Dynamic From-Between Chart: A Solution to Dynamic Facility Layout Problems

According to [1], the material handling cost comprises about 20-50% of the total operating cost of the facility layout. Typical research on facility layout concentrate on static layout problems where from-to charts are used to evaluate the layout. These layouts are not flexible enough to accommodate any future changes in production. Research on dynamic facility layout also has used the concept of static from-to chart. A more efficient method of modifying the layout is to perform rearrangement whenever there are changes in production rates or product mix. This necessitates a development of methodology that exactly reflects these uncertainties. This paper introduces the concept of dynamic from-between chart to determine the layout redesign points. An algorithm that minimizes the total cost of material handling and redesign has also been developed. A genetic algorithm approach is then used to validate the use of dynamic from-between chart. Effectiveness of the developed methodology is illustrated using a case study that resulted in a consistently improved performance compared to traditional methods in terms of cost.