PLANT EXPANSION LAYOUT DEVELOPMENT

production floor space design

SERVICE AREA:

IMEG was hired by a precision manufacturing defense contractor to update their current plant layout and to create and evaluate proposed plant layouts to support the 32,000 square foot facility expansion. The customer wanted layouts that would support future production growth and enhance overall facility organization, all while minimizing implementation costs.

THE PROBLEM

No existing facility layout in AutoCAD
No existing machine or equipment footprints
Very dense current machine layout, limited operator mobility & visibility
Customer uncertainty about how to best utilize the new overhead cranes in the expansion
Machine to machine material flow unknown, and job routers only identified machine type not specific run locations
No standard material pack quantities
Nee to maximize floor space, minimize travel distance, and improve material flow
No way to objectively compare layout options based on the customer's key criteria

facility expansion planning

plant expansion layout development

THE PLAN

Field measure, sketch, and document the positioning of all building walls, columns, door locations, utilities, equipment locations and footprints, raw materials, in-process materials, finished goods, and the newly constructed expansion
Transfer all sketches and information to update the current facility layout in AutoCAD
Develop a part matrix to map out machine to machine material flow for each production part
Develop detailed proposed plant layout options
Calculate travel distance and floor space utilization for the current layout and each proposed layout option
Meet with the customer team to identify any concerns with certain machine movements and locations
Develop a revenue per square foot calculator to make revenue-based comparisons of different layout options based on the floor utilization
Analyze proposed layout options through IMEG's plant layout analysis tool to help the customer compare the layout options based on multiple factors including implementation costs, travel distance, floor space utilization, and other miscellaneous considerations

THE RESULTS

Machines grouped by the part programs they primarily run
Best utilization of the new overhead cranes in the expansion
Reduced travel distance for operators maintaining multiple machines
Improved material flow, including additional transport aisleways
Flexibility to adapt for future equipment purchases and planned increases in product volume with over 10,000 square feet of available manufacturing floor space