DESIGN PLANT LAYOUT FOR AUTO WORKSHOP

By
NAME SID
Emmanuel Ofori 01212984D
Abraham Abbey 01211649D
Francis Gyan 01213081D
Edmund Abbey 01211847D
Tahiru Mumuni 01211605D
Emmanuel Kenney 01214252D

RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT

OCTOBER, 2023

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ABSTRACT
Paper aims: This research proposes a new facility layout for an auto-workshop based on guidelines for
Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) and Lean Manufacturing (LM).
Originality: This paper provides an original industrial case study with valuable insights for practitioners
interested in layout redesign. The obtained results encourage assuming its transferability to similar situations
than auto workshop industry.
Research method: To showcase the application of LM on plant layout design, a mechanical Industries’
facility is selected. Information is collected through multiple site visits and semi-structured interviews with
the company’s key staff, as well as examination of relevant company documentations.
Main findings: Some of the expected results include costs reduction handling, unnecessary movements
reduction and less arrangement adjustments.
This proposal report outlines a comprehensive analysis and redesign strategy for the plant layout of an auto
workshop. Recognizing the critical impact of an efficient plant layout on productivity and operational costs,
the report aims to identify current bottlenecks, spatial inefficiencies, and workflow constraints within the
existing layout. Through a combination of data-driven assessment, stakeholder collaboration, and industry
best practices, our proposed redesign seeks to optimize space utilization, enhance workflow processes, and
ultimately improve overall operational efficiency. The report also outlines the anticipated benefits,
implementation timeline, and cost considerations associated with the proposed plant layout changes,
providing a holistic view of the potential improvements to be realized.

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1 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND/HISTORY
Among the strategies to reach customers’ expectations and to increase competitiveness in the modern
market, Lean Manufacturing (LM) stands out as it provides greater flexibility, quality, and responsiveness to
a production system. LM has proven to be an effective operations management strategy, which helps
companies to adapt their value chain to market demand through continuous improvement. One of the main
applications of LM concerns “plant layout optimization”. Regardless of the company’s size, its “layout
design” is decisive for achieving greater efficiency in materials handling and, consequently, for reducing
manufacturing costs (i.e., material handling costs).
Determining the layout of a manufacturing system might be challenging since the most efficient shop floor
arrangement depends on unequal requirements of different natures and departments within a facility
Moreover, this decision can be affected by several factors such as the kind and the complexity of the product
to be made, the quality of the raw materials, the complexity of the manufacturing process, the available shop
floor area, and the arrangement of departments constituting the production process among other decisions.
In the past, plant layout modifications were triggered after there was a need for change, and companies grew
in a disorderly and disorganized way. For example, every time a newly purchased equipment was acquired,
the existing production facility layout had to be rearranged to accommodate that equipment. Most of the
time, equipment’s were arranged according to space availability or in the most convenient way. Overtime,
the layout’s planning received more attention, especially after researchers acknowledged the layout
contribution to improving production management performance. Then, it became important to know how
companies were affected by different variations in their physical assets configurations.
Since the beginning of industrialization, companies have attempted to create efficient layouts design, and
many methods have been utilized by manufacturing engineers to come up with the most efficient facility
arrangement. The first Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) was developed by Richard Muther in 1973.
Muther’s idea was to develop a procedural method to identify, evaluate and visualize areas, equipment and
machines involved in planning the physical arrangement (Muther, 1973). Since then, several studies have
applied Muther’s SLP for layout designs.

