Chapter 6
Location, layout and flow
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Slack et al’s model of operations management
Direct
Design
Product and
service
design
Process
design
Operations
Management
Deliver
Location,
layout
and flow
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, 2011
Develop
Key operations questions
In Chapter 6 - Layout and flow– Slack et. al. identify the
following key questions…….
Where should operations be located?
What is ‘layout and what are the basic types used in
operations?
What type of layout should an operation choose?
How should items be positioned in a workplace?
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
An innovative layout in a surgery improves its efficiency
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Product flow in Cadbury’s
Flow of chocolate in
Cadbury’s factory
Flow of customers in
Cadbury World
Both Cadbury’s chocolate factory and it’s ‘Cadbury World’
visitor attraction use ‘product’ layout. But what will be different
about the layouts and why?
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Functional layout in a library - the path of one customer
Loan books in subject order
On-line and CDROM access
room
Study desks
Enquiries
Company reports
To
journal
stack
Current
journals
Reference
section
Reserve
collection
Store
room
Entrance
Counter staff
Copying area
Exit
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Department store with sports goods ‘shop-within-a-shop’
Books
and
videos
Footwear
Sports shop
Menswear
Perfume
& jewellery
Confectionery,
newspaper,
magazines
and stationary
Elevators
Women’s clothes
Luggage
and gifts
Entrance
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
An army induction centre which uses product layout
Waiting
area
Lecture theatre
Doctor
Waiting
area
Doctor
Blood
test
X-ray
Uniform
issuing area
Doctor
Doctor
Blood
test
X-ray
Uniform
store
Doctor
Blood
Doctor test
X-ray
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Records:
personal
history and
medical
details
A product layout in a paper manufacturing operation
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
A restaurant complex with all four basic layout types
Cell layout buffet
Line
layout
cafeteria
Starter
buffet
Desert
buffet
Fixed-position layout
service restaurant
Main course
buffet
Preparation
Functional layout kitchen
Cool room
Freezer
Vegetable prep
Grill
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Oven
Service line
Advantages and disadvantages of Fixed position layout
Fixed position layout
Very high product and mix
flexibility
Advantages
Product/customer not moved
High variety of tasks for staff
Very high unit costs
Disadvantages
Scheduling space and activities
can be difficult
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Advantages and disadvantages of Functional layout
Functional layout
High product and mix flexibility
Advantages
Relatively robust in the case of
disruptions
Easy to supervise
Low utilization
Disadvantages
Can have very high WIP
Complex flow
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Advantages and disadvantages of Cell layout
Cell layout
Can give good compromise
Advantages
Fast throughput
Group work can result in good
motivation
Disadvantages
Can be costly to rearrange
existing layout
Can need more plant
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Advantages and disadvantages of Product layout
Product layout
Low unit costs for high volume
Advantages
Opportunities for specialization
of equipment
Can have low mix flexibility
Disadvantages Not very robust in the case of
disruptions
Work can be very repetitive
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Volume and variety characteristics of layout types
Flow is
intermittent
High
Variety
Low
Low
Volume
High
Functional
layout
Cell
layout
Product layout
Regular flow more important
Regular flow more feasible
Fixed-position
layout
Flow becomes
continuous
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
The relationship between functional and layout types
Manufacturing
functional types
Project processes
Basic layout
types
Service
functional types
Fixed position layout
Professional services
Jobbing processes
Functional layout
Service shops
Batch processes
Cell layout
Mass services
Mass processes
Product layout
Continuous processes
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Basic layout types have different fixed and variable costs
that seem to determine which one to use.
Costs
Fixedposition
Functional
Cell
Product
Use
Use fixed- functional
position
Use
cell
Use product
Volume
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Costs
But uncertainty about exact fixed and variable costs
means the decision can rarely be made on cost alone
Fixed-position
Functional
Cell
Product
?
?
?
Use product
Use fixed-position
Use fixed-position or functional
Use functional
Volume
Use functional or cell or product
Use functional or cell
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Workplace layout
Using anthropometric data, ergonomics can guide how people interface with their
workplace
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © The authors, 2011
Workplace layout
Ergonomics in the office environment
Forearms
approximately
horizontal
Seat back
adjustability
Good
lumbar
support
Seat height
adjustability
No excess pressure on
underside of thighs
and backs of knees
Leg room and
clearance to allow
postural changes
Foot
support
if needed
Space for
postural change,
no obstacles
under desk
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, 2011
Workplace layout
Ergonomics in the office environment
Adequate
lighting
Adequate
contrast,
no glare or
distracting
reflections
Screen: stable
image,
adjustable,
readable
glare/
reflection free
Window
covering
Keyboard
usable,
adjustable,
detachable,
legible
Distracting
noise
minimized
Work surfaces:
allow flexible
arrangements,
spacious, glare free
Software appropriate to
task, adapted to user, no
undisclosed monitoring
Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, Essentials of Operations Management, 1st Edition, © Slack, Brandon-Jones and Johnston, 2011