Title: Enhancing the operational performance of mail processing facility layout selection using multi-criteria decision making methods

Authors: Sengazhani Murugesan Vadivel; Aloysius Henry Sequeira

Addresses: School of Management, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Karnataka – 575025, India ' School of Management, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Karnataka – 575025, India

Abstract: Generally, facility layout design (FLD) has a significant impact on the performance of a manufacturing or service industry which comes under multi-objective problem. Facility layout design is aimed to streamline the work flow and increasing the productivity. This paper attempts to incorporate multi-criteria decision making process (MCDM) methods to find the optimum layout to improve the operational performance through lean service, workplace environment and ergonomics approach. Layout design focuses on identification and elimination of waste (non-value added activities) and comfortable workplace environment with suitable ergonomics conditions in order to achieve the target production. The proposed methods are exemplified through practical applications in Indian postal manual speed post sorting facility layouts. In this case study, we have proposed three methods: analytical hierarchy process (AHP), technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) and fuzzy TOPSIS. Empirical results are encouraging for implementing feasible methods in solving a layout design problem.

Keywords: analytical hierarchy process; AHP; fuzzy set theory; facility layouts; multi-criteria decision making; mail operations; TOPSIS.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2020.109442

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2020 Vol.37 No.1, pp.56 - 89

Received: 12 Apr 2018
Accepted: 28 Jul 2018
Published online: 09 Sep 2020 *

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