Applications and Implementation: AN EXPERIMENTAL COMPARISON OF CELLULAR (GROUP TECHNOLOGY) LAYOUT WITH PROCESS LAYOUT
通过计算机仿真比较了工艺布局和单元布局在两种机器车间中的表现，发现单元布局缩短了准备时间和运输距离，但工艺布局在库存和流动时间等排队指标上更优。
ABSTRACT This study compares different strategies for arranging machines in a facility. Computer simulation of two different machine shops was used to compare process layout (the arrangement of groups of machines where the machines within a group are interchangeable) to cellular layout designed using group technology concepts (the use of manufacturing cells where each cell contains different types of machines dedicated to the production of similar parts). Four layout strategies, including process layout, cellular layout, and two hybrid layouts, were compared in two machine‐shop models. The shops that used cellular layouts had shorter setup times, lower machine utilization, and shorter distances traveled, on average. The shops with process layout, however, had better performance on queue‐related statistics such as work‐in‐process inventory level and average flow time. This suggests that a well‐organized traditional job shop may be able to achieve overall performance that at least is comparable to that of the same shop using cellular (group technology) layout.