Design of a Flexible Shopfloor Layout for a Fabrication Jobshop Different from traditional method Comprehensiveness of analysis

Details about Company X Fabrication jobshop Unstable part mix Unstable production volumes Variety of customers Variety of materials

Concerns of Company X High order throughput times High WIP (Work-In-Progress) levels Poor space utilization Chaotic flows of material in current layout Absence of aisles

Checklist to Assess the Current Layout Evaluate existing facility Identify core problems Identify areas for improvements Evaluate new layout to gauge improvements

Employee Feedback on Checklist Availability of manufacturing equipment “We are not flexible or efficient” Inventories “We are not running what we want to ship today” Space utilization “We have the opportunity to use our space better”

Solution Design of a flexible shopfloor layout Robust layout Changes in part mix Changes in production volumes Facilitate subsequent improvement strategies Setup reduction Scheduling Designed a layout form flexibility If cells were necessary, let the flows tell us that (Do not force a pre conceived solution)

Input Data Product routings Layout drawing Sequence analysis chart Layout drawing Equipment inventory (Plant List)

Sequence Analysis Chart

Modifications to Sequence Analysis Chart No BOM structure Incorporated new processes, ex: HAA Machine names not unique, ex: TA, BB Converted TA to TA1, TA2, TA3 Converted BB to BBa, BBb, BBc, etc. based on machine capabilities Tree Routings Splitting workcenters - To allow for separate locations ( Why? - Migration Zones)

Flexible Configuration for BB BBa = {5,9}  BBc BBb = {5,9}  BBd BBc = {3,4} BBd = {6,7} BBe = {BBf, BBa,b, BBd} BBf = {1, 2, BBc} { } = Primary Machines  = In case of overload, orders get transferred to Secondary Machines

Present Layout

Methodology Samples From-To Chart Robust Layout Block Layouts Migration Zones

Methodology Samples From-To Chart Robust Layout Block Layouts Migration Zones

Criteria for Selecting Part Samples Aggregate The complete set Customers Top 3 in terms of volume Lucent, ABB, (Ohaus and ITI) Materials Top 2 in terms of volume CRS and AL Did not work with one Sample

Customer Vs. Volume

V=(lot size) * (# of lots/yr.) Start Input data file End of file Y A Stop N Read: Lot size & # of lots/year Flowchart for Computer Program Compute V=(lot size) * (# of lots/yr.) B

B D C A Read: Machine Name Unique Update Machine Unique Machine List Y N Any more machines D Y C N A

C D Read: Machine Name Unique Update Machine Unique Machine List Y Update Unique Machine List Update From-To Chart with V D

Block Layouts Symbolic representation of machines Relative positions of machines in the shopfloor (7x4 grid)

Optimal Block Layout

Create Initial Random Solution Start Create Initial Random Solution All Possibilities Completed? Apply Pairwise Interchange Algorithm N Y Is the Solution Better? N Y Update Best Solution Is User Happy with the Best Solution? N Y Stop Report Best Solution

Aggregate Layout

Layout for Lucent Parts

Layout for ABB Parts

Layout for ITI and Ohaus Parts

Layout based on Aluminum Parts

Layout based on Cold Rolled Steel Parts

Migration Zones of Machines Region of movement of a particular machine when layouts created for different samples are superimposed. The smaller the migration zone the more robust the layout. 2 1 Migration Zone 3 4 5

Migration Zones

Migration Zones (contd)

Proposed Layout (1)

Proposed Layout (2)

Proposed Layout (3)

Criteria for Evaluation of Layouts Material handling cost Space utilization Aisle structure Order throughput times WIP Levels Last two points -- Needs time to develop a simulation model

Flow Intensity - Current Layout

Flow Intensity - Proposed Layout (1)

Flow Intensity - Proposed Layout (2)

Flow Intensity - Proposed Layout (3)

Benefits of Proposed Layouts Material Handling

Benefits of Proposed Layouts (contd) Space reclaimed New equipment, ex: Laser New department, ex: Paint Booth Visual (line-of-sight) scheduling WIP reduction Elimination of “junk” equipment

Contributions to Industrial Practice Multi-sample approach to generating block layouts Migration zones of machines Automated generation of From-To chart Integrated use of STORM and FactoryFlow for optimization support to user of FactoryFlow