CHAPTER 4

FLOW, SPACE, AND ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS

the momentum of the FT chart

1 28 6 22 5 Total: 61 2 17 6 8 13 9 53 3 8 11 4 4 6 13 23 5 5 5 6 8 24 6

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61+53*2+19*3+23*4+24*5=436

How can I improve this layout:

A A B C D F G H M J K L 28 6 25 6 19 13 9 24 22 28 8 11 5 22 13 9 B 28 6 17 6 8 8 4 5 6 13 6 5 C D F G H M J K L 28 28 6 25 6 19 13 9 24 22

10 A B

B 5+8 5+6+4

5+8 4

6 4 6

5 8 5 8

D C
F

6 5+4 8+5 8 5 5+6 8 5+6 5+8 4

M
H

J G
K L

Improvement?
Momentom=380 This is a better layout but we do not know whether it is the best layout or not.

Look at Example 4.2 pp 92

Activity Relationship Analysis

The from-to matrix captures material flow information that is vital to the layout problem. However, there are other factors which can be just as important in the layout decision. Some of these factors may not be quantifiable. Typical examples of these considerations are supervision, health and safety hazards and personal preferences. Such qualitative information is integrated with the flow information to create a rating for the importance of adjacency between departments. This rating is usually represented using a activity relationship chart or REL Chart.

Qualitative Flow Measurement

To construct the Relationship Chart

1. List all the departments. 2. Get closeness information. How to get this information? 3. Define the criteria for assigning closeness values and itemize and record this information on the chart. (Ex: Frequency of use high, medium, low, etc.) 4. Establish the relationship value and the reason for that value. 5. Get feedback from sources of information

REL Chart
The REL chart represents the importance of adjacency between departments using a six-level rating scheme (closeness value) as follows: Value Closeness

A E I O U X

Absolutely necessary Especially important Important Ordinary Importance Unimportant Undesirable

It is up to the analyst to determine the exact rating to be assigned to a pair of activities.

Closeness value

Dept. 1
Reasons

A 1,2

Dept. 2 Dept. 3 Dept. 4 Code

1 2 3

Reason
flow supervision fumes

- Each diamond represents the relationship between a pair of departments. - The top half of the diamond is used to indicate the rating while the bottom half is used to explain the reason for the rating. - A table of the reason codes is also given with the REL Chart.

Example: REL Chart Total relationship codes = n(n-1)/2

E U U E U U U U O U U U

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Fabrication Welding Paint Assembly Receiving Stores Warehouse Shipping Restroom

A A A O A X A O O A U E E

where n = number of departments

O O I A X O U U A U O O I U E O U U O E U A U U I U U U O E U U O U U U U I

U O U U O U

I O U I O

E U O I I

I O O I O O U I U I

10 Maintenance 11 Tool Room

12 Locker Room 13 14 Cafeteria Office

Worksheet Approach The worksheet is an interim step between the REL chart and the dimensionless block diagram. It interprets the REL chart and becomes the basic data for dimensionless block diagram

The Worksheet a step-by-step

List all the departments down the left-hand side of a sheet of paper Make six columns to the right of the departments column and title the six columns, A, E, I, O, U, and X Taking one department at a time, list the department number(s) under the proper relationship code. Helpful point:
Be sure that every department number appears on each line (1-14 must be somewhere on each line)

Example: REL Chart

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Fabrication Welding Paint Assembly Receiving Stores Warehouse Shipping Restroom A A A O A X A O O A U E E E U U E U U U U O U U U

O O I A X O U U A

O I U E O U U

A U U I U U U

U U O U U U

U O U U O U

I O U I O

E U O I I

I O O I O O U I U I

10 Maintenance 11 Tool Room

O E U

O E

U I

U O

12 Locker Room 13 14 Cafeteria Office

Example: Activity Relationship Worksheet

Department A 1. Fabrication 2, 6

I 3, 10 9, 11, 13, 14

O 4, 5, 12

U 7, 8

The activity relationship worksheet shows the same relationships as the REL chart.

Dimensionless Block Diagram

The dimensionless block diagram is the first attempt and the result of the REL chart and the worksheet. This layout will be the basis for the master layout and plot plan.

