Title: Facility layout problem by integration of AHP and computer simulation with DEA

Authors: Saeedeh Ketabi; Mahsa Ghandehari; Mehdi Poormostafa Khoshkrodi

Addresses: Department of Management, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran ' Department of Management, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran ' Department of Management, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract: The facility layout problem (FLP) is concerned with finding the optimal facility arrangement in the existing layout. A layout generation and its evaluation are often challenging and time consuming due to their inherent multiple objectives in nature and their data collection process. This paper aims to propose an integrated approach of fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP), computer simulation and data envelopment analysis (DEA) for facility layout design improvement and optimisation. Computer simulation is used to determine quantitative measures. AHP is used to determine first, the weight of qualitative measures for layout alternatives and second, their qualitative measures. DEA is performed by employing total cost and wait time as the input variables, accessibility and flexibility as the output variables to evaluate different layouts. Then, the alternative layouts are ranked by solving the super-efficiency DEA model for the layouts. The results imply that the proposed methodology is more reliable compared to the existing approaches.

Keywords: the facility layout problem; FLP; analytic hierarchy process; AHP; computer simulation; data envelopment analysis; DEA.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2021.115449

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2021 Vol.39 No.2, pp.262 - 282

Received: 19 Apr 2018
Accepted: 08 Jun 2019
Published online: 03 Jun 2021 *

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