Evaluation of Functional and Cellular Layouts Through Simulation and Analytical Models

The relative performance of functional layout (FL) and cellular layout (CL) has been analyzed using computer simulation models since early 1970s, and through analytical models mostly since late 1980s. Simulation studies constitute the major portion of the work in this area, due to the complexity and analytical intractability of both functional and cellular manufacturing systems. Analytical modeling has barely begun, and the few models developed so far have been mainly aimed at resolving some of the paradoxical findings from simulation-based research.