Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Integrating SLP with simulation to design and evaluate facility layout for industrial head lettuce production

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Annals of Operations Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Because of the global competition of greenhouses and the importance of the global food safety, designing higher yield and efficiency greenhouse systems becomes a hot spot problem. A greenhouse designed for industrial head lettuce production not only can increase yield by using A-Frame systems, but can also improve efficiency through an operation process of alleviating human labor by machines. However, the facility layout problem (FLP) of greenhouse with complex crop production system and multi machines was always ignored in the past decades. In order to maximize production capacity and efficiency, the FLP of greenhouse should be considered as an essential section at the conceptual design phase. To overcome these problems, a framework integrating systematic layout planning (SLP) and simulation is proposed to design and evaluate facility layout in greenhouses. When applying the framework to the facility layout for industrial head lettuce production, we can get the optimal layout plan which lead to a daily production of 7752 head lettuces within about 98 min in a greenhouse of 14,784 m2 and an efficiency improvement of 67.31% compared with another initial layout plan. These research results can help the designer find a more effective layout and the managers to support decisions before greenhouse construction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

SLP:

Systematic layout planning

FLP:

Facility layout problem

DES:

Discrete event simulation

PQRST:

Product, quantity, route, service, and time

NB:

Nutrient bowl

SS:

Soil substrates

ST:

Seeding tray

AF:

A-Frame

PT:

Planting trough

Pre-ST:

The Seeding tray that has completed the seedlings production

Ini-AF:

The A-Frame system in initial growth stage

TPT:

The transplanted planting trough

TNB:

The transplanted nutrition bowl

MPT:

The planting trough which are full of mature vegetables

MNB:

The nutrition bowl with mature lettuce

Har-AF:

The A-Frame system in harvest stage

S sum :

Size of greenhouse (m2)

S st :

Size of ST (m2)

C st :

Capacity of NBs in a ST

χst :

Number of Pre-STs in warehouse

S pt :

Size of PT (m2)

C pt :

Capacity of TNB in a PT

S af :

Size of AF (m2)

C af :

Capacity of TNBs in an AF

T t :

The total days of head lettuce from seed to maturity

T 1 :

Days of Pre-STs in the nursery company

T 2 :

Days of Ini-AFs in growing unit

χgrowing :

Number of Ini-AFs in growing unit

R :

Rows of Ini-AFs arranged in greenhouse layout

k :

Number of rows allocated to greenhouse production operations each day

χr :

Number of Ini-AF of each row

P lettuce :

Daily production of lettuce

s :

Standard space required for an Ini-AF in growing unit (m2)

S i :

Standard working space required in unit i, \(i = 1,2,3,4,5,6\)(m2)

OS :

Size of office (m2)

CS :

Size of comprehensive unit (m2)

T sum :

The total time (s) of whole operation process each day

References

  • Agrawal, K., & Paharia, A. (2018). Layout optimization of machining process of the side frame of cotton ginning M/C using FLP. International Journal of Advanced Research and Development, 3(4), 260–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aldrich, R. A., & Bartok, J. W. (1992). Greenhouse engineering. Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • ASAE Standards. (2004). EP460: Commercial greenhouse design and layout. St. Joseph, MI: ASAE.

  • Bangsaw, S. (2016). Tecnomatix plant simulation modeling and programing by means of example. Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Banjarat, Y., Anucha, W., & Wiyaratn, W. (2019). Plant layout design for improvement and eggs grading process. In Proceedings of international conference on management science and industrial engineering (pp. 19–25). https://doi.org/10.1145/3335550.3335572

  • Baudoin, W., Nersisyan, A., Shamilov, A., Hodder, A., Gutierrez, D., Pascale, S.D., Nicola, S., Chairperson, V., Gruda, N., Urban, L. et al. (2017). Good agricultural practices for greenhouse vegetable production in the South East European Countries. Principles for sustainable intensification of smallholder farms; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Rome, Italy.

  • Benke, K., & Tomkins, B. (2017). Future food-production systems: Vertical farming and controlled-environment agriculture. Sustainability Science and Practice Policy Journal, 13(1), 13–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2017.1394054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong, H. (2005). Facilities planning and logistics [in Chinese]. Machinery Industry Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eben-Chaime, M., Bechar, A., & Baron, A. (2008). Electronic spreadsheet tools for layout design of greenhouses. ActaHortic. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.801.46

  • Eben-Chaime, M., Bechar, A., & Baron, A. (2011). Economical evaluation of greenhouse layout design. International Journal of Production Economics, 134(1), 246–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2011.07.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fedoroff, N. V. (2015). Food in a future of 10 billion. Agriculture & Food Security, 4(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-015-0031-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feng, Y., & Gao, G. (2019). Design and simulation study on logistics planning in automatic plant factory based on Tecnomatix Plant Simulation. In Proceedings of 2nd world conference on mechanical engineering and intelligent manufacturing (pp. 667–671). https://doi.org/10.1109/WCMEIM48965.2019.00141

  • Gao, G. H., Dong, B., Liu, B. D., & Zhang, S. (2020c). Loader and dismantler capable of multi-layer crop double-side operation. China Patent No. CN110896844A (in Chinese).