Dimensionless Block Diagram a step by step

Cut up a sheet of paper into about 2x 2 squares (14 squares are needed in our example) Place a department number in the center of each square. Taking one square at a time, make a template for that department by placing the relationship codes in the following positions Code Position

A E I O U X

in the top left-hand corner top right corner bottom left corner bottom right corner relationship omitted in the center under the department number

Example: One square representing the Fabrication department A 2, 6 E

1
Fabrication X = none

9, 11, 13, 14 I

4, 5, 12 O

Evaluate your solution

Once the 14 templates are ready, we now place them in the arrangement that will satisfy as many relationships as possible.

All As should have a full side touching All Es should have at least a corner touching No X relationship should be touching

Example: REL Chart

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Fabrication Welding Paint Assembly Receiving Stores Warehouse Shipping Restroom A A A O A X A O O A U E E E U U E U U U U O U U U

O O I A X O U U A

O I U E O U U

A U U I U U U

U U O U U U

U O U U O U

I O U I O

E U O I I

I O O I O O U I U I

10 Maintenance 11 Tool Room

O E U

O E

U I

U O

12 Locker Room 13 14 Cafeteria Office

Activity Relationship Worksheet

Degree of Closeness
A
2, 6 1, 3 2, 4 3, 7 6 5, 1 4, 8 7 12 11 10 9

Department
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Fabrication Welding Paint Assemble Receiving Stores Warehouse Shipping Restroom Maintenance Tool Room Locker room Cafeteria Office

E
3, 10

I
9, 11, 13, 14 6 6 9, 12, 13, 14 14 3, 2, 14

4, 5, 12 7, 8 9, 10, 12, 13, 5 7, 8, 4, 11, 14 1 12, 13, 9 2, 10, 11 6, 8 1, 5 3, 7, 10, 11 4, 2, 1, 9, 12, 13 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 4 9 5, 3, 2, 1, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 14 6, 3, 2, 1, 10, 11 4 14 9, 12, 13 7 13, 14 4, 1 8, 6, 5, 11, 3, 2, 10 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 12, 13, 14 1 9, 2 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 12, 13 1 9, 14 11, 10, 7, 6, 14 13 4 8, 5, 3, 2, 1 10, 11, 7, 6 14, 12, 9 4, 1 8, 5, 3, 2 12, 10, 2, 3 13, 9 8, 6, 5, 4, 1 11, 7

8 7 6 5

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Dimensionless Block Diagram

6 1, 5 4 11 1 10

5
X=8 14 1, 3 2, 3, 14 2, 6

6
9 3, 10 7

10
12 4 1

11
9, 14

2
6 2, 4 5, 9, 10, 9, 11 12, 13 13, 14 3, 7

1
4, 5 12 6, 8 14 4, 8

8
9 12, 13

3
6 9, 12, 13 13, 14 9, 12 13, 14 9

4
5 13

7
X=6 14

9
1, 4 2, 3, 5 6,8,10 9,13 9

12
1, 2, 3 5, 8 9,12,14

14
4,5 6,8 7,11 1, 4

13
2,3 5,8

Space Requirements In manufacturing and office environments, space requirements should be determined for:
Individual workstations Departmental requirements

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Individual Workstations
Space requirement for a workstation includes space for:
Equipment Material Personnel

Equipment Space Requirement

Floor area requirements for each equipment and its travel
is equal to the total width multiplied by the total depth

Floor area requirements for machine maintenance and plant services

you need to add a clearance area, which depends on the machine type.

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Material Space Requirement

Receiving, In-process, Shipping
Enough space should be allowed for the unit loads stored at the machine or workstation Required space depends on the dimensions of the unit load and the flow of material

Space for the waste and scrap should be provided Space for tools, fixture, jigs, dies, and auxiliary equipment

Personnel area for a workstation

Space requirement for the operator and for the material handling
depend on the method of performing the operation. A motion and ergonomic studies are needed.

Space for operator ingress and egress

A minimum of 30 aisle for operator travel past stationary objects A minimum of 36 aisle for travel between stationary object and operating machine A minimum of 42 aisle for travel between two operating machines

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