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Operations Sequence Analysis

The document discusses operations sequence analysis as a heuristic method for optimizing workcenter layouts by minimizing the distance between departments based on interdepartmental traffic. It illustrates the process using a college layout example, detailing how to calculate flow distances and make adjustments to improve the layout iteratively. The final layout achieved a significant reduction in total flow distance, demonstrating the effectiveness of the heuristic approach.

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Naveen Bharath
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26 views

Operations Sequence Analysis

The document discusses operations sequence analysis as a heuristic method for optimizing workcenter layouts by minimizing the distance between departments based on interdepartmental traffic. It illustrates the process using a college layout example, detailing how to calculate flow distances and make adjustments to improve the layout iteratively. The final layout achieved a significant reduction in total flow distance, demonstrating the effectiveness of the heuristic approach.

Uploaded by

Naveen Bharath
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Operations Sequence Analysis – For improving Process Layout

The most common approach to developing a workcenter layout is to arrange


workcenters consisting of like processes in a way that optimizes their relative
placement. In many installations, optimal placement often means placing
workcenters with large amounts of interdepartment traffic adjacent to one another.
A dramatic and physical example of a service process layout is a university campus
with buildings dedicated to various disciplines, giving students the flexibility of
choosing classes from among them. The relative location problem can be seen in the
layout of the campus. For both student and faculty convenience, we would expect
selected departments such as engineering and physical sciences to be in close
proximity to each other, while perhaps economics and business administration would
be located together in another area. The library and administration offices would be
located in a central part of the campus. One possible objective for selecting such a
layout would be to minimize the total distance traveled by faculty, staff, and students
between all pairs of departments. Many different layouts are possible, however. In
fact, if we have identified n departments to be assigned to n locations, then n
factorial layouts (i.e., 3,628,800 layouts for 10 departments) are possible. Because
finding the best layout among these possibilities is beyond complete enumeration,
we will use a heuristic approach to finding a good layout
Operations sequence analysis is a heuristic used to identify a good layout for this
relative location problem. This method uses as input the matrix of flows between
departments and a grid showing the geographic center location for department
assignments.
The heuristic begins with an initial layout, which could be arbitrary or based on
judgment or past experience. In this method, the grid is considered as 1 x 1 box and
we assume the diagonal distance also to be one. Hence all adjacent departments
are assumed to be one distance away. For example, if we consider an initial layout
of
A B C

D E F

For department A, departments B, D, and E are adjacent and one distance away.
Departments C and F are two distances away.
Similarly for Department D, department A, B, and E are adjacent and one distance
away. Departments C and F are two distances away.
Since adjacent departments cannot be moved any closer than they are, the flow
between adjacent departments are not considered.
For nonadjacent departments, the flow between them is multiplied by the number of
grids that separate them. These products are summed to arrive at a total flow
distance for the initial layout.
For example, in the given layout, Deparments A and C, A and F, D and C and D and
F are non-adjacent and are two distance away. By multiplying the flow between
these departments and the distance and adding together, we get the total flow
distance for the layout. After calculating the flow distance, the two non-adjacent
departments that contribute the highest for the flow diatance is selected and
considered for making them adjacent by interchanging with one of the adjacent
departments. The flow diatance for the revised layout is calculated. The process is
repeated till there is scope for improvement.
Let us consider the following example to understand how operations sequence
analysis works.
A college with six departments has to design the layout of these departments to
minimize the distance that students need to walk between classes. Based on the
registration patterns, the daily flow of students between these departments in
hundreds is shown in table 1. The initial layout is given in Figure 1. Using operations
sequence analysis, improve the layout that will minimize the total distance that
students need to walk.
Table 1. Interdepartmental flow Fig. 1. Initial layout
A B C D E F
A - 6 4 8 7 1
B 6 - 2 3 9 5 A B C
C 6 1 - 12 3 4 D E F
D 3 2 10 - 2 5
E 7 11 2 3 - 6
F 6 2 8 10 2 -

The interdepartmental flow matrix is converted into triangular matrix by adding the
flow from and to a department. For example, the flow from A to B is 6 and flow from
B to A is 6.
Therefore, the flow between A and B = 6+6 = 12, Similarly we can find the flow
between all the departments and find the triangular matrix as shown below.
A B C D E F
A 12 10 1 14 7
1
B 3 5 20 7
C 2 5 12
2
D 5 15
E 8
F
A B C A B C D E F
D E F A 12 10 11 1 7
4
B 3 5 2 7
0
C 22 5 12
D 5 15
E 8
F
In the above initial layout, we can calculate the flow distance by multiplying non-
adjacent departments and their distance and adding them together
AC 10 x 2 = 20
AF 7 x 2 = 14
DC 22 x 2 = 44
DF 15 x 2 = 30
Total = 108
Now, Departments D and C with a interdepartmental flow of 22 contributes the most
to the total flow distance. To move them close to each other, we can bring D close to
C by interchanging D with one of the departments adjacent to C
B, E, F are the departments adjacent to C. Let us check the flow of these
departments with C to find the best candidate for exchange
CB - 3 ; CE - 5 ; CF -12
From this we can find that departments B has the least flow of 3 and hence can be
considered. When B is interchanged with D, B will move away from F also. Hence let
us check the flow of B and F ; BF – 7 which is low.
Hence we can interchange B and D. After interchange, the layout becomes
A D C
B E F

Flow distance for the above layout is


AC 10 x 2 = 20
AF 7 x 2 = 14
BC 3 x 2 = 6
BF 7 x 2 = 14
Total = 54
There is a drastic improvement in the flow distance after the interchange. It has
reduced from 108 to 54. Let us check whether further improvement is possible.
A D C A B C D E F
B E F A 12 10 1 14 7
1
B 3 5 20 7
C 2 5 12
2
D 5 15
E 8

AC with the flow of 10 is the largest contributor to total flow distance. Let us consider
interchanging C with one of the departments adjacent to A.
AD – 11; AB – 12; AE – 14; Alll these flows are higher than 10 and hence not
considered.
Let us also consider interchanging A with one of the departments adjacent to C
CD – 22; CE – 5; CF – 12; Of these C and E has the least flow. If we exchange A
with E, E will move away from F. The flow between E and F is 8 which is less than
10. Let us exchange and check whether there is improvement
E D C
B A F

EC 5 x 2 = 10
EF 8 x 2 = 16
BC 3 x 2 = 6
BF 7 x 2 = 14
Total = 46
We can see that EF with the flow of 8 is the largest contributor to total flow distance.
Let us consider interchanging F with one of the departments adjacent to E.
ED -5; EB – 20; EA – 14; least – ED. . If we exchange D with F, D will move away
from B.The flow between D and B is 5. Let us exchange and check whether there is
any improvement.
E F C
B A D

EC 5 x 2 = 10
ED 5 x 2 = 10
BC 3 x 2 = 6
BD 5 x 2 = 10
Total = 36
We can find that 5 is the largest value in the above layout. From the triangular matrix
we can find that values below that above (5, 5, 3, 5 ) are not possible. Hence we can
stop and use the above layout as the final layout.

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