Abstract
The purpose of this study is to establish a process of in-facility layout by applying the concept of functional component grouping. In this paper, the focus is on the three-dimensional plotting step of the functional components- one of the critical steps in the process. That is, the series of procedures, each based on multi-dimensional scaling, leads to a final three-dimensional plot of the functional components. This multi-dimensional scaling, an improvement on M-D-SCAL-5M by Kruskal, is based on the assumption that some of the layout objects (functional components or groups of functional components) are fixed within the spatial domain in which all the objects are to be laid out. In addition, since this is the first paper of the series, important features of each step in the study are clarified and the way in which this work differs from conventional studies is explained. This is done by focusing on the following issues : (1) the constitution of layout factors; (2) the method of calculating affinity; (3) the grouping structure; (4) the layout method; (5) the synchronization of evaluation and improvement processes. Further, this paper clarifies the relationship between the main theme of this paper and the overall study, as well as the concept of functional component grouping.
