PLANT DISTRIBUTION: TYPES, METHODOLOGY, PRINCIPLES, OBJECTIVES - DUDAS - 2024

The plant layout consists of the physical arrangement of all the materials of an organization. This includes all the spaces intended for the company's industrial and / or commercial production, such as the factory, offices or warehouses.

The design of the plant is a very important requirement to be able to improve the efficiency of all operations. Therefore, the distribution has to be thought from the moment in which the location of the company is decided.

Once completed, the beginning of the organization's activities will show if there are problems that slow down or make it impossible to succeed on some issues, which should lead to a possible redistribution of the plant.

This can also occur in the event of major changes in the company's activity, such as the introduction of new products or services, a possible expansion, changes in departments, or the creation of new plants.

Types

There are three types of plant distribution: by fixed position, by process and by product.

Distribution by fixed position

In this distribution, the materials are kept in a fixed position, and the rest of the factors are placed around them. That is, workers and machines are temporarily installed around the main elements of the particular process that is being manufactured or assembled.

The same occurs with materials in the process of being finished, which are also located at the place of assembly or manufacture.

This type of distribution is very unstable and can be influenced by many external conditions, for example, the weather.

As for the workforce, it is usually not very qualified. In this case, it is generally a question of teams of construction workers, for example, in the construction of buildings, ships, electrical towers, etc. The incentives are usually individual.

Distribution by process.

In this type, the ordering is done around the process operation types. That is, activities of the same nature, or similar functions are carried out together.

In this sense, workers work together according to their jobs. The materials in the process of manufacture must be moved between the different positions within the same department or section, or from this to another that corresponds to it. They are not fixed, as happened in the distribution by fixed position.

This case is the most suitable for custom or variable fabrications, as it is very versatile. Parts of the work process are scheduled based on the positions that best fit them.

The fact that there is an error in one of the phases does not influence the rest, so there are usually no manufacturing delays.

The incentives are individual, depending on the performance and productivity of each worker. These must be highly qualified, since they are not usually highly automated or repetitive activities.

An example of this distribution can be a mechanical workshop distributed by sections according to function: turners, milling machines, drills, etc.

Distribution by product

In this case, the materials are moved from one activity to another according to a specific manufacturing process.

This is the case of assembly lines, where each phase is previously organized in a complete, repetitive and continuous manufacturing process. In this way, this distribution makes perfect use of the available space.

Materials, therefore, are moved from one job to another, and it is usually in minimal quantities (without stored parts), less handled and transported, and with highly automated machines.

In this case, the distribution is not very versatile, since it is designed for a specific manufacture. A change in production should change the distribution.

Continuity in operation is one of the great challenges of this arrangement, since the time of each operation must be the same.

Otherwise, it is necessary to have several workers who perform the same function. If there is a setback in one of the positions, it would stop the whole process, being united to the rest.

As for the incentives, they are usually group, since the jobs are completely linked to each other. The workforce does not usually have to be highly qualified, since the machinery in these cases is expensive and highly automated. Times are usually shorter than other distributions.

Methodology

Achieving a successful distribution depends on several factors that we are going to analyze:

The weight, volume and mobility of the product

The difficulty or ease of handling of the product greatly influences the distribution. If the product is difficult to move, the less you have to do, the better.

Complexity

Another important factor is how complex the product is. If it is made up of many components, or if it requires few pieces to manufacture.

In case of being complex, it is advisable that the arrangement takes place in a reduced space, in order to speed up the process. An example would be a car manufacturing chain.

The length of the process and its handling

If handling materials takes up a large part of the total process time, reducing it often leads to higher productivity in the process.

Mass production

When using automated machinery, the production volume is greatly increased. As there is greater production, more workers will dedicate themselves to transporting the components

Beginning

The basic principles of any plant layout are the following:

1. Principle of satisfaction and security.

The ordering will be more effective the happier and safer the employees are.

1. Principle of integration of the parties

The more integrated and together all parts of the process are, the more efficient it will be.

1. Minimum distance principle

Generally, the less distance the material has to travel throughout the process, the better.

1. Principle of material flow.

The distribution generally has to order each section so that the activities are in the same sequence as their transformation, treatment or assembly.

1. Principle of cubic space.

The ordering must be done so that the space is used effectively.

1. Principle of flexibility.

The easier it is to make a modification or redistribution, the better.

goals

The general objective of any distribution could be summarized in achieving the best design and arrangement in order to optimize operations, safety and worker satisfaction.

As specific objectives to achieve this goal, we can cite several:

- Reduction of risks for employees.

- Reduce delays.

- Reduce manufacturing times.

- Increase the motivation of the workforce.

- Achieve greater efficiency of the space used.

- Increase productivity.

- Reduce materials.

- Achieve greater flexibility for changes.

References

1. Konz, S. (1987). Design of industrial facilities. Mexico: Limusa SA
2. Maynard, H. (1987). Industrial Engineering Handbook. New York: McGraw Hill.
3. University of Castilla la Mancha (UCLM). (sf). uclm.es. Obtained from prev.uclm.es.
4. University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC). (sf). Obtained from library.utec.edu.sv