Plant Design & Layout

Plant layout is primarily concerned with the internal set up of an enterprise in a proper
manner. It is concerned with the orderly and proper arrangement and use of available
resources viz., men, money, machines, materials and methods of production inside the
factory. A well designed plant layout is concerned with maximum and effective utilisation of
available resources at minimum operating costs.

It is on account of continuous manufacturing and technological improvements taking place

necessitating quick and immediate changes in production processes and designs. A new
layout may be necessary because of technological changes in the products as well as simple
change in processes, machines, methods and materials.

A new layout also becomes necessary when the existing layout becomes ineffective and poor
or is not conducive to the changed circumstances. There are certain indications which raise
alarm for immediate changes in the existing layout of plant.

These indications may be in the form of excessive manufacturing time, improper storage,
lack of control over materials and employees, poor customer service, excessive work in
progress and work stoppages etc.

Plant layout is the arrangement of machines, work areas and service areas within a factory.
George R. Terry

Plant layout involves the development of physical relationship among building, equipment
and production operations, which will enable the manufacturing process to be carried on
efficiently. Morris E. Hurley

Plant layout can be defined as a technique of locating machines, processes and plant services
within the factory so as to achieve the greatest possible output of high quality at the lowest
possible total cost of manufacturing. Sprigal and Lansburg