ALGORITHMIC APPROACHES TO
LAYOUTING
Benefits of using algorithms
Enhances the productivity of layout planner and quality
of the final solution
Can be computerized to facilitate computations
Enables the evaluation of many layout alternatives
Layout Algorithm Classification
Classification in terms of data
Quantitative input – flow data
Qualitative input – relationship chart
Classification in terms of objectives
Minimize sum of flows times distances
Maximize adjacency score
Classification in terms of representation
Discrete layout (grid based)
Continuous layout
Layout Algorithm Classification
Classification in terms of primary function
Construction
Improvement
Three Main Algorithms
1. Relationship diagramming - Apple
2. Pair-wise exchange method - Reed
3. Graph-based construction method - Graph Theory
RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAMMING
PROCEDURES
1. Select the first department to enter a layout. The selected
department should be placed in the middle of the layout.
Method of Selection:
department with greatest no. of A
department with greatest no. of E, I
department with fewest no. of X
in case of tie, select randomly
RELATIONSHIP DIAGRAMMING
PROCEDURES (cont...)
2. Select the second department to enter the layout and place it adjacent to
dept. selected in 1.
The selected department should have an A relationship with the
first department.
It should have the greatest number of A relationships with the
remaining departments.
Ties should be broken using the guidelines presented in 1.
3. Select the third department to enter the layout.
It should have the highest combined relationship with the two
departments already in the layout.
Place the department where it has the strongest relationship.
4. Determine the nth department to enter the layout according to the rules
described in the previous steps.
Example 1: Department Areas and
Number of Unit Area Templates
Code Function Area (ft2) No. of Unit Area
Templates
1 Receiving 12,000 6
2 Milling 8,000 4
3 Press 6,000 3
4 Screw Machine 12,000 6
5 Assembly 8,000 4
6 Plating 12,000 6
7 Shipping 12,000 6
Relationship Chart
Fr\To 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 - E O I O U U
2 - U E I I U
3 - U U O U
4 - I U U
5 - A I
6 - E
7 -
Relationship Diagramming Worksheet
REL DEPARTMENTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A 6 5
E 2 1, 4 2 7 6
I 4 5, 6 1, 5 2, 4, 7 2 5
O 3, 5 1, 6 1 3
U 6, 7 3, 7 2, 4, 5, 7 3, 6, 7 3 1, 4 1, 2, 3, 4
X
Solution
Candidate departments to first enter the layout: 5, 6
(Each with one A relationship)
Choose Department 6
Second department to enter the layout: Department 5
Third department to enter is based on highest
combined relationships with Departments 5 and 6.
Solution
REL DEPARTMENTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
E 6
I 5, 6 5 5
O 5 6
U 6 5 6
X
Solution
REL DEPARTMENTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
E
I 5, 6 5
O 5 6
U 6, 7 7 5, 7 6, 7
X
Solution
REL DEPARTMENTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
E 2 2
I 5
O 5 6
U 6, 7 2, 5, 7 6, 7
X
Solution
REL DEPARTMENTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
E 2
I 4
O 5 6
U 6, 7 2, 4, 5, 7
X
FINAL (MASSAGE) LAYOUT
1 1 1
4 4 1 1
4 4 3 1
4 2 3 3
4 2 2 2
5 6 6 6
5 6 6 6
5 7 7 7
5 7 7 7
Pair-wise exchange method
Improvement-type layout algorithm
It uses distance-based objective
Assumes that the departments have equal distances from
each other
PAIRWISE EXCHANGE METHOD FOR LAYOUT
IMPROVEMENT
1. Compute the total cost of the existing layout using the
distance matrix given.
2. For each iteration all feasible exchanges in the locations of
the department pairs are evaluated and the pair that results
in the largest reduction in total cost is selected.
3. This procedure does not promise to yield the optimal layout
because the the final outcome is dependent on the initial
layout.
4. This method can only be accomplished only if the
department considered are of equal size or if they share a
common border.
Example
1 2 3 4
1 10 15 20 Material
2 10 5 Flow
3 5
Hypothetical 4
Initial
Layout
1 2 3 4
1 1 2 3 Distance
2 1 2 Matrix
3 1
4
Iteration 0
TC 1234 = 10 (1)+ 15(2) +20 (3)+10 (1)+5(2)+5(1) = 125
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 10 15 20 1 1 2 3
2 10 5 2 1 2
3 5 3 1
4 4
Iteration 1 1 2 3 4
The
distance 1 1 1 2
matrix
is 2 2 3
changed 3 1
because
of this 4
TC 2134(1-2)= 10 (1)+ 15(1) +20 (2)+10 (2)+5(3)+5(1) = 105
1 2 3 4
1 1 2 1
2 1 2
3 3
4
Choose
TC 3214 (1-3)= 10 (1)+ 15(2) +20 (1)+10 (1)+5(2)+5(3) = 95 this !
