Layout Optimization of Battery Swap Machine Production Using Simplified Systematic Layout Planning

Every industry is faced with layout problems that affect system performance. It is critical for industries to enhance plant layout design while also considering how to cut costs and expenses in order to thrive in a competitive market. Although there are many methods to optimize the plant layout, SLP is one of the widely used because it allows analyzing the relation between each process or department that has a reducing effect on the productivity of the company. The objective of this research is to examine the existing plant layout of the battery swap machine production unit and to design a simplified and efficient layout using SLP (Systematic Layout Planning) to increase its productivity. The analysis of the existing layout was investigated by examining material flow, activity relationships and space requirements of activities. Later, alternative facility layouts were designed and compared with the existing layout to select the most optimal layout. The new plant structure that was eventually chosen resulted in a considerable reduction in the distance of material and workflow movement, which increased the unit's production. Material movement across the plant area is decreased by 26 percent, and an additional 16 square meters of the area is generated according to an analysis of the existing layout and final layout produced by Systematic Layout Planning (SLP). The production line is considered in this thesis belongs to the battery swap machine developed by Eurofork S.p.A, an automated material handling company based in Turin/Italy.