An integrated facility layout for wood and panel processing plant and allocating a code for the facilities

As technology advances, wood products manufacturing systems that are among multi-parts and multi-process production types, evolve to be much more detailed and smart as well. A wood products manufacturing today consists of high-tech machines that differ from conventional facilities. Factories today are applying professional manufacturing systems such as lean manufacturing, process optimization and improvements. In this regard, to study wood processing plants, researchers, engineers and managers are facing challenges to analyze, draw layout and process diagram charts with existing few simple data, required space and symbols which are related to standards machines. Moreover, when a layout is more detailed putting many symbols makes the layout confusing. We have provided a list of modern facilities for wood and panel processing including their overall space that consists of machine size, accessories space, operational area, stock area, safe zone and the rule of space sharing. A coding method is suggested that eliminates the confusing method of using simple identical symbols for layout and it makes the layout more readable, professional and efficient. In this method, every machine or equipment has its own unique code that is related to its cell or station and the code is too short in order to make the layout clear. CNC machining centers and robotic system that have become prevalent in wood working factories were considered in this study.

Keywords:

Wood working plant , Wood processing , Lean manufacturing , Plant layout , Furniture mass-production