RE-LAYOUT OF WORKSHOP BASED ON MATERIAL AND PEOPLE FLOWS

Many companies are trying to improve processes and workplaces. One of ways how to improve it could be re-layout of workshop. Effective re-layout should lead to improvement of flows in manufacturing. When improving efforts are focused only on material flows, result could not be the best global optimum. By blindly optimizing only material flows quality, another aspect of manufacturing, can decrease. For instance, with highly optimized material flow workers must walk longer distances, which means longer time they are doing an activity with no added value to a final product. This should lead us to design or re-design layouts with interest on both material and people flows. This paper deals with this problem and shows a possible way how to manage it, by use of analysis of walking intensity between particular places in workplace. This visualization method can show the most frequent paths and best places for middle area of new layout. Paper also includes a case study from packing hall where custom metal and glass parts are packed.