Layout Planning - Facility Layout

Layout planning occurs at three levels of detail: 

1. Layout of departments on the site

For a public house, as an example, this would concern the sizing and positioning of the public bar, the lounge bar, toilets, kitchen, and storeroom within the confines of the building used.

?2. Layout within departments

Continuing with the example, and considering the public bar, this would address the sizing and positioning of customer seating areas, the drinks counter, the food counter, slot machines, public telephone, passageways, etc.

?3. Layout of workplaces

For the bar counter, say, this would determine the detailed layout of pumps for draught beers and other drinks, cash registers, sinks, shelves for bottled beers, spirits, wines and soft drinks, etc.

There are four well-established forms of facility layout:

• fixed-position
• process
• product and
• cell