A hybrid method for the selection of facility layout using experimental design and grey relational analysis: A case study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Vadivel, S.M.^* | Sequeira, A.H.

Affiliations: School of Management, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal 575025, India

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: S.M. Vadivel, School of Management, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal 575025, India. E-mail: ph.dvadivel@gmail.com.

Abstract: In order to improve the performance of manufacturing or service industries, most of companies adopted particular strategies among several alternatives. Facility layout design (FLD) is one among the mostly used strategy which comes under multi-objective problem. FLD increases the production by streamlining the work flow smoothly and reducing the material handling cost. This paper attempts a new hybrid multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) method using Design of Experiment (DoE) and Grey relational analysis (GRA), known as DoE-GRA method to solve FLD problems. A case study of India speed post sorting facility layouts has been analysed to exemplify this application of DoE-GRA method. The comparison result shows that DoE-GRA method is simple and robust, fast calculation and practical. Shown results are promising for incorporating optimal method for solving layout design problem.

Keywords: Design of experiment, facility layouts, grey relational analysis, mail operations, multiple criteria decision-making, taquchi method

DOI: 10.3233/HIS-190264

Journal: International Journal of Hybrid Intelligent Systems, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 101-110, 2019