Improving the Throughput of Pipe and Tube Production: A Case Study

Abstract

The facility layout is an important issue affecting the productivity of manufacturing systems. For an organization to have an effective and efficient manufacturing unit special attention must be given to facility layout. Well-designed facilities result in efficient materials handling reduced resource transportation times and decreased production cycle times. Besides effective layouts are known to greatly impact operational performance. Improving the facility layout considering the flow amounts between machines improves the performance of the system. Designing an optimal layout provides the efficiency of material handling and reduces the distance traveled. In this study the locations and quantities of the work in process (WIP) inventory areas and the locations of the machines are determined. Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) is used for formulating and representing the problem. The objective function of the mathematical model is to minimize distances between the machines with high material flows. The mathematical model is solved using an optimization program. The iterative heuristic algorithm using the same optimization approach is designed as an alternative solution method to develop the mathematical model. In addition to the layout optimization the amount and the size of WIP inventory areas are calculated using the daily production plan. The results of the study are put together in an applicable user-friendly and adaptable Decision Support System (DSS). The new plant layout has been compared with the current plant layout using the DSS. The company will produce more effectively with less material handling using the DSS. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.