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1.1 OBJECTIVES OF PLANT LAYOUT
The objectives of plant layout design are to create an efficient and effective arrangement of facilities,
equipment, and personnel within a manufacturing or industrial setting. These objectives are aimed at
improving overall productivity, safety, and operational performance. Here are the key objectives of plant
layout:
Optimize Space Utilization: Make the most efficient use of available space to accommodate all necessary
facilities, equipment, and processes while minimizing wasted space.
Maximize Efficiency: Streamline the workflow and production processes to reduce material handling,
production bottlenecks, and waiting times, ultimately increasing the efficiency of operations.
Enhance Productivity: Increase the production output by minimizing production delays, reducing setup
times, and improving equipment utilization.
Improve Safety: Design the layout to minimize safety hazards and create a safer working environment for
employees. Ensure that emergency exits and safety equipment are easily accessible.
Enhance Ergonomics: Create workstations and layouts that consider ergonomics to reduce strain on
workers, improve job satisfaction, and minimize the risk of work-related injuries.
Reduce Costs: Lower operational costs by reducing material handling costs, energy consumption, and
waste. An efficient layout can lead to cost savings.
Minimize Lead Times: Decrease the time it takes to complete a production cycle by arranging workstations
in a logical sequence and reducing wait times between processes.
Facilitate Communication and Collaboration: Design the layout to encourage better communication and
collaboration among employees, which can lead to improved problem-solving and decision-making.
Adapt to Changes: Create a flexible layout that can easily adapt to changes in production requirements,
technology, or market demands.
Ensure Regulatory Compliance: Design the layout to comply with all safety, environmental, and industry-
specific regulations and standards.
Enhance Quality Control: Improve product quality by organizing the layout to facilitate quality control and
inspection at critical points in the production process.
Minimize Material Handling: Reduce the need for unnecessary material handling and transportation of
goods within the facility, which can lead to cost savings and reduced risk of damage.
Facilitate Maintenance: Ensure that equipment and machinery are easily accessible for maintenance and
repair, reducing downtime and increasing the lifespan of assets.
Enhance Employee Satisfaction: Create a layout that considers the comfort and well-being of employees,
which can lead to higher job satisfaction and better retention rates.
Improve Customer Service: Enhance the ability to meet customer demand promptly by reducing lead times
and improving order fulfilment processes.
Reduce Environmental Impact: Design the layout with environmental sustainability in mind, aiming to
minimize waste, energy consumption, and emissions.
Promote a Lean Manufacturing Environment: Implement lean principles in the layout design to reduce
waste, improve process flow, and increase overall efficiency.
These objectives should guide the design and continuous improvement of a plant layout to create a
workspace that contributes to the overall success of the organization. The specific objectives may vary
depending on the industry, organization, and specific production processes involved.
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1.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF PLANT LAYOUT
Plant layout is of significant importance to manufacturing and industrial facilities for several reasons. Its
impact extends to various aspects of operations, safety, efficiency, and overall productivity. Here are the key
significances of plant layout:
Optimal Space Utilization: Efficient plant layout ensures the most effective and efficient use of available
space, minimizing waste and reducing the need for excess real estate.
Enhanced Productivity: An optimized layout minimizes material handling, bottlenecks, and waiting times,
resulting in improved production efficiency and increased output.
Reduced Operational Costs: By minimizing material handling, energy consumption, and waste, plant
layout contributes to cost reduction and improved profitability.
Improved Safety: A well-designed layout minimizes safety hazards, reduces the risk of accidents, and
ensures that emergency exits and safety equipment are easily accessible.
Streamlined Workflow: Effective layout planning facilitates a logical sequence of workstations and
processes, reducing production delays and increasing workflow efficiency.
Shortened Lead Times: Reduced lead times are achieved by minimizing the time it takes to complete
production cycles and getting products to market faster.
Enhanced Ergonomics: Consideration of ergonomics in layout design reduces physical strain on workers,
improves job satisfaction, and decreases the risk of work-related injuries.
Improved Quality Control: Properly organized layouts facilitate quality control and inspection at critical
points in the production process, leading to better product quality.
Flexibility and Adaptability: An adaptable layout can easily accommodate changes in production
requirements, market demands, or technological advancements.
Compliance with Regulations: Ensuring that the layout complies with safety, environmental, and industry-
specific regulations and standards is essential for avoiding legal issues and penalties.
Effective Maintenance: Accessible equipment and machinery make maintenance and repair more efficient,
reducing downtime and extending the lifespan of assets.
Employee Satisfaction: A well-designed layout takes into account the comfort and well-being of
employees, leading to higher job satisfaction and better retention rates.
Improved Customer Service: Faster production and shorter lead times enable companies to meet customer
demand more promptly, enhancing customer service and satisfaction.
Environmental Sustainability: Plant layouts designed with sustainability in mind help reduce waste,
energy consumption, and emissions, contributing to a lower environmental impact.
Lean Manufacturing Practices: Lean principles, such as reducing waste and improving process flow, are
easier to implement in a well-structured plant layout.
Reduction in Material Handling: Minimizing the need for material handling and internal transportation of
goods not only saves time and money but also reduces the risk of damage to products.
Competitive Advantage: An efficient plant layout can provide a competitive edge by offering lower
production costs, better product quality, and faster response to market changes.
Facilitated Communication and Collaboration: Well-planned layouts encourage better communication
and collaboration among employees, which can lead to improved problem-solving and decision-making.

