Chapter Process Selection and Facility Layout McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc All Rights Reserved Chapter 6: Learning Objectives • You should be able to: – – – – – – – – – – Understand the strategic importance of process selection Explain the effects of process selection on the organization Describe the basic processing types Discuss process automation Explain the need for management of technology List some reasons for redesign of layouts Describe the basic layout types List the advantages and disadvantages of product and process layout Solve simple line-balancing problems Develop simple process layouts 6-2 Process Selection • Process selection – Refers to the deciding on the way production of goods or services will be organized – It has major implications for • • • • Capacity planning Layout of facilities Equipment Design of work systems 6-3 Technology • Technology – The application of scientific discoveries to the development and improvement of products and services and operations processes • Technological Innovation – The discovery and development of new or improved products, services, or processes for producing or providing them 6-4 Technology Acquisition • Technology acquisition decisions must be weighed carefully – What are the upside and downsides of the technology? – What can and can’t a technology do? – Economic considerations – Integration considerations – Human considerations 6-5 Process Selection Variety – How much? Equipment flexibility – To what degree? Volume – Expected output? 6-6 Automation • Automation – Machinery that has sensing and control devices that enable it to operate automatically • Fixed automation • Programmable automation • Flexible automation 6-7 Automation Questions What level of automation is appropriate? How would automation affect system flexibility? How can automation projects be justified? How should changes be managed? What are the risks of automating? What are the likely effects of automating on: – – – – – – Market share Costs Quality Customer satisfaction Labor relations Ongoing operations 6-8 Automation Technologies • Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) – The use of computers in process control, ranging from robots to automated quality control • Numerically Controlled (N/C) Machines – Machines that perform operations by following mathematical processing instructions • Robot – A machine consisting of a mechanical arm, a power supply, and a controller 6-9 Facilities Layout • Layout – the configuration of departments, work centers, and equipment, with particular emphasis on movement of work (customers or materials) through the system – Facilities layout decisions arise when: • Designing new facilities • Re-designing existing facilities 6-10 Basic Layout Types • Product layouts • Process layouts • Fixed-Position layout • Combination layouts 6-11 FMS and CIM • FMS (Flexible Manufacturing System) – A group of machines designed to handle intermittent processing requirements and produce a variety of similar products • CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) – A system for linking a broad range of manufacturing activities through an integrated computer system 6-12 Designing Product Layouts: Line Balancing • The goal of a product layout is to arrange workers or machines in the sequence that operations need to be performed 6-13 Line Balancing • Line balancing – The process of assigning tasks to workstations in such a way that the workstations have approximately equal time requirements – Why is line balancing important? It allows us to use labor and equipment more efficiently To avoid fairness issues that arise when one workstation must work harder than another 6-14 Designing Process Layouts • The main issue in designing process layouts concerns the relative placement of the departments • Measuring effectiveness – A major objective in designing process layouts is to minimize transportation cost, distance, or time 6-15 ... Integration considerations – Human considerations 6- 5 Process Selection Variety – How much? Equipment flexibility – To what degree? Volume – Expected output? 6- 6 Automation • Automation – Machinery that... Machines that perform operations by following mathematical processing instructions • Robot – A machine consisting of a mechanical arm, a power supply, and a controller 6- 9 Facilities Layout •... computer system 6- 12 Designing Product Layouts: Line Balancing • The goal of a product layout is to arrange workers or machines in the sequence that operations need to be performed 6- 13 Line Balancing