Which layout type suits you?

Answer a few yes-or-no questions about what you make and get guidance on the type of plant layout.

How it works

You answer three yes-or-no questions and the tool points you toward one of the four classic layout types:

1. Is the product large, heavy or hard to move? If yes, fixed position: the product stays put and people and machines move.
2. If not, do you make a high, stable volume of one or a few products, always with the same sequence of steps? If not, process (functional) layout: machines are grouped by type of operation.
3. If yes, does the same operator run several different machines to complete each part? If yes, cellular; if not (each station always repeats the same task), product (in-line).

The decision tree is a simplification by this site to help you get oriented: it does not replace the analysis of flows, volumes and material-handling costs that a layout study performs (for example with SLP). The definitions of each type do come from the sources.

If you prefer to work in Excel, there is a flow matrix between areas in Excel with these same calculations.

Sources

These are the ones from the article where the theory behind this tool is developed.

How do the four types differ, and what is the SLP method? It is in the article Plant layout.