Design of a manufacturing facility layout with a closed loop conveyor with shortcuts using queueing theory and genetic algorithms

Most current manufacturing facility layout problem solution methods aim at minimizing the total distance traveled, the material handling cost, and/or the time spent in the system (based on distance traveled at a specific speed). The methodology proposed in this paper solves the looped layout design problem for a looped layout manufacturing facility with a looped conveyor material handling system with shortcuts by using the operational performance metric, i.e. the work-in-process on the conveyor in a manufacturing facility, as the design criterion.