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Q. What is meant by Plant Layout? Discuss the principles and different methods of
Plant Layout.
Answer:
The efficiency of production depends on how well the various machines; production facilities
and employee’s amenities are located in a plant. Only the properly laid out plant can ensure the
smooth and rapid movement of material, from the raw material stage to the end product stage.
Plant layout encompasses new layout as well as improvement in the existing layout.
It may be defined as a technique of locating machines, processes and plant services within the
factory so as to achieve the right quantity and quality of output at the lowest possible cost of
manufacturing. It involves a judicious arrangement of production facilities so that workflow is
direct.
Principles regarding the plant layout
1. Integration:
Integration of men, money, materials and machines and support services in order to get
the optimum output of resources.
Utilization of both horizontal and vertical spaces and height is very important to use the
space as much as possible.
3. Minimum distance:
Minimum travel of men and material should be implemented means; the total distance
travel by the men and material should be minimized as much as possible. Further
straight line movements should be promoted.
3. Floor:
Arranging the floor to move the material/finished products in forward direction towards
the final stage.
4. Maximizing coordination:
Entry into and disposal from any department should be in such manner that it is most
convenient to the issuing or receiving departments. The layout should be consider as a
whole.
5. Minimum flexibility:
6. Maximum accessibility:
All servicing and maintenance points should be readily accessible. For example;
equipment should not be placed against a wall because necessary servicing or
maintenance cannot be carried out easily. Further; equipments or other necessary units
keep in front of a fuse box will impede the work of the electrician.
7. Safety security:
Due consideration to industrial safety methods is necessary. Care must be taken not
only of the persons operating the equipment, but also of the passes-by, who may be
required to go behind equipment as the back of which may be unsafe.
8. Minimum handling:
Reduce the material handling to the minimum. Material being worked on should be kept
at working height and never have to be placed on the floor if it is to be lifted later.
The following principles also can be taken in to account when planning for a good plant
layout;
A scientific layout study is a disciplined objective procedure that clearly determines the
goals to be attained, collects all relevant facts, thoroughly analyses the data and
achieves an improved layout.
The following are the steps in studying the feasibility of revising a layout.
To maintain operating efficiently over a period of time, the existing plant layout must
ordinarily be modified and improved continuously.
(i) Increase in demand of the product may need expansion of manufacturing facilities.
Expansion of plant may be due to
(a) Output of new products in search of profit prospects e.g manufacture of electronic
items, food industry, automobiles etc. periodically revise their existing models & styles.
(b) the horizontally integrated programme can expand only within the field of one main
category of products whereas vertically integrated product program can expand to
produce as many different products.
(c) Plant expansion can be done to produce by-products. A by-product is a commodity
the production of which i facilitated by the production of the main line of products e.g
chemical products or waste material is considered a potential starting point for a new
product gained form the distillation of coal. In industry every end product e.g firms
manufacturing leather goods can use waste leather pieces to produce washers,shoe
soles etc. Similarly glass waste can be used in and papers.
(d) Sometimes there may be excess plant capacity which results in increased
production costs. The unused capacity can be used to manufacture new products. This
may need some revision of the facilities and layout.
(ii) To acquire more plant efficiency by using new technology: the use of advance
technology in manufacturing systems may be characterized by increased
mechanization, using modern sources of fuel and energy; new development sin
process, materials, product design and scientific management .
(iii) improving the layout through analysis and work simplification: A progressive
management is always on look or improvement in plant facilities to save it from
obsolescence. The evils of poor layout are usually concealed” hidden costs”. There may
be unnecessary handling, waste motions, delay in storage and other hidden expenses.
The layout of plant can be planned in a number of ways but a good layout should
possess some basic characteristics, namely:
(i) There should be sufficient space for the workers as well as for the equipment to
perform their functions. This will ensure smooth and continuous flow of production
process.
(ii) Must provide adequate safety and security to workers against accidents or injury e.g.
Provision of firefighting equipment, first-aid boxes etc.
(iii) Sufficient gang-way space for materials, workers and semi-finished goods. This
leads to increase in efficiency.
(iv) Arrangement of machines and equipment should be such that minimum material
handling's necessary for low cost processing.
(v) Stores for in-process material should be provided at some convenient place i.e. not
far from the place of operations.
(vi) Supervision, co-ordination and control of the activity should be effectively and easily
executed.
(vii) There should be sufficient scope for making adjustments and modifications
whenever any need arises i.e. the layout should be flexible.
(i) The first thing is planning a layout is to study the objectives, production plan and the
nature of machines, equipment and manufacturing operations involved in the production
process.
Select the equipment on the basis of product design and volume of the output to be
attained. In other words the layout of the plant should be functional in the production of
a specified product at the required rate of output.
(ii) Accumulate layout data: machine data cards, machine load charts and templates of
equipment.
(iii) On the basis of information collected in step (ii) develop process charts which are
vital in the development of a sound layout. These charts summaries the production
activities that are required to achieve the manufacturing objectives.
(iv) Develop an over-all flow plan of operations for efficient processing and materials
handling. The best flow of work both horizontal and vertical and the integration of
operations form the receipt of the raw materials to storage of finished goods are the
objectives to be attained. Process charts. Machine load data, production rate desired
etc. should be considered in drafting the plan.
(v) The sequence of mechanical operations is studied to fix the position of respective
machines performing desired operations.
(vi) Select best suited type of building and develop a tentative plot plan for the site. The
exact specifications of the building are designated only after the layout is developed in
considerable detail.
(vii) Layout templates or models of individual production machines and space for
service activities: materials handling, receiving and shipping, inspection, storage,
maintenance, offices etc. according to flow plan operations.
(viii) Decision about the location of services facilities like cafeteria, toilets etc. Inside the
plant building is taken, keeping into consideration the requirements of the produciton
process and comforts of the workers.
(ix) The position of windows, ventilators, electric fittings, drainage of the layout are
drawn and the production run is tested.
(x) After analyzing all the details in steps (i) to (vii), drawings of the layout are drawings
of the layout are drawn and the production run is tested.
(xi) Modifications can be done according to the experience of test runs.
Model of a layout
The model of a layout can be made by studying the operations involved in the
production process.
In addition to this the following specific points should be kept in mind for the layout of
machines:
(i) space occupied by a machine must include some overhang space for the travel of
any part or for the movement of material.
(ii) Gangways must be adequate for the collection and delivery of material.
(iii) Floor must be strong enough not only to carry the machine load but also to bear the
load of semi-finished and finished goods.
(iv)Servicing facilities and safety devices must be easily accessible.
(v) Sufficient space around the machine must be provided so that operator can move
freely to do his work.