FLEXPERT: Facility layout expert system using fuzzy linguistic relationship codes

Linguistic variables, fuzzy statements and fuzzy algorithms, from the theory of fuzzy sets, provide suitable tools to solve ill-defined problems. Unlike conventional techniques that deal only with discrete conditions, Like 'on' and 'off, and precise numerical values, fuzzy logic offers an alternate technique that deals with non-discrete conditions, such as 'absolutely important', 'quite important' and 'less important'. This paper presents a new approach, based on the theory of fuzzy logic, to solve the facility layout problem. The proposed approach considers the multicriteria nature of the layout problem and the fuzziness of the input data through the integration of an expert system and a fuzzy algorithm with a facility layout program. The system generates the best layout that satisfies the qualitative as well as the quantitative constraints on the layout problem. This facilitates the incorporation of the knowledge of facility layout experts. A knowledge-based system, named FLEXPERT, has been developed to implement the new approach.