what is the difference beween job shop layout versus u shaped cell layout?

Howdy madamico!

Interesting question!  I have worked in "job shop layout"
conditions in the past, but would have rather worked in a
cell layout.

You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the
documents referenced below.  If you do not have it, you
can download it from the Adobe website.
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
website has a PDF file that describes basic layout formats.
www.nvgc.vt.edu/bhoopes/5414/layout.pdf

"Process layout (or job-shop layout or layout by function)
- Similar equipment or functions are grouped together
­- Parts travel according to some established sequence of
operations from area to area"
...
"Group technology (GT) layout [cell layout]
-­ Dissimilar machines are grouped into work centers or cells
-­ Similar to process layout in that cells are designed to
perform a specific set of processes
­- Similar to product layout in that cells are dedicated to a
limited range of product"

The California State University - Sacramento website has a
great PDF file of slides that show various shop layouts,
including a "job shop" as well as a cellular (cell) layout.
www.csus.edu/mgmt/blakeh/188Chapt5.pdf

Slide 15 - A Generalized Job Shop Operation
Slides 16, 17 - Advantages of the Job Shop
Slide 18 - Disadvantages of the Job Shop
Slide 23 - Conversion of a Job Shop Layout to a Cellular Layout

You will either need Microsoft Word or Word Pad to view the
following document.  If you do not have Word, you can download
the free Word 97 viewer from the Microsoft website. 
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2000/wd97vwr32.aspx 

This Geocities web page describes U shaped cell (cellular)
layouts.
www.geocities.com/ferd27/POMLecture7.doc

"Cellular Layouts - Cells group dissimilar machines together
to process a family of parts with similar shapes or processing
requirements. The layout of machines within the cell resembles
a small assembly line and is usually U-shaped. Work is moved
within the cell, ideally one unit at a time, from one process
to the next by a worker as he or she walks around the cell in
a prescribed path."

The above document is a well written history of "Just In Time"
(JIT) concepts and is worth reading in its entirety.

If you need any clarification, feel free to ask.


Search Strategy

Google search on keywords: "job shop layout"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22job+shop+layout%22

Looking Forward, denco-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by madamico-ga on 26 Aug 2003 04:42 PDT

what are advantages or disadvantages of either?

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Clarification of Answer by denco-ga on 28 Aug 2003 12:53 PDT

Howdy madamico,

It is customary on Google Answers to ask for a clarification
before rating an answer, so as to make sure you (the client)
receive the answer you desire.

For the advantages and disadvantage of job shop layout, we have
the following, from my original answer.

The California State University - Sacramento website has a
great PDF file of slides that show various shop layouts,
including a "job shop" as well as a cellular (cell) layout.
www.csus.edu/mgmt/blakeh/188Chapt5.pdf

"Slides 16, 17 - Advantages of the Job Shop
Slide 18 - Disadvantages of the Job Shop"

Here is the content of those slides.

"Advantages of the Job Shop
- Flexibility to respond to individual demands
- Less expensive general purpose equipment used
- Maintenance and installation of general purpose equipment easier
- General purpose equipment easier to modify and therefore less
susceptible to becoming obsolete
- Dangerous activities can be segregated from other operations
- Higher skilled work leading to pride of workmanship
- Experience and expertise concentrated
- Pace of work not dictated by moving line
- Less vulnerable to equipment breakdowns"
...
"Disadvantages of the Job Shop
- General purpose equipment is slower
- Higher direct labor cost
- High WIP inventories
- High material handling costs
- Management control very difficult: routing, scheduling, cost
accounting"

To view the original of this next document, you will need Microsoft
Powerpoint, or the free Microsoft Powerpoint viewer download available
through this Microsoft web page.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=D1649C22-B51F-4910-93FC-4CF2832D3342

For the advantages and disdvantages of a cell (cellular) layout,
there is the following information from the the Department of
Information and Operations Management, Mays Business School,
Texas A&M University website.
http://iops.tamu.edu/faculty/b-flores/Powerpoint660/ch05%5B1%5D.ppt

"OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT for MBAs Second Edition"
...
[Chapters 4 and 5]
...
"Advantages of Cellular Production
- Reduced machine setup times
- increased capacity
- economical to produce in smaller batch sizes
- smaller batch sizes result in less WIP
- less WIP leads to shorter lead times
- shorter lead times increase forecast accuracy and provide a
competitive
advantage
- Parts produced in one cell
- Capitalize on benefits of using worker teams
- Minimal cost to move from job shop to cellular production (e.g. EHC)
- Can move from cellular production to 'mini-plants'"
...
"Disadvantages of Cellular Production
- Volumes too low to justify highly efficient high volume equipment
- Vulnerable to equipment breakdowns
- Balancing work across cells
- Does not offer the same high degree of customization as the job
shop"

Looking Forward, denco-ga