Digital Facility Layout Planning

Mirco Peron,Fabio Sgarbossa,Giuseppe Fragapane,Michael Kay

doi:10.3390/su12083349

Mirco Peron, Fabio Sgarbossa + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083349

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Abstract

In recent years, companies have increased their focus on sustainability to achieve environmental-friendly improvements, to manage pressures from society and regulations, and to attract customers that appreciate sustainability efforts. While companies have mainly aimed short-term/operational improvements, long-term improvements are difficult to reach. One of the fundamental, strategical decision-making processes for a company is facility layout planning. The layout of a facility can have a significant impact on daily operations. Aiming for the goal of sustainability, a dynamic layout decision-making process can support in achieving it. However, the technologies used currently enable only the design of a static layout due to the time-consuming operations involved. In this paper, the introduction of emerging technologies such as 3D mapping, Indoor Positioning System (IPS), Motion Capture System (MoCap), and Immersive Reality (IR) for dynamic layout planning are assessed and discussed. The results obtained clearly demonstrate that the usage of these technologies favor a reconfigurable layout, positively affecting all the three pillars constituting the sustainability concept: the costs involved are reduced, social aspects are improved, and the environment is safeguarded.

Highlights

Facility layout planning has long been an essential component in the design of production systems
Hosseini-Nasab et al [6] have presented a classification of facility layout problems that reflects recent research
The emerging technologies reported in Section 2.2. provide the opportunity to digitalize and improve the facility layout planning procedure

Summary

Introduction

Facility layout planning has long been an essential component in the design of production systems. The most significant development in providing a practical quantitative approach to layout problems was the introduction of CRAFT in 1963 [1]. Most approaches to the layout problem were non-quantitative, providing a series of checklists to be used as part of the layout process (see, e.g., [2]). CRAFT provided a means to heuristically solve the layout problem modeled as a quadratic assignment problem with area constraints. Extensions, including the multi-floor facility layout problem [4] and the impact of layout on the lifecycle of production systems [5], have been considered. Hosseini-Nasab et al [6] have presented a classification of facility layout problems that reflects recent research

Results

Discussion

Conclusion