Question

Roy Creasey​ Enterprises, a machine​ shop, is planning to move to a​ new, larger location. The new building will be 60 feet long by 40 feet wide. Creasey envisions the building as having six distinct production​ areas, roughly equal in size. He feels strongly about safety and intends to have marked pathways throughout the building to facilitate the movement of people and materials. See the following building schematic.

Room 1Room 2 Room 3

Room 4 Room 5 Room 6

His foreman has completed a​ month-long study of the number of loads of material that have moved from one process to another in the current building. This information is contained in the flow matrix on the left below.​ Finally, Creasey also developed a matrix to indicate distances between the work areas shown in the building​ schematic, shown on the right below.      Flow   Materials   Welding   Drills   Lathes   Grinders   Benders
Materials   0   80   45   0   0   50
Welding   20   0   0   55   0   0
Drills   20   0   0   0   50   0
Lathes   0   25   0   0   15   0
Grinders   45   0   120   0   0   0
Benders   5   0   25   0   0   0
                      
Distance   (in feet)                  
   Room 1   Room 2   Room 3   Room 4   Room 5   Room 6
Room 1   -   20   40   20   40   60
Room 2   20   -   20   40   20   40
Room 3   40   20   -   60   40   20
Room 4   20   40   60   -   20   40
Room 5   40   20   40   20   -   20
Room 6   60   40   20   40   20   -                                                                                                               

Based on the flows shown in the​ matrix, it is likely that the processes Drills and Grinders are in rooms next to each other as they have the highest number of moves between each other. Based on the flows shown in the​ matrix, it is likely that the processes Materials and Welding are in rooms next to each other as they have the second highest number of moves between each other. One of the layouts that could be designed​ is:

Room 1​ = Benders Room 2​ = Materials Room 3​ = Welding Room 4​ = Drills Room 5​ = Grinders Room 6​ = Lathes

The cumulative distance based on the overall movement of material between processes for this layout​ = ???feet ​(enter your response as a whole​ number). Enter your answer in the answer box and then click Check Answer. All parts showing

Answer 1

Between		Flow
Drills	Grinders	170
Materials	Welding	100
Welding	Lathes	80
Materials	Drills	65
Materials	Benders	55
Materials	Grinders	45
Drills	Benders	25
Lathes	Grinders	15
Materials	Lathes	0
Welding	Drills	0
Welding	Grinders	0
Welding	Benders	0
Drills	Lathes	0
Lathes	Benders	0
Grinders	Benders	0

Based on the flows shown in the​ matrix, it is likely that the processes Drills and Grinders are in rooms next to each other as they have the highest number of moves between each other.

Based on the flows shown in the​ matrix, it is likely that the processes Materials and Welding are in rooms next to each other as they have the second highest number of moves between each other.

Between		Flow	Distance	Flow x Distance
Drills	Grinders	170	20	3400
Materials	Welding	100	20	2000
Welding	Lathes	80	20	1600
Materials	Drills	65	40	2600
Materials	Benders	55	20	1100
Materials	Grinders	45	20	900
Drills	Benders	25	20	500
Lathes	Grinders	15	20	300
Materials	Lathes	0	40	0
Welding	Drills	0	60	0
Welding	Grinders	0	40	0
Welding	Benders	0	40	0
Drills	Lathes	0	40	0
Lathes	Benders	0	60	0
Grinders	Benders	0	40	0
			TOTAL	12400

The cumulative distance based on the overall movement of material between processes for this layout​ = 12,400 feet