| Article ID: | iaor20108668 |
| Volume: | 8 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Start Page Number: | 92 |
| End Page Number: | 107 |
| Publication Date: | Dec 2011 |
| Journal: | International Journal of Services and Operations Management |
| Authors: | Jayachitra R, Prasad P S S |
| Keywords: | cellular manufacturing, layout |
Layout design and planning is becoming critical due to shorter product life cycles and highly dynamic demand conditions. In this context, cellular layouts are proposed over traditional layouts like product and functional layouts. But cellular layouts need a complete relocation of resources, which consume time and money. This paper studies the relative performance of virtual cellular layout, functional layout and cellular layout of an automotive component manufacturing industry. A simulation model representing the industry is built in WITNESS 2006 to study the layouts. The results indicate that the performance of virtual cellular layout is relatively superior to that of functional layout and marginally inferior to cellular layout in terms of cost and other performance.