A comprehensive review of static and dynamic facility layout problems

Abstract

Facility layout is a critical aspect of operations management, since it affects the efficiency and effectiveness of the production process. The facility layout problem (FLP) is a combinatorial optimization problem that involves finding an optimal arrangement of machines, workstations, and material handling systems within a manufacturing facility. FLP is known to be a NP-complex problem for which numerous research studies have been published. This paper presents a survey of the most recent advancements in FLP as an attempt to deal with the current and future trends of research based on well-known papers of the last 16 years. The adopted approach in this paper is to classify FLP according to the environment type, namely, static facility layout problem (SFLP) and dynamic facility layout problem (DFLP) and to investigate the various formulations, application domains and solution methodologies for each classification. Finally, a comparison between all approaches is provided for each classification. This review provides a comprehensive overview of FLP literature and serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners interested in the design and optimization of facility layouts.