The application of queuing theory in the analysis of plant layout

Abstract

In certain manufacturing categories the type of plant layout to adopt is determined by the type of production process. However, within multi‐product mid‐volume environments the type of plant layout to select is not as obvious, with recent trends indicating that the more traditional functional layout is being replaced by a cellular approach. Aims to provide an insight into the performance of contrasting approaches to plant layout by developing generic mathematical models, based on queuing theory, to examine the limitations and ability of each layout. Subsequently optimizes the models in terms of cost, size and scheduling effectiveness, within a common framework.