Minimizing Employee Walking through Clustering of Tools in Fixed-Position Layouts

Abstract

The objective of this research work was to study the performance of fixed-position layouts when working with different tools. We developed a computational model to obtain two performance indicators, the distance traveled and the training costs of employees. A Simulated Annealing algorithm was specifically developed and embedded in the developed model to define the best types of tools that minimize the total distance traveled. The results indicate that it is statistically advantageous to group different types of tools in carts, not only to reduce displacement but also to reduce the costs for training employees. Moreover, increasing the number of working centers, in most cases, contributes to a reduction in the distance traveled. There is no evidence that training costs increase as the number of components increases, and it is observed that the number of components has a negative influence on the performance.