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Decision Support System for Manufactured Housing Facility Layout |
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| Authors: | A Abu Hammad O Salem M Hastak M Syal |
| Affiliation: | 1Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Dept., Applied Science Univ., P.O. Box 926296, Amman 11931, Jordan (corresponding author). E-mail: dr-abuhammad@asu.edu.jo 2Associate Professor, Dept., of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221. E-mail: osalem@uc.edu 3Professor and Head, Division of Construction Engineering and Management, Purdue Univ., 550 Stadium Mall Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051. E-mail: hastak@ecn.purdue.edu 4Professor, Construction Management Program, School of Planning, Design and Construction, 113 Human Ecology Building, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824. E-mail: syalm@egr.msu.edu |
| Abstract: | Productivity improvement of manufactured housing (MH) production systems has been a great concern to manufacturers and production managers. Studies show that a typical manufactured housing plant fails to produce at desired capacity and production rate because of several shortcomings. The evaluation of the production system efficiency in the factory is essential for meeting the growing demand of customers with respect to design and size of the housing product. It is imperative to explore alternative layout designs that would be more efficient and productive. A decision support system (DSS) is proposed to assist the user in selecting an efficient layout design matching specified requirements and business constraints. The DSS framework covers interrelated factors of: (1) the market demand; (2) MH organization; (3) MH production process; and (4) MH production planning and facility design. Existing MH factories can utilize simulation and optimization components of the DSS in streamlining their activities and locating then solving potential bottlenecks. Additionally, the DSS can be used in selecting optimal production system layout for new plant design. |
| Keywords: | Manufactured homes Decision support systems Productivity Construction management Housing Optimization Industrial plants |