- 20 Marks
Question
The layout of an operation is concerned with the physical location of its transforming resources. It concerns the decision to put all the facilities, machines, equipment, and staff into the operation. After the process type has been selected, the basic layout type needs to be selected.
Required:
Explain the following; giving an example each:
a) Fixed-position layout. (7 marks)
b) Process layout. (6 marks)
c) Product layout. (7 marks)
Answer
a) Fixed-position Layout:
Fixed-position layout is the type of layout where the product being manufactured remains fixed at a given place, and materials, people, and equipment in the transformation process are transported to it. This is necessary because the product is too large, too delicate, or otherwise impractical to move.
Examples:
- Monitoring construction: The product (e.g., a building) is too large to move.
- Open-heart surgery: The patient is too delicate to move. (7 Marks)
b) Process Layout:
Process layout is so named because the needs and convenience of the transforming resources, which constitute the processes in the operation, dominate the layout decision. Similar processes (or processes with similar needs) are located together for efficiency. Products or customers will take different routes through the operation based on their specific needs.
Examples:
- Hospital: Some processes, like X-ray machines and laboratories, are required by various types of patients.
- Supermarket: Some processes, such as areas holding tinned vegetables, are convenient to restock if grouped together. (6 Marks)
c) Product Layout:
Product layout (sometimes called line-flow layout) refers to the type of layout in which workstations or departments are arranged in a linear path. The customer or product flows in a smooth, continuous flow, with resources arranged around the customer’s or product’s route. The key feature is that resources are placed to maximize product flow, typically seen in assembly lines.
Examples:
- Vehicle assembly: Most variants of the same model require the same sequence of processes.
- Self-Service Cafeteria: Generally, the sequence of customers’ requirements is common to all customers, and the layout helps control customer flow. (7 Marks)
Total: 20 Marks
- Tags: Fixed Position Layout, Operation Layout, Process Layout, Product Layout
- Level: Level 1
- Topic: Operations strategy
- Series: NOV 2015
- Uploader: Dotse