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Argues that the design of the Volvo Uddevalla plant may be described as a process with an “internal logic” in which design options were eliminated through irreversible design decisions until only one alternative remained ‐ an unorthodox alternative comprising, for example, long cycle time work never used before for full‐scale production of automobiles. Contends that the most innovative features of the Uddevalla plant ‐ i.e. the detailed layout in the assembly workshops and the corresponding unorthodox production principles used ‐ were in many respects an unanticipated outcome of the design process. Pre‐existing gross layout of the plant as well as the interaction between the materials feeding techniques adopted and the operation of the automated guided vehicle system. When this was perceived by the Volvo managers, the design process had passed the point of no return, i.e. the investments made and lack of time prevented regression to more traditional layouts and production principles.

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.

Some of the main features of the major existing approaches designed to solve the multi‐goal layout problem are highlighted. Most of these heuristic approaches are of the improvement type which take account of constraints within areas of departments. Two heuristic approaches of the construction type are outlined. MFLAP (Multi‐goal Facility Layout Planning) is a construction type algorithm based on cell formation technique. MFLAPSA (Multi‐goal Facility Layout Planning under the constraints on Shapes and Areas of Facilities), like MFLAP, is also a construction type heuristic based on cell formation technique but it incorporates additional constraints such as shape, location flexibility and exposure for a department. The procedure and capabilities of MFLAP and MFLAPSA are outlined.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a “Reconfiguration Methodology” in manufacturing systems that they can become more economically sustainable and can operate efficiency and effectively. This methodology will allow customized flexibility and capacity not only in producing a variety of products (parts) and with changing market demands, but also in changing and reengineering the system itself.

Reconfigurable manufacturing system (RMS) is a philosophy or strategy which was introduced during the last decade to achieve agility in manufacturing systems. Until now, the RMS philosophy was based changing activities such routing, planning, programming of machines, controlling, scheduling, and physical layout or materials handling system. But the RMS concept can be based on the needed reconfiguration level (NRL), operational status of production systems, and new circumstances (NC). The NRL measure is based on the agility level of the manufacturing systems which is based on technology, people, management, and manufacturing strategies. The components of the manufacturing system design (MSD) consist of production system design, plant layout system, and material handling system. Operational status of production systems includes machine capability (flexibility) and capacity (reliability), production volume or demand, and material handling equipment in addition to the plant layout. The NC are also consisting of new product, developing the existing ones, and changing in demand.

Reconfiguration manufacturing systems from one period to another period is highly desired and is considered as a novel manufacturing philosophy and/or strategy toward creating new sustainable manufacturing systems. A new reconfiguration methodology for the manufacturing systems will be analyzed and proposed. Two Case studies will be introduced.

The suggestion of a new methodology of reconfiguration including the NRL (configurability index) and the operational status of manufacturing systems with respect to any circumstance is highly considered. The reconfiguration methodology also provides a framework for sustainability in the manufacturing area which mainly focussed on manufacturing systems design.

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.

NEVER since the Industrial Revolution have there been so many radical changes in the manner of producing goods as we are witnessing today. Manufacturing is new in its concepts, in technical and mechanical techniques and largely new in materials, methods and machines.

DRAUGHTSMEN can make a major contribution to productivity provided they are trained in work study. This fact emerged from a paper presented by Mr. B. A. Dyson, General Manager (Overseas Production) of Hoover Ltd., to a joint work study conference organised by the British Institute of Management.

Drawing on the findings of coronial investigations, this research aimed to investigate the circumstances and causes of fatal incidents involving plant in the Australian construction industry. The analysis sought to provide greater insight into how and why fatal incidents occur and to inform recommendations for the prevention of fatal incidents involving plant.

Fatal incidents involving plant were identified from the National Coronial Information System. In each case, the decedent was a construction worker and the incident occurred at a construction worksite. A systemic incident causation model developed by Loughborough University informed the identification of originating influences, shaping factors and immediate circumstances in each incident.

Most of the incidents involved excavators, trucks and cranes, and different classifications of plant were associated with different types of incident. The most common incident types involved people being run over by moving plant or struck by a moving object. Site layout and unsafe actions were the most commonly identified immediate circumstances. Shaping factors included site constraints and the design of plant, particularly visibility issues relating to “blind spots”. Originating influences included the design of the permanent work and construction process.

The research highlights the usefulness of systemic incident causation models, such as the “Loughborough Model”, in the analysis of the causes of fatal incidents involving plant in the construction industry.

The results indicate that plant‐related fatalities occur as a result of a complex interplay of different causes, some of which are “upstream” of the construction work. The use of innovative new site planning methods and active monitoring technologies to reduce the risk of collisions between people and plant should be considered.

The analysis provides a more detailed qualitative analysis of the causes of fatal incidents involving excavators than would be possible using national compensation data, which restricts analysis to a classification of the mechanism and agency of injury.

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.