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2 CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
According to Dongre & Mohite (2015), a company’s productivity might be highly affected by its facility
layout. It is estimated that material flow cost contributes from 30 to 70% of the total manufacturing cost of
a product (Naqvi et al., 2016). Thus, it becomes critical that facilities’ arrangement is organized effectively
through a systematic methodology, also known as SLP. Among the strategies for SLP, Lean Manufacturing
(LM) stands out as a successful alternative to design facility plants, especially for improving productivity,
operation control and material handling (Pattanaik & Sharma, 2009; De Carlo et al., 2013). Gnanavel et al.
(2015) state that a good LM layout design minimizes the distance travelled by personnel (i.e., motion) and
material flows (i.e., transport).
Layout planning and development might be considered time-consuming and a difficult task. However,
there is a technique for Plant layout design. This technique of plant design layout is product family
identification. Rother & Shook (2003) define it as a technique tool to gather a group of products with
similar processing steps and work contents. To identify and distinguish product families.

The literature discusses various types of plant layouts, including process layout, product layout, and cellular
layout. The choice of layout depends on the specific production requirements of the facility.
 Factors Influencing Plant Layout:
Numerous factors influence plant layout, such as product design, production volume, material handling,
safety regulations, and worker comfort. Flexibility in layout design is important to accommodate changes in
product demand and technology.
 Methods for Plant Layout Design:
Several methods are used to design plant layouts, such as mathematical models, computer-aided design
(CAD) software, and simulation tools. Researchers have proposed optimization algorithms and heuristics to
improve layout designs.
 Objectives of Plant Layout:
The primary objectives of plant layout include minimizing material handling, reducing production cycle
times, and enhancing worker safety. Layout designs aim to achieve a balance between conflicting objectives,
such as reducing travel distances and maintaining clear production paths.
 Lean Manufacturing and Plant Layout:
Lean manufacturing principles emphasize eliminating waste in production processes. The literature explores
how plant layout can support lean initiatives by reducing unnecessary movements, inventory, and
overproduction.
 Case Studies and Best Practices:
Many studies provide real-world examples of plant layout improvements in various industries, highlighting
the positive impact on production efficiency and cost reduction.
 Human Factors and Ergonomics:
An ergonomic plant layout takes into account the well-being and safety of workers. The literature discusses
how ergonomics can enhance productivity and reduce workplace injuries.

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  Simulation and Virtual Reality:
Advances in technology have enabled the use of simulation and virtual reality to optimize plant layouts.
These tools allow designers to test different layouts before implementation.
 Sustainable Plant Layout:
Sustainable manufacturing practices, such as green plant design, are increasingly important. Researchers
explore how plant layout can reduce energy consumption and minimize environmental impacts.
 Challenges and Future Directions:
The literature acknowledges challenges in plant layout design, including changing product lines, evolving
technology, and the need for adaptability. Future research directions may involve integrating Industry 4.0
technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence, to further enhance plant layout
optimization.

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3 CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Plant layout is a mechanism which involves knowledge of the space requirements for the facilities and also
involves their proper arrangement so that continuous and steady movement of the production cycle takes
place.
Plant layout embraces the physical arrangement of industrial facilities. This arrangement, either installed or
in plan, includes the space needed for material movement, storage, indirect labor and all other supporting
activities or services, as well as for office equipment and personnel.
Plant layout is the arrangement of machines, work areas and service areas within a factory. Plant layout
involves the development of physical relationship among building, equipment and production operations,
which will enable the manufacturing process to be carried on efficiently.
Plant layout methodology involves a systematic approach to organizing and arranging physical facilities and
resources within an industrial plant. Here's a concise overview:

1. Data Collection:
- Gather information on production processes, equipment, material flow, and personnel requirements.

2. Objective Definition:
- Clearly define the goals of the plant layout, considering factors like efficiency, safety, flexibility, and
cost-effectiveness.

3. Space Planning:
- Utilize space efficiently by considering the relationships between departments, workstations, and storage
areas.

4. Flow Analysis:
- Analyze the flow of materials, information, and people to minimize bottlenecks and optimize the
sequence of operations.

5. Equipment Placement:
- Strategically place machinery and equipment to support a smooth and logical workflow, considering
safety and maintenance requirements.

6. Flexibility Considerations:
- Design the layout with flexibility in mind to accommodate changes in production processes or
technological advancements.

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7. Ergonomics:
- Prioritize ergonomic considerations to ensure a comfortable and safe working environment for
employees.

8. Safety Measures:
- Implement safety protocols and guidelines, considering the placement of emergency exits, firefighting
equipment, and other safety measures.

9. Utilities and Support Services:

10.*Feedback and Iteration:

11. Documentation:
- Create detailed documentation of the finalized plant layout, including floor plans, equipment lists, and
any other relevant information.

12. Implementation and Monitoring:

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