A facility layout method for flexible manufacturing systems

The facility layout of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) involves the positioning of cells within given boundaries, so as to minimize the total projected travel time between cells. Defining the layout includes specifying the spatial coordinates of each cell, its orientation in either a horizontal or vertical position, and the location of its load/unload point. This problem is referred to as the FMS facility layout problem (FLP). The paper presents a four-step heuristic methodology for solving the FLP. This heuristic combines variable partitioning and integer programming methods to generate an open field type of layout.