TC 4231(1-4)= 10 (2)+ 15(1) +20 (3)+10 (1)+5(1)+5(2) = 120
TC 1324 (2-3)= 10 (2)+ 15(1) +20 (3)+10 (1)+5(1)+5(2) = 120
TC 1432 (2-4)= 10 (3)+ 15(2) +20 (1)+10 (1)+5(2)+5(1) = 105
TC 1243 (3-4)= 10 (1)+ 15(3) +20 (2)+10 (2)+5(1)+5(1) = 125
Iteration 2
Get all possible interchange based on this
TC 3124(1-2)= 10 (1)+ 15(1) +20 (2)+10 (2)+5(1)+5(3) = 105
TC 1234 (1-3)= 10 (1)+ 15(2) +20 (3)+10 (1)+5(2)+5(1) = 125
TC 3241(1-4)= 10 (2)+ 15(3) +20 (1)+10 (1)+5(1)+5(2) = 110
TC 2314 (2-3)= 10 (2)+ 15(1) +20 (1)+10 (1)+5(3)+5(2) = 90
TC 3412 (2-4)= 10 (1)+ 15(2) +20 (1)+10 (3)+5(2)+5(2) = 105
TC 4213 (3-4)= 10 (1)+ 15(1) +20 (2)+10 (2)+5(1)+5(3) = 105
Choose TC 2314
Since TC2314< TC3214, therefore, Choose TC2314 !
Iteration 3
Get all possible interchange based on this
TC 3214(1-2)= 10 (1)+ 15(2) +20 (1)+10 (1)+5(2)+5(3) = 95
TC 1324 (1-3)= 10 (2)+ 15(1) +20 (3)+10 (1)+5(1)+5(2) = 120
TC 3421(1-4)= 10 (1)+ 15(3) +20 (2)+10 (2)+5(1)+5(1) = 125
TC 2134 (2-3)= 10 (1)+ 15(1) +20 (2)+10 (2)+5(3)+5(1) = 105
TC 3142 (2-4)= 10 (2)+ 15(1) +20 (1)+10 (3)+5(1)+5(2) = 100
TC 4123 (3-4)= 10 (1)+ 15(2) +20 (1)+10 (1)+5(2)+5(3) = 95
Choose TC 3214 /4123
Since TC2314< TC3214/4123 therefore, Choose TC2314 !
- End-
Graph-based Method
Construction type algorithm and has its roots in graph
theory
Uses an adjacency-based objective
Similar to the SLP method proposed by Muther
GRAPH-BASED CONSTRUCTION METHOD
FOR NEW LAYOUTS
Makes use of adjacency graph to determine the
relationship between departments.
Each node in the adjacency graph represents a department
while the arc represents that two departments share a
common border.
Each block plan layout is evaluated by scoring. Scoring is
done by summing up the numerical weights assigned for
each arc.
NOTES ON ADJACENCY GRAPHS
The score does not account for distance, nor does it
account for relationships other than those between
adjacent departments.
The dimensional specs of the department are not
considered as well as length of common boundaries
between adjacent departments.
The arcs do not intersect - planarity property of graphs.
The score is very sensitive to the assignment of
numerical weights in the relationship chart.
GRAPH-BASED CONSTRUCTION
PROCEDURE
1. From the relationship chart, select the department pair with the
largest weight.
2. Select the third department to enter. The third department is chosen
based on the sum of weights wrt the departments selected in 1.
3. Select the fourth department by evaluating the value of adding one
of the unassigned departments represented by a node on the face of
the graph. A face of a graph is a bounded region of a graph.
4. Continue the process by determining which face to insert the
remaining departments.
5. Having determined the adjacency graph, reconstruct a block layout.
Example
Choose
5 Department
2 3 and 4
Since they
have the
4 highest
3 weight
Iteration 1
Dept 3 4 Total
1 8 10 18
2 12 13 25
5 0 2 2
Iteration 2
Dept 2 3 4 Total
1 9 8 10 27
5 7 0 2 9
Iteration 3
Dept 1 2 3 4 Total
5 0 7 0 2 2
Faces 1 2 3 Total
1-2-3 0 7 0 7
1 2 4
Arbitrarily
1-2-4 0 7 2 9
Choose 1-2-4
1 3 4
1-3-4 0 0 2 2
2 3 4
2-3-4 7 0 2 9
Layout Score = 81
Relationship Diagramming Worksheet
REL DEPARTMENTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
E
I
O
U
X
Solution
REL DEPARTMENTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
A
E
I
O
U
X
