c: Flow Process Chart
This chart uses
circles for operations,
arrows for transports,
squares for inspections,
triangles for storage,
and the letter D for delays.
Vertical lines connect these
symbols in the sequence they are
performed.
d: Multi-Product
Process Chart
This chart is a flow process chart
containing several products.
Five products: A, B,….E
Start and end are circled shaded
e: Flow Diagram
•It depicts the probable
movement of materials in
the floor plant.
•The movement is
represented by a line in the
plant drawing.
f: From-To Chart
This chart is a matrix that contains
numbers representing a measure
(units, unit loads, etc.) of the
material flow between machines,
departments, buildings, etc.
For example from stores to Saw 500
3: Flow Patterns
•
1.
2.
3.
Three types of pattern flow
Flow within workstation
Flow within departments
Flow between departments
•
Motion studies and ergonomics considerations are important in
establishing flow within workstations.
•
Ergonomics is an applied science concerned with designing
and arranging things people use so that the people and
things interact most efficiently and safely -- called also
biotechnology, human engineering, human factors





For example: Flow within a workstation should be
simultaneous
Symmetrical
Natural
Rhythmical
Habitual
Flow Patterns:1 Flow within Workstations
• Simultaneous: coordinated use of hands, arms and feet.
• Symmetrical: coordination of movements about the center of the body.
• Natural: movements are continuous, curved, and make use of momentum.
• Rhythmical and Habitual: flow allows a methodological and automatic
sequence of activities.
 It should reduce mental, eye and muscle fatigue, and strain.
Flow Patterns:1
Flow within workstations
• Simultaneous flow implies the coordinated use of hands, arms, and feet.
• Hands, arms, and feet should begin and end their motions together and
should not be idle at the same instant except during rest periods.
• Symmetrical flow results from coordination of movements about the center of
the body.
• The left and right hands and arms should be working in coordination.
• Natural flow patterns are the basis for rhythmic habitual flow patterns.
• Natural movements are continuous, curved, and make use of momentum.
• Rhythmical and habitual flow implies a methodical, automatic sequence of
activity.
• Rhythmical and habitual flow patterns also allow for reduced mental, eye,
and muscle fatigue, and strain.
Flow Patterns:2
Flow within Departments
• The flow pattern within departments depends on the type of department.
• In a product and/or product family department, the flow follows the
product flow.
1 machine/operator
Front-to-front
Back-to-back
End-to-end
1 machine/operator
2 machines/operator
More than 2
machines
/operator
circular
1 machine/operator
Odd-angle
Flow Pat.: 2 Flow within Departments (cont.)
• In a process department, little flow should occur between workstations
within departments.
• Flow occurs between workstations and aisles.
perpendicular
diagonal
parallel
Uncommon
Aisle
Aisle
Dependent on
Aisle
Aisle
One way
Aisle
One way
interactions among workstations
available space
size of materials
Flow Pat.:3 Flow between Departments
• Flow between departments is a criterion often used to evaluate flow within a
facility.
• Flow typically is a combination of the basic horizontal flow patterns shown
below.
• An important consideration in combining the flow patterns is the location of
the entrance (receiving department) and exit (shipping department).
Straight
U flow
Serpentine
Simplest. Separate
receiving/shipping
crews
Very popular. Combine
receiving /shipping.
Simple to administer
When line is too
long
L flow
Similar to straight.
It is not as long.
Circular
flow
Terminate flow.
Near point of origin
S flow
Flow within a facility considering the
locations of entrance and exit
At the same location
On adjacent sides
Flow within a facility considering the
locations of entrance and exit (cont.)
On the same side but at opposite ends
On opposite sides
Vertical Flow Pattern
Flow between buildings exists and the
connection between buildings is
elevated
Travel between floors occurs on
the same side of the building
Ground level ingress (entry)
and egress (exit) are required
Some bucket and belt
conveyors and escalators result
in inclined flow
Ground level ingress (entry)
and egress (exit) occur on the
same side of the building
Backtracking occurs due to the
return to the top floor
4: Flow Planning
Effective flow
between departments
Effective flow
within departments
Effective flow
within workstations
4: Flow Planning
•
•
•
•
•
Planning effective flow involves combining the above patterns with adequate
aisles to obtain progressive movements from origin to destination.
An effective flow can be achieved by
(1)maximizing directed flow paths,
(2)reducing flow, and
(3)minimizing the costs of flow.
A directed flow path is an uninterrupted flow path progressing directly from
origin to destination.
Uninterrupted flow paths
Interrupted flow paths
4: Flow Planning (cont.)
• The reduction of flow can be achieved by work simplification
including:
1. Eliminating flow by planning for the delivery of materials, information, or people
directly to the point of ultimate use and eliminate intermediate steps.
2. Minimizing multiple flows by planning for the flow between two consecutive points of
use to take place in as few movements as possible.
3. Combining flows and operations whenever possible by planning for the movement of
materials, information, or people to be combined with a processing step.
• Minimizing the cost of flow can be achieved as follows:
1. Reduction of manual handling by minimizing walking, manual travel distances,
and motions.
2. Elimination of manual handling by mechanizing or automating flow.
5: Measuring Flow
1.
Flow among departments is one of the most important factors in the arrangement of
departments within a facility.
2.
Flows may be specified in a quantitative manner or a qualitative manner.