  • Gao, G. H., Feng, Y. B., Tian, Y. X., Chen, P., & Wei, Z. Y. (2020d). A tractor for A-Frame. China Patent No. CN110999669A (in Chinese).

  • Gao, G. H., Feng, G. H., & Zhang, S. (2020e). A transplanter and transplanting method China Patent No. CN110933980A (in Chinese).

  • Gao, G. H., Liang, Y. Z., Liu, J. F., Zhang, J. F., & Xie, H. F. (2020a). A swing type three-dimensional planting frame. China Patent No. CN108811961A (in Chinese).

  • Gao, G. H., Liang, Y. Z., & Zhang., S. (2020b). Automatic harvester for planting vegetables in facility. China Patent No. CN108293419A (in Chinese).

  • Giacomelli, G., Castilla, N., van Henten, E., Mears, D., & Sase, S. (2007). Innovation in greenhouse engineering. In Proceedings of international society for horticultural science (pp. 75–88). https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.801.3

  • Gómez, J., Tascón, A., & Ayuga, F. (2018). Systematic layout planning of wineries: The case of Rioja region (Spain). The Journal of Agricultural Engineering (JAE), 49(1), 34–41. https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2018.778

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanan, J. J. (1998). Greenhouses. CRC Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heragu, S. S. (1997). Facilities design. BWS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeon, S. M., & Kim, G. (2016). A survey of simulation modeling techniques in production planning and control (PPC). Production Planning and Control, 27(5), 360–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2015.1128010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koopmans, T. C., & Beckmann, M. (1957). Assignment problems and the location of economic activities. Econometrica, 1, 1. https://doi.org/10.2307/1907742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, R., & Singh, S. P. (2017). A similarity score-based two-phase heuristic approach to solve the dynamic cellular facility layout for manufacturing systems. Engineering Optimization, 49(11), 1848–1867. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305215X.2016.1274205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, Q.-L., Liu, H.-C., Wang, D.-J., & Liu, L. (2015). Integrating systematic layout planning with fuzzy constraint theory to design and optimize the facility layout for operating theatre in hospitals. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 26(1), 87–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-013-0764-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y., & Xu, J. (2017). Optimization on production line layout of automobile body shop. In Proceedings of international conference on service systems and service management (pp. 1–6). IEEE.

  • Longo, F., Massei, M., & Nicoletti, L. (2012). An application of modeling and simulation to support industrial plants design. The International Journal of Modeling, Simulation, and Scientific Computing, 3(1), 1240001. https://doi.org/10.1142/s1793962312400016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masoud, S., Son, Y.-J., Kubota, C., & Tronstad, R. (2018). Evaluation of simulation-based optimization in grafting labor allocation. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 34(3), 479–489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masoud, S., Chowdhury, B. D., Son, Y.-J., Kubota, C., & Tronstad, R. (2019). Simulation based optimization of resource allocation and facility layout for vegetable grafting operations. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 163, 104845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2019.05.054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montero, J. I., van Henten, E. J., Son, J. E., & Castilla, N. (2009). Greenhouse engineering: New technologies and approaches. In Proceedings of the international symposium on high technology for greenhouse systems (pp. 51–63). https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.893.1

  • Muther, R. (1973). Systematic layout planning (2nd ed., pp. 12–26). Cahners Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naqvi, S. A., Fahad, M., Atir, M., Zubair, M., & Shehzad, M. M. (2016). Productivity improvement of a manufacturing facility using systematic layout planning. Cogent Engineering, 3(1), 1207296. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2016.1207296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naranje, V., Reddy, P. V., & Sharma, B. K. (2019). Optimization of factory layout design using simulation tool. In Proceedings of 6th international conference on industrial engineering and applications (pp. 193–197). https://doi.org/10.1109/IEA.2019.8715162

  • Sule, D. R. (2008). Manufacturing facilities: Location, planning, and design. CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420044232

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tiwari, G. N., & Goyal, R. K. (1998). Greenhouse technology. Narosa Publ. House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tompkins, J. A., White, J. A., Bozer, Y. A., & Tanchoco, J. M. (2010). Facilities planning. Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, A. P., Sama, M. P., McNeill, L. S., Dvorak, J. S., Mark, T., & Montross, M. D. (2019). A discrete event simulation model for analysis of farm scale grain transportation systems. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2019.105040

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ullman, D. G. (2017). The mechanical design process. McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • van’t Ooster, A., Bontsema, J., van Henten, E. J., & Hemming, S. (2012). GWorkS: A discrete event simulation model on crop handling processes in a mobile rose cultivation system. Biosystems Engineering, 112(2), 108–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2012.03.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van’t Ooster, A., Bontsema, J., van Henten, E. J., & Hemming, S. (2013). Sensitivity analysis of a stochastic discrete event simulation model of harvest operations in a static rose cultivation system. Biosystems Engineering, 116(4), 457–469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2013.10.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van’t Ooster, A., Bontsema, J., van Henten, E. J., & Hemming, S. (2014). Simulation of harvest operations in a static rose cultivation system. Biosystems Engineering, 120, 34–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2013.04.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van’t Ooster, A., Bontsema, J., van Henten, E. J., & Hemming, S. (2015). Model-based analysis of skill oriented labour management in a multi-operations and multi-worker