A process layout, also known as a functional layout, is a type of manufacturing layout where similar equipment or processes are grouped together. Process layout is used in industries such as chemical processing, food processing, and assembly operations. The objective of a process layout is to increase the efficiency and productivity of the company by placing similar equipment or processes close to one another. The flow of materials and products in a process layout is typically linear, moving from one process to the next in a specific order. This can lead to increased efficiency and productivity, as materials and products do not need to be transported long distances between processes. In order to have a better understanding about this concept one should look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of process layout –
Advantages of Process Layout
Cost Effective
The biggest advantage of process layout is that process layout can lead to cost saving for the company especially when the company is in the business of manufacturing similar products which in turn will lead to the company saving a lot of operational costs and thus the company can price its products in a competitive way which in turn helps the company in capturing market share from its competitors.
Increased Efficiency
In the case of our homes if the kitchen is at one end and the dining room is at another end then there is a lot of inconvenience and trouble in the same way in the case of manufacturing units if one unit is at one end and another unit is at another end than it can lead to a lot of problems but in case of process layout, the flow of materials and products is linear, moving from one process to the next in a specific order, which can reduce the time taken for the flow of materials and thus helps the company in increasing the efficiency and productivity of the company.
Easy to Manage
Another benefit of process layout is that it is easy to manage and control the production process which in turn leads to the company requiring fewer managers to manage the production process besides it also helps the company in ensuring that products are produced according to the required specifications without any compromise on the quality of the products.
Disadvantages of Process Layout
Butterfly Effect
The biggest disadvantage of process layout is that it can have a butterfly effect on the whole production process because a single slow or inefficient process can slow down the entire production process, leading to bottlenecks and delays in the whole production of the company. In simple words just like one bad apple spoils the whole barrel in the same way one inefficient process can spoil the whole production process.
Rigidness
Another problem with process layout is that it is a rigid process implying that in the case of process layout, it can be difficult to quickly adapt to changes in demand or product mix, as each process is dedicated to a specific task which in turn makes it hard for a company to modify the current process or add a new process thus leading to inflexibility in the working of the company.
Requires Large Space
A process layout requires large space to separate different processes and there is this problem that processes are to be kept together which leaves no scope for any adjustment with respect to using space for process thus process layout is of limited use for those companies having limited space.
As one can see from the above process layout has pros as well as cons and that is the reason why any company thinking of adopting process layout in the company should carefully read the above points and then only should take any decision.