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Unit 4: Process Selection and Facility Layout

5. Inspection is more frequent which result in higher supervision cost. Notes
6. It is difficult to fix responsibility for a defect or quality problem. The work moves in
different departments in which the machine preference is not fixed. Therefore, which
machine or which operator was faulty during a quality lapse may be difficult to trace in
some cases.

7. The production planning and control is relatively difficult.
With the changing perceptions of consumers, many feel that process layout is best limited to
cases where the volumes are so low and the differences between products are so great that line
flow processes, batching, and cellular manufacturing are not feasible.

4.6 Repetitive Product or Line Layout and its Design

A product layout is also called a line layout. In this type of arrangement, the various facilities,
such as machine, equipment, work force, etc., are located based on the sequence of operation on
parts. Where the facility is needed again after few other operations, the facility is duplicated as
required by the sequence of operations.
Product layout is used for continuous operations, where the part variety is less, production
volume is high and part demand is relatively stable.

Case Study Ford’s Assembly Line

hough Ransom E. Olds created the first assembly line in 1901, Henry Ford is
recognized for revolutionizing industry by mass-producing automobiles. Ford
Timproved upon Olds' assembly line idea by installing conveyor belts and converting
Olds' idea into a moving assembly line. According to Ford, he developed the idea by
watching the sequence of operations in a meat factory. By using a moving assembly line,
Ford was able to cut the time of manufacturing a Model T from a day and a half to a mere
ninety minutes. The assembly line concept has remained more or less similar since 1913.
The assembly line concept is applicable on products that can be produced with identical
parts. Since each part is identical and can be replaced with an identical part, the entire
production sequence can be predetermined in careful detail. This permits each task to be
minutely studied by engineers and managers to find ways to make the sequence quicker
and cheaper.
Question

What was different in Ford's approach? What were its advantages?

Using better work methods, specialized equipment and tools, and extensive employee training
the speed of producing the product can be increased and the cost decreased. This is the basic
concept of the assembly line.

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