Figure K.5
A company of five departments has the following closeness factors and current locations of all
departments:
22) Use the information from Figure K.5. The departmental pair that has the greatest weighted distance
between them is:
A) A & B.
B) A & C.
C) A & D.
D) A & E.
23) Use the information from Figure K.5. What is the total weighted distance for the current layout?
A) 69
B) 73
C) 77
D) 81
Figure K.6
The Deans’ Suite
The College of Business allocates some leftover funds for a complete remodel of the deans’ suite. The
project, titled “Use It or Lose It” has a number of objectives, one of which is to place departments or areas
which have the greatest demand closest to each other as to minimize the total travel. Maintenance
completely guts the top floor of the college and identifies 9 natural room locations within this space.
These room locations are flexible, meaning that any one of them could be turned into an office, lounge, or
other use. The room at the upper left of the grid has windows on two walls and has been claimed by the
dean. The occupants of the deans’ suite and their frequency of interaction is shown in the table.
Dean
Assoc Dean
Asst Dean 1
Asst Dean 2
Admin Asst
Copier
Restroom
Dean
0
12
5
2
9
0
16
Assoc Dean
0
8
12
12
10
3
Asst Dean 1
0
22
13
3
2
Asst Dean 2
0
14
3
3
Admin Asst
0
15
3
The layout of this new great space is shown in the graph. Each square represents 15′ × 15′ and thus their
midpoints could be considered to be 15′ apart if adjacent in a row or column. Adjacent diagonal rooms
can be calculated as 21′ apart.
Dean
2
3
5
6
8
24) Using Figure K.6, what is the rectilinear distance between the dean‘s office and the opposite corner of
this great space, area 8?
A) 60′
B) 42′
C) 30′
D) 15′
25) Using Figure K.6, what is the best location for the restroom?
A) area 1
B) area 2
C) area 4
D) area 5
26) Using Figure K.6, what is the best area for the associate dean?
A) area 1
B) area 2
C) area 3
D) area 4
27) A(n) ________ allocates space and indicates placement of each department.
28) The ________ method is a mathematical model used to evaluate layouts based on proximity factors.
29) The ________ method measures distance between two points with a series of 90–degree turns.
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30) A firm of four departments has the following trip matrix and current block plan of all departments:
a. What is the weighted-distance score for the current layout? (Assume rectilinear distance and that the
distance between departments A and B is one unit of distance.)
b. What would be the weighted-distance score for the following layout?
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Copyright © 2019 Pearson Education, Inc.
Answer:
a.
Department
Closeness
wd
Pair
Factor
Distance
Score
B-D
2, 4
16
2
32
A-B
1, 2
14
1
14
A-D
1, 4
9
1
9
B-C
2, 3
7
1
7
A-C
1, 3
6
2
12
C-D
3, 4
2
1
2
Total
76
b.
Department
Load
wd
Pair
Factor
Distance
Score
B-D
2, 4
16
1
16
A-B
1, 2
14
2
28
A-D
1, 4
9
1
9
B-C
2, 3
7
1
7
A-C
1, 3
6
1
6
C-D
3, 4
2
2
4
Total
70
Difficulty: Moderate
Keywords: weighted-distance, rectilinear
Learning Outcome: Describe the main types of operations processes and layouts in manufacturing and in services
AACSB: Analytical Thinking
Learning Obj.: Develop and evaluate a block plan for a layout.
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31) A firm of six departments has the following trip matrix and current block plan of all departments:
a. What is the weighted–distance score for the current layout? (Assume rectilinear distance and that the
distance between departments A and B is one unit of distance.)
b. What would be the weighted–distance score for the following layout?
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Answer:
a.
Department
Closeness
Wd
Pair
Factor
Distance
Score
C-E
3, 5
12
2
24
B-F
2, 6
10
2
20
A-D
1, 4
9
1
9
A-C
1, 3
8
2
16
A-B
1, 2
7
1
7
B-C
2, 3
6
1
6
E-F
5, 6
6
1
6
B-D
2, 4
3
2
6
D-E
4, 5
3
1
3
A-F
1, 6
2
3
6
C-D
3, 4
2
3
6
Total
109
b.
Department
Closeness
Wd
Pair
Factor
Distance
Score
C-E
3, 5
12
1
12
B-F
2, 6
10
1
10
A-D
1, 4
9
1
9
A-C
1, 3
8
1
8
A-B
1, 2
7
2
14
B-C
2, 3
6
1
6
E-F
5, 6
6
1
6
B-D
2, 4
3
1
3
D-E
4, 5
3
3
9
A-F
1, 6
2
3
6
C-D
3, 4
2
2
4
Total
88
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32) A department store chain is designing a layout for a new store. The store manager wants to provide as
much convenience as possible for her customers. Based on historical data, the number of trips between
departments per hour is given in the following closeness matrix. A block plan showing a preliminary
layout is also shown.
Customer travel between departments is restricted to the aisles shown in the block plan as dotted lines.
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CALCULATIONS TABLE
Dept. Pair
Closeness
Factor (w)
Original
Distance (dO)
w × dO
Revision #1
Distance (d1)
w × d1
1 – 2
1 – 3
1 – 4
1 – 5
1 – 6
2 – 3
2 – 4
2 – 5
2 – 6
3 – 4
3 – 5
3 – 6
4 – 5
4 – 6
5 – 6
TOTAL
a. What is the total expected weighted-distance score between Office Supplies and Hardware?
b. What is the total weighted-distance score between Hardware and Toys?
c. What is the total weighted–distance score for the entire store?
d. A suggestion has been made to switch Hardware and Automotive. What would the total weighted–
distance score for the entire store be if these two departments were switched?
e. Based on your calculations, would you recommend that Hardware and Automotive be switched?
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Answer: COMPLETED CALCULATIONS TABLE
Dept. Pair
Closeness
Factor (w)
Original
Distance (dO)
w × dO
Revision #1
Distance (d1)
w × d1
1 – 2
40
1
40
1
40
1 – 3
100
2
200
2
200
1 – 4
50
1
50
1
50
1 – 5
20
2
40
2
40
1 – 6
10
3
30
3
30
2 – 3
100
1
100
1
100
2 – 4
80
2
160
2
160
2 – 5
60
1
60
1
60
2 – 6
80
2
160
2
160
3 – 4
70
3
210
1
70
3 – 5
100
2
200
2
200
3 – 6
50
1
50
1
50
4 – 5
70
1
70
3
210
4 – 6
90
2
180
2
180
5 – 6
60
1
60
1
60
TOTAL
N / A
25
1,610
25
1,610
a. The weighted-distance score between Office Supplies and Hardware (#1 and #3) is two distance lengths
(see block plan) times the # of trips per hour.
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K.3 Step 3: Design a Detailed Layout
1) A detailed visual representation of the block plan helps decision-makers discuss the proposal and
problems that might be otherwise overlooked, particularly when evaluating high customer-contact
processes.
2) Detailed layouts can be two-dimensional drawings, three-dimensional models, or computer-aided
graphics.
3) Describe what is depicted in the visual representation of the detailed layout.