Title: The impact of facility layout on overall remanufacturing system performance

Authors: Huay-Huay Lim, James S. Noble

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, E3437 Lafferre Hall, University of Missouri – Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. ' Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, E3437 Lafferre Hall, University of Missouri – Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA

Abstract: Remanufacturing systems are more dynamic, variable and complex compared to a traditional manufacturing system as a result of the variability associated with the routings, processing times and demand. Often this complexity can be dealt with through operational-based approaches using appropriate production planning and control techniques. However, it is also possible to improve overall system performance through structural issues such as facility layout. In this paper the results of a simulation-based analysis of four different facility layout alternatives is presented: job shop, cellular, fractal and holonic layouts. Based on the analysis conducted, it was found that each layout tends to perform well for different scenarios. Consequently, a multi-criteria analysis was used to determine which layout organisation should be selected based on the criteria chosen by the decision maker.

Keywords: remanufacturing systems; facility layout; simulation; system performance; job shop layouts; cellular layouts; fractal layouts; holonic layouts; multi-criteria analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2006.009793

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2006 Vol.1 No.3, pp.357 - 371

Published online: 12 May 2006 *

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