An efficient algorithm for unequal area facilities layout planning with input and output points

ABSTRACT

The facility layout problem is to determine a layout design of facilities so as to minimize a total material handling cost (TMHC). In this paper, unequal area rectangular facilities with fixed dimensions are considered. Each of them has an input and output (I/O) points which can be located within or on the boundaries of facility. On the continual plane, facilities must be placed without overlaps. A two-heuristic algorithm is proposed to deal with this kind of problem. The first step is based on a construction method which places facilities sequentially. A median method is modified to set the position of facility. The second step improves a result of the first step. A facility group which can be moved horizontally or vertically without incurring an overlap is constituted and a group movement is done when it reduces a TMHC. Computational experiments show the proposed algorithm produces comparable quality of layouts to previous research within much shorter time.

KEYWORDS:

• Facility layout problem
• unequal area facility
• input and output points
• modified median method
• group movement

Acknowledgments

This work was partly supported by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Agency for Defense Development under the contract (UD110006MD) and National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (S1106-16-1001, the development of the Shipyard IHOP process standard simulator and decision support system).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.