Analysis of drivers for solving facility layout problems: A Literature review

Facility layout problems have a significant impact on the productivity and efficiency of the manufacturing systems. Generally, layout problems deal with the optimization of facility space and locations (e. g. machines, departments) and are oriented to optimize the system's performance within the facility space. Many research works discussed facility layout problems, and there are several literature reviews classified the problems, characteristics, solution methods, and mathematical models. In this paper, different aspects closely related to layout problem solutions and decision making are analyzed and reviewed. These aspects are organized as layout drivers: enabling technologies, tools and techniques, manufacturing systems, and supporting factors. Analyzing these four layout drivers will lead to suggest new ideas for optimizing the solution and obtaining robust and sustainable facility layout/re-layout design through integrating the industrial information. This review paper illustrates the trends, gaps, challenges and suggests some recommendations; the present analysis shall guide interested researchers and practitioners for integrating research works and developing new perspectives for future facility layout problem solutions and layout designs.