Signshop Layout, Part 1

IN A PRODUCTION FACILITY, depending on the product being built, there will exist an optimal layout for the building that will ensure waste is minimal and workflow is optimal. Depending on the company, however, management may consider and implement an ideal shop layout, but in many cases this will remain unconsidered. When analyzing profitability, many shops will look to the commonly studied variables such as material costs, labor costs, overhead costs, sales metrics, etc., but in some circumstances simple and obvious adjustments can have the most impactful results. This is where considering factors such as a shop’s layout can make a meaningful impact on the bottom line.

In my experience in both signshops as well as other production facilities, a business generally has occupied its current workspace for many years, and during that time some things have changed while others have stayed the same. The variables that normally make up the group experiencing change include the personnel, the customers/type of work, the machines, the processes and the raw materials. On the other side of the coin, a factor that normally remains mostly unchanged unless it has been specifically considered is how a shop is organized. Analyzing how the shop floor is set up can not only improve efficiency by reducing waste but also reduce lead times and improve predictability by optimizing workflow.

Optimizing Workflow

Within a manufacturing environment, workflow is the step-by-step process that defines how a product gets made — from raw materials to finished goods. The steps of this process can vary, but the overall concept remains the same. When a business invests in workflow optimization, they can reap the benefits of increased efficiency, lower costs, improved quality, increased productivity, data accuracy, increased agility and improved transparency.

Many strategies can improve shop floor workflow, including implementing manufacturing-management systems, increased use of concepts such as 5S and Kaizen, and the improvement of a shop’s maintenance procedures. Before any of these deeper concepts are put into action, however, a simple look at a manufacturing floor’s layout to ensure it promotes optimal workflow can produce significant results if the needed changes are made. For example, if a signshop’s building is set up so that every time raw materials arrive they must be stored in a spot far away from the CAD area, then it might be time to rearrange the shop. This will cut down on foot travel, forklift travel and handling time, as well as increase safety and reduce the chances of material damage.

Shop Layout

Besides the layout of specific areas within a shop, models also deal with the layout of an entire manufacturing floor. Many organizations organize their shop around the characteristics of their products and the processes needed to produce them. Some of the most common shop layout types are as follows:

• Process-Focused Layout: This layout groups similar processes together and is regularly used in shops with a variety of custom machinery. Normally these shops are producers of low-volume custom products which vary greatly.
• Product-Focused Layout: Processes are organized in a linear fashion in their order of need. This is normally used in assembly-line plants and works for high-volume repeat production.
• Fixed-Position Layout: Product stays stationery and processes come to it. Used for large or heavy products.
• Combination/Cellular Layout: Mixture of layout styles used for agile team-based manufacturing, mainly used in electronics manufacturing/assembly.

When thinking about the sign industry, the type of signs produced by a business will be the most important factor when choosing an ideal layout strategy. I would consider our signshop, as well as many others out there, to be semi-custom production, therefore making a process-focused or combination/cellular layout most ideal.

In my next few columns, I intend to touch upon specific area layout as it pertains to common signshop processes. These process areas will include CAD (raw material cutting), shipping/receiving/crating, fabrication, and finishing (paint/vinyl).