Assignment 6 Chapter 6
Assignment 6 Chapter 6
ID# GR/1047/22
BUSA 510
Operations Management
Assignment 6 (Chapter 6)
1. What are the seven layout strategies presented in this chapter?
- Office layout
- Retail layout
- Warehouse layout
- Fixed-position layout
- Process-oriented layout
- Work-cell layout
- Product-oriented layout
2. What are the three factors that complicate a fixed-position layout?
- Limited space at site
- Different materials required at different stages of the project
- Volume of materials needed is dynamic
3. How is process layout applied to supermarkets layout? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this
type of layout for customers?
A process layout is a type of facility layout. Organizations often use process layouts to design floor plans
and arrange equipment for maximized efficiency. Plants with a process layout may arrange work stations,
machinery, tools and other equipment in groups according to the functions they perform. Typically, pieces
of equipment that perform a similar function fall in the same group, which is why professionals often term
these layouts as "functional layouts.
A well-planned supermarket layout has to be functional besides being visually appealing in nature. It
should cover all aspects from comfort and convenience to safety to ensure the success of the supermarket
business. it is more efficient to group resources based on their function. The products are then moved from
one resource to another, based on their unique needs.
Customers often visit the supermarket to grab a few things quickly if it is well designed supermarket.
Every aspect of a store's layout, be it the product display is important to have a nice layout to ensure better
customer satisfaction.
The challenge in process layouts is to arrange resources to maximize efficiency and minimize waste of
movement. If the process layout has not been designed properly, many products will have to be moved
long distances, damage may occur and often on a daily basis.
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of product layout?
Product layout efficiency is often enhanced through the use of line balancing. Line balancing is the assignment
of tasks to workstations in such a way that workstations have approximately equal time requirements. This
minimizes the amount of time that some workstations are idle, due to waiting on parts from an upstream
process or to avoid building up an inventory queue in front of a downstream process.
Advantages of product layouts include:
- Output. Product layouts can generate a large volume of products in a short time.
- Cost. Unit cost is low as a result of the high volume.
- Labor specialization results in reduced training time and cost.
- A wider span of supervision also reduces labor costs.
- Accounting, purchasing, and inventory control are routine. Because routing is fixed, less attention is
required.
- Utilization. There is a high degree of labor and equipment utilization.
Disadvantages of product layouts include:
- Motivation. The system's inherent division of labor can result in dull, repetitive jobs that can prove to be
quite stressful.
- Also, assembly-line layouts make it very hard to administer individual incentive plans.
- Flexibility. Product layouts are inflexible and cannot easily respond to required system changes—
especially changes in product or process design.
- System protection. The system is at risk from equipment breakdown, absenteeism, and downtime due to
preventive maintenance.
5. What are the four assumptions (or preconditions) of establishing layout for high volume, low-variety
products?
High equipment utilization,
demand must be predictable and stable,
investment in specialized equipment must be pre-justified,
raw materials must be adequate
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of work cells?
Reduced work in process inventory
Less floor space ruined
Reduced raw material and finished goods inventories
Reduced direct labor cost
Heightened sense of employee participation
Increased equipment and machinery utilization
Reduced investment in machinery and equipment
What are the main requirements of work cells?
Efficient work cells ensure a continuous process flow while removing various types of waste. Work cells
are at the heart of lean manufacturing and must be designed so that all elements of the process function
smoothly. Work cells are also designed for minimal wasted motion.