Plant layout is a mechanism which involves knowledge of the space requirements for the facilities and also involves their proper arrangement so that continuous and steady movement of the production cycle takes place.

• The plan of or the act of planning, an optimum arrangement of facilities, including personnel, operating equipment, storage space, materials handling equipment and all other supporting services along with the design of the best structure to accommodate these facilities.
• The problems related to plant layout are generally observed because of the various developments that occur.
• These developments generally include adoption of the new standards of safety, changes in the design of the product, decision to set up a new plant, introducing a new product, withdrawing the various obsolete facilities etc.

Types of layouts –

1. Process layout – These layouts are also called the functional layouts and are very suitable in the conditions, when the products being prepared are non – standard or involve wide variations in times of processing of the individual operations.

   Such layouts are able to make better utilization of the equipment that is available, with greater flexibility in allocation of work to the equipment and also to the workers. Imbalance caused in one section is not allowed to affect the working of the other sections.

2. Product layout – These layouts are also known as the line layouts or the layout by sequence. In such layouts, the manufacturing cycle is small with minimum material handling. The space required is small and quality control is easy to exercise.

3. Project layout – Such layouts are also referred to as the fixed position layouts. In these layouts, the components, heavy materials, sub-assemblies – all remain fixed at one place and the job is completed by movement of machines, men and tools to the location of the operations.

4. Fixed position or location layout -Fixed position layout involves the movement of manpower and machines to the product which remains stationary. The movement of men and machines is advisable as the cost of moving them would be lesser. This type of layout is preferred where the size of the job is bulky and heavy. Example of such type of layout is locomotives, ships, boilers, generators, wagon building, aircraft manufacturing, etc.

5. Combined layout - A combination of process & product layout is known as combined layout. Manufacturing concerns where several products are produced in repeated numbers with no likelihood of continuous production, combined layout is followed