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Sem 5 Prep
← OperationsPlant layout: principles and types

Formulas for this chapter

Floor and cubic space

Floor area = length x width Cubic space = floor area x clear height

Sizing departments and testing the cubic space utilisation principle. Add 15 to 25 % to floor area for aisles and services in a real layout.

clear height
Usable height under the roof structure
floor area
Departmental area, before aisle allowance

Material handling cost of a layout

Annual handling cost = volume x distance per unit x cost per unit-distance

Comparing two layouts. Work with the distance saved rather than costing both layouts in full.

volume
Units moved per year
distance per unit
Total travel of one unit through the layout
cost per unit-distance
Handling charge per unit per metre
Step 1 of 23
The ideaTheory

Where you put the sink

In a kitchen, the fridge, the chopping board, the stove and the sink each work fine on their own. What decides how fast dinner arrives is how far apart they are and in what order.

Layout is not about the machines. It is about the walking between them.

Every rupee of material handling is a rupee that adds no value at all, which is why the entire topic is about moving things less.

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