Abstract

This chapter discusses different industrial plant layouts and the factors that affect layout selection for a plant. Proper plant sizing involves examination of present and future production needs. Three elements of production—manpower, machinery, and material—together with their required working spaces must be brought into balance. Plant layout may consider a wide range of product assembly patterns. Among the better-known general flow patterns are the straight line, serpentine, U-shaped, circular, odd-angle, and “job shop.” The straight-line pattern is normally used where the production process is short, relatively simple, and uses few assembly units. The U-shaped pattern is often used where a plant has only one loading and unloading dock, and in situations where one machine may be used in different stages of a process. The circular pattern is variation of the U-shaped flow activity in an overall flow. The odd-angle pattern is no recognizable pattern but very common when the primary objective is a short flow line between a group of related areas, particularly where material handling is mechanized, when space limitations will not permit another pattern, or the building shape will not permit changes. The “job shop” is a layout for odd jobs where workers are able to operate all the equipment and move from machine to machine as needed.

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