AN IMPROVEMENT-TYPE LAYOUT ALGORITHM FOR SINGLE AND MULTIPLE-FLOOR FACILITIES

In this paper we introduce the use of spacefilling curves in facility layout, and we extend a well-known facility layout algorithm (CRAFT) to facilities with multiple floors. Spacefilling curves make it possible to exchange any two departments and to use more powerful exchange routines than two-way or three-way exchanges. We also further enhance CRAFT by controlling department shapes, and (with multiple floors) by allowing ''flexible'' departmental area requirements. Although the algorithm we present can be used for any single-floor or multi-floor facility layout problem, its primary target is production facilities. A tailored version of the algorithm was successfully tested and used in a large, multi-floor production facility. The algorithm differs significantly from two previous extensions of CRAFT to multi-floor facilities.