A manufacturing layout flexibility index

In this paper the layout flexibility problem is discussed. The paper proposes to change the basic data generally considered in the literature relevant to the “Facility Layout Problem”, with the aim to find a “robust” physical layout of the machines with respect to the changes in the mix and/or volume of the demand. As a consequence, also the cost function to be optimised must change. The solution of the layout optimisation problem considering these new data/cost functions permits to obtain physical placements of the workstations which are less sensitive to external market mutations than in the past.