Quantitative measures may include pieces per hour, moves per day, pounds per week.

Qualitative measures may range from an absolute necessity that two departments be close
to each other to a preference that two departments not be close to each other.
3.
In facilities having large volumes of materials, information, a number of people moving
between departments, a quantitative measure of flow will typically be the basis for the
arrangement of departments.

On the contrary, in facilities having very little actual movement of materials, information,
and people flowing between departments, but having significant communication and
organizational interrelation, a qualitative measure of flow will typically serve as the basis
for the arrangement of departments.
4.
Most often, a facility will have a need for both quantitative and qualitative measures of flow
and both measures should be used.
5.
Quantitative flow measure: From-to Chart
Qualitative flow measure: Relationship (REL) Chart
Quantitative Flow Measurement
•
A From-to
Chart is constructed as follows:
1.
List all departments down the row and across the column following the overall flow
pattern.
2.
Establish a measure of flow for the facility that accurately indicates equivalent flow volumes.

If the items moved are equivalent with respect to ease of movement, the number of trips
may be recorded in the from-to chart.

If the items moved vary in size, weight, value, risk of damage, shape, and so on, then
equivalent items may be established so that the quantities recorded in the from-to chart
represent the proper relationships among the volumes of movement.
3.
Based on the flow paths for the items to be moved and the established measure of flow,
record the flow volumes in the from-to chart.
•
Lacks symmetry: because there is no definite reason for the flows from stores to
milling to be the same as the flows from milling to stores.
Example 1
Flow volume below the diagonal represent backtracking and the closer the flow
volumes are to the main diagonal, the shorter will be the move in the facility
Stores
Milling
Turning
Press
Plate
Assembly
Warehouse
Stores
Turning
Milling
Press
Plate
Assembly
Warehouse
From-to Chart
Stores
–
12 6
9
1
4
–
Stores
–
6
12
9
1
4
–
Milling
–
–
–
–
7
2
–
Turning
–
–
3
–
4
–
–
Turning
–
3
–
–
4
–
–
Milling
–
–
–
–
7
2
–
Press
–
–
–
–
3
1
1
Press
–
–
–
–
3
1
1
Plate
–
3
1
–
–
4
3
Plate
–
1
3
–
–
4
3
Assembly
1
–
–
–
–
–
7
Assembly
1
–
–
–
–
–
7
Warehouse
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Warehouse
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
To
From
Moves below the diagonal are counter to the overall flow pattern
Original Flow Pattern
Revised Flow Pattern
Flow Patterns
Warehouse
Assembly
Plate
Press
Milling
Turning
Store
Store>Turning >Milling > Press > Plate > Assembly > Warehouse
Press
Stores
Warehouse Assembly
Turning
Press
Milling
Plate
Assembly
Warehouse
S-shaped flow
Milling
Plate
U-shaped flow
Straight-line flow
Stores
Turning
Stores
Turning
Milling
Press
Warehouse
Plate
W-shaped flow
Assembly
Flow Patterns (cont.)
Warehouse
Assembly
Plate
Press
Milling
Turning
Store
Store>Turning >Milling > Press > Plate > Assembly > Warehouse
Press
Stores
Warehouse Assembly
Turning
Press
Milling
Plate
Assembly
Warehouse
S-shaped flow
Milling
Plate
U-shaped flow
Straight-line flow
Stores
Turning
Stores
Turning
Milling
Press
Warehouse
Plate
W-shaped flow
Assembly
Example Quantitative flow measurement
 A firm produces three components.
 Components 1 and 2 have the same size and weight and are
equivalent with respect to movement.
 Component 3 is almost twice as large and moving two units of
either component 1 or 2 is equivalent to moving 1 unit of
component 3.
 The departments included in the facility are A, B, C, D, and E.
 The overall flow path is A-B-C-D-E. The quantities to be
produced and the component routings are as follows:
Example (continue)
Production Quantities
component
1
2
3
(Per day)
30
12
7
Routing
A-C-B-D-E
A-B-D-E
A-C-D-B-E
Example (continue) flow volume
To
From
A
C
1
A
B
D
E
30
3 2 (7) =14
2 12
44
12
1 30
0
3 2(7)=14
30
14
0
C
0
1 30
2 12
B
0
E
42
0
14
1 30
2 12
42
3 2(7)=14
D
0
3 2(7)=14
0
0
14
0
0
0
0
Moment of The Matrix
From-to-Chart Example
•Let us consider five different parts (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5)
which travel from R (receiving) to S(Shipping)
departments by following different routes.
•Between receiving and shipping, there are machines
located at A, B, C, D, E and F.
•Our job is to find a layout which will reduce the travel
time and increase the efficiency.
•We can make improvements by rearranging the flow.
From-to-Chart Example
PART #
Part Number
Route
1
RABD C FS
2
R B DCAS
3
R E FBAC DS
4
R FAC D S
5
R CADS
QUANTITY
PER DAY
UNIT
WEIGHT
(POUNDS)
TOTAL
WEIGHT
(POUNDS)
RELATIVE
IMPORTANCE
1
2000
0.50
1000
1.0
2
2000
9.00
18000
18.0
3
2000
0.50
1000
1.0
4
2000
15.00
30000
30.0
5
2000
3.75
7500
7.5
From-to-Chart Example
• RABDCFS
From-to-Chart Example
R
A
B
C
X
1
18
7.5
A
X
1
1+30
B
1
X
C
18+7.5
R
D
E
F
S
D
E
F
1
30
7.5
1+18
X
1+30
1+18
X
1
TOTAL
57.5
18
57.5
20
1
57.5
1+30+7.
5
X
30
S
1
X
57.5
1
1
32
X
283
From-to-Chart Example
From-to-Chart Example
• To evaluate this alternative, penalty points are assigned
to each move depending upon how far the move is away
from the present location.
• For example, the move R to A is right next door, so we
multiply that weight time 1 (one block).
• R to B is two blocks away, so we multiply the 18 in that
block times two, three blocks away times three, and so
on.
• The circled numbers are the penalty points. Below and
to the left of the diagonal line indicates backtracking, so
the penalty points are doubled.
• The efficiency of the layout -- R A B C D E F S -- is :
• Efficiency = 283 / 1077.5 = 26 %
From-to-Chart Example
•
•
•
•
•
Now look for clues for improvement.
The highest penalty points are the best clues.
For example, form F to A has a penalty point of 300.
This means that F should be closer to R.
A new layout change of sequence will change both the
vertical and horizontal sequence.
• An improved layout (REFBACDS) will give an
efficiency of:
• Efficiency = 283 / 548 = 51.6 %
• Draw the new layout
Relationship (REL) Chart
Qualitative Flow Measurement
• Closeness Relationship Values
Value
Closeness
A
Absolutely necessary
E
I
Especially Important
O
Ordinary closeness okay
U
Unimportant
X
Undesirable
Important
Qualitative Flow Measurement
• A Relationship (REL) Chart is constructed as follows:
1. List all departments on the relationship chart.
2. Conduct interviews or surveys with persons from each department listed on
the relationship chart and with the management responsible for all
departments.
3. Define the criteria for assigning closeness relationships and itemize and
record the criteria as the reasons for relationship values on the relationship
chart.
4. Establish the relationship value and the reason for the value for all pairs of
departments.
5. Allow everyone having input to the development of the relationship chart to
have an opportunity to evaluate and discuss changes in the chart.
Relationship Chart
Importance of relationship (top)
Reason in code (below)
Code
1. Directors conference room
2. President
3. Sales department
4. Personnel
5. Plant manager
6. Plant engineering office
7. Production supervisor
I
1
O
5
U
6
O
5
A
4
I
4
U
8. Controller office
6
I
9. Purchasing department
4
I
1
U
6
I
4
O
5
A
4
O
5
O
5
U
3 O
O 2
5 U
O 6
5 O
O 5
5 O
O 5
5 O
E 5
4
U
3
U
6
E
4
O
4
U
3
I
4
I
4
U
3
O
5
Reason
1
Frequency of use high
2
Frequency of use medium
3
Frequency of use low
4
Information flow high
5
Information flow medium
6
Information flow low
U
6
Rating
Definition
A
Absolutely Necessary
E
Especially Important
I
Important
O
Ordinary Closeness OK
U
Unimportant
X
Undesirable
Activity Relationship Diagram