design (SLD), which uses a hybrid approach of systematic layout planning (SLP) and mathematical modelling.

The hybrid approach, which follows a step-by-step process for site layout planning, is designed to facilitate both qualitative and quantitative data collection and processing. BIM platform is usedto facilitate the determination of the required quantitative data, while the qualitative data are generated through knowledge-based rules.

The multi-objective layout model represents two important aspects: layout cost and adjacency score. The result shows that the model meets construction managers’ requirements in not only saving cost but also assuring the preferences of temporary facility relationships. This implies that the integration of SLP and mathematical layout modelling is an appropriate approach to deliver practical multi-objective SLD solutions.

The proposed framework is expected to serve as a solution, for practical application, which takes the advantage of technologies in data collection and processing. Besides, this paper demonstrates, by using numerical experimentation and applying Microsoft Excel Solver for site layout optimisation, how to reduce the complexity in mathematical programming for construction managers.

The original contribution of this paper is the attempt of developing a framework in which all data used for the site layout modelling are collected and processed using a systematic approach, instead of being predetermined, as in many previous studies.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a mathematical model for the design of robust layout for unequal area-dynamic facility layout problem with flexible bay structure (UA-DFLP with FBS) and test the suitability of generated robust layout in a dynamic environment.

This research adopts formulation of a mathematical model for generating a single layout for unequal area facility layout problems with flexible bay structure under dynamic environment. The formulated model for the robust layout formation is solved by developing a simulated annealing algorithm. The proposed robust approach model for UA-DFLP with FBS is validated by conducting numerical experiments on standard UA-DFLPs reported in the literature. The suitability of the generated robust layout in a dynamic environment is tested with total penalty cost criteria.

The proposed model has given a better solution for some UA-DFLPs with FBS in comparison with the adaptive approach’s solution reported in the literature. The total penalty cost is within the specified limit given in the literature, for most of the layouts generated for UA-DFLPs with FBS. In the proposed model, there is no rearrangement of facilities in various periods of planning horizon and thus no disruptions in operations.

The present work has limitations that when the area and aspect ratio of the facilities are required to change from one period to another, then it is not possible to make application of the robust approach-based formulation to the dynamic environment facility layout problems.

Rearrangement of facilities in adaptive approach disrupts the operations whereas in the proposed approach no disruption of production. The FBS approach is more suitable for layout planning where proper aisle structure is required. The solution of the proposed approach helps to create a proper aisle structure in the detailed layout plan. Thus, easy interaction of the material handling equipment, men and materials is possible.

This paper proposes a mathematical formulation for the design of robust layout for UA-FLPs with FBS in a dynamic environment and an efficient simulated annealing algorithm as its solution procedure. The proposed robust approach generates a single layout for the entire planning horizon. This approach is more useful for facilities which are difficult/sensitive to relocate in various periods of the planning horizon.

The purpose of this paper is to review, evaluate and classify the academic research that has been published in facility layout problems (FLPs) and to analyse how researches and practices on FLPs are.

The review is based on 166 papers published from 1953 to 2021 in international peer-reviewed journals. The literature review on FLPs is presented under broader headings of discrete space and continuous space FLPs. The important formulations of FLPs under static and dynamic environments represented in the discrete and continuous space are presented. The articles reported in the literature on various representations of facilities for the continuous space Unequal Area Facility Layout Problems (UA-FLPs) are summarized. Discussed and commented on adaptive and robust approaches for dynamic environment FLPs. Highlighted the application of meta-heuristic solution methods for FLPs of a larger size.

It is found that most of the earlier research adopted the discrete space for the formulation of FLPs. This type of space representation for FLPs mostly assumes an equal area for all facilities. UA-FLPs represented in discrete space yield irregular shape facilities. It is also observed that the recent works consider the UA-FLPs in continuous space. The solution of continuous space UA-FLPs is more accurate and realistic. Some of the recent works on UA-FLPs consider the flexible bay structure (FBS) due to its advantages over the other representations. FBS helps the proper design of aisle structure in the detailed layout plan. Further, the recent articles reported in the literature consider the dynamic environment for both equal and unequal area FLPs to cope with the changing market environment. It is also found that FLPs are Non-deterministic Polynomial-complete problems, and hence, they set the challenges to researchers to develop efficient meta-heuristic methods to solve the bigger size FLPs in a reasonable time.

Due to the extremely large number of papers on FLPs, a few papers may have inadvertently been missed. The facility layout design research domain is extremely vast which covers other areas such as cellular layouts, pick and drop points and aisle structure design. This research review on FLPs did not consider the papers published on cellular layouts, pick and drop points and aisle structure design. Despite the possibility of not being all-inclusive, the authors firmly believe that most of the papers published on FLPs are covered and the general picture presented on various approaches and parameters of FLPs in this paper are precise and trustworthy.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper reviews and classifies the literature on FLPs for the first time under the broader headings of discrete space and continuous space representations. Many important formulations of FLPs under static and dynamic environments represented in the discrete and continuous space are presented. This paper also provides the observations from the literature review and identifies the prospective future directions.

The purpose of this article is to develop a bi-directional relaxed flexible bay structure (BRFBS) in the layout for the unequal area facility layout problems (UA-FLPs) and test the suitability of the proposed approach using literature data.

This research adopts a two-stage solution approach for UA-FLPs to form BRFBS in the layout. The solution to UA-FLPs is carried out in discrete space. The proposed heuristic method optimises the layout plan for minimising the material handling cost (MHC), and also, it indirectly optimises the space utilisation by reducing the empty space in the layout. The first stage of layout design assumes that all facilities are equal in size and uses quadratic assignment problem (QAP) model. QAP is solved with a simulated annealing heuristic method. In the second stage, a heuristic method is proposed to find the optimum width for each bay and the dimension for facilities. The proposed heuristic method is tested with numerical data available in the literature. Results are compared with the results obtained by layout planning software, and with the simulated annealing algorithm for flexible bay structure (SA-FBS) heuristic procedure for continuous space UA-FLPs.

The proposed two-stage solution approach gives the BRFBS for the UA-FLPs. BRFBS helps to create proper aisle structure in the layout plan. The layout configuration and solution of the proposed method is better than the layout planning software solution and SA-FBS solution. The application of the proposed heuristic method to case data gave lesser MHC, better space utilisation and better aisle formation than the existing layout.

The proposed approach has the limitation that it can be applied only to UA-FLPs solved in discrete space. When the UA-FLPs are solved in continuous space, then it is not possible to make application of this approach to form bi-directional relaxed flexible bays in the layout plan.

Most of the modern industries are automated, and they use material handling equipment (MHE) like automated guided vehicles (AGVs). Design of layout plans that help to create proper aisle structure for AGV’s in the layout plan is a challenging to the researchers. The BRFBS configuration is more suitable in the flexible manufacturing system where AGVs are used for material transportation.

This paper proposes a novel two-stage heuristic method for solving the UA-FLPs in discrete space. The proposed approach generates a BRFBS in the layout plan. The BRFBS helps to create a proper aisle structure suitable for better material handling operations. Hence, this type of layout helps in easy interaction of the MHE (e.g. AGVs) with the boundaries of the facilities touching the aisle.

This study offers a new type of manufacturing approach. This approach may be called virtual manufacturing layouts. The study concerns basic themes of the approach. These are descriptions, elements, and use of the virtual layouts. The approach has been exemplified with a case study. Advantages and disadvantages of this type of layouts have also been summarised.

Computer‐based models for the automatic generation of facility layouts have been shown to provide significant benefits to the industrial community for the planning and development of facilities. In a manufacturing environment, layouts are often needed for the manufacture, storage and shipment of specific product types within specific time periods. This is especially true in metal fabrication plants, as the dynamic nature of product storage and manufacture dictates the need for effective layout generation to achieve cost reductions. The system described in this paper integrates raw material storage, inventory management, scheduling and rack system design with facility layout development for the most satisfactory dynamic response. The research addressed in this paper has resulted in the development of a computer‐based model that focuses on the concept of integrating the domains of plant layout, material handling and warehousing in terms of raising overall effectiveness.

This paper seeks to apply a heuristic approach to solve the facility layout problem and the description of a new computer‐aided layout design system.

The system utilizes a new approach for computing the adjacency scores, stacking of departments, and reserving or changing the department's shapes and dimensions. The system algorithms are based on calculating the minimal distance between departments and modified departmental closeness rating.

The research addressed in this paper has resulted in developing FLASP (Facility LAyout Support Program) software. FLASP could reduce the number of iterations needed to reach the optimal solution of the layout problems by restricting the location for each department depending on the relationships between them.

The system is built on a set of algorithms that are concerned with stacking, calculating the shortest rectilinear distances between departments, adjacency matrix system, modifications capabilities, and plans main aisles surrounding each department.

The program gathers the importance of both the adjacency relationships and the distances between departments in a way that depends on the concept that the adjacency score should not be nullified just because the two departments are no longer strictly adjacent. It rather considers that the adjacency score fades away gradually with the increase of distance between the two departments which leads to a main difference in distance consideration.