Plant Layout & Material Flow Flashcards

Which layout type is BEST suited for high-volume, low-variety production?

Answer: Product (line) layout

Product layouts arrange equipment in the sequence of operations for a specific product, enabling efficient high-volume, low-variety production.

In a from-to chart used for plant layout, what does each cell value typically represent?

Answer: Number of trips between departments per period

A from-to chart records the number of loads or trips moved between each pair of departments, helping planners minimize total material handling.

Which of the following is a primary advantage of a U-shaped production line over a straight line?

Answer: Easier balancing and flexible staffing levels

U-shaped lines allow workers to cover multiple stations and adjust headcount easily while keeping material flow compact.

A plant manager wants to reduce aisle congestion. Which metric should be analyzed first?

Answer: Aisle traffic density (loads per hour per aisle segment)

Measuring loads per hour through each aisle segment identifies bottleneck aisles and guides redesign decisions.

The 'closeness rating' in a Relationship Chart (REL chart) is used to indicate:

Answer: Desirability of locating two departments close together

REL chart closeness ratings (A, E, I, O, U, X) express how important it is for two departments to be adjacent based on workflow and safety.

Which material handling principle states that materials should travel the shortest possible distance?

Answer: Move distance minimization principle

The move distance minimization principle directs designers to arrange equipment and departments to shorten travel paths and reduce handling time.

In a lean plant layout, supermarkets (buffer stock locations) are placed:

Answer: Between processes to control pull-based flow

Lean supermarkets are positioned between process steps to allow downstream operations to pull inventory on demand, controlling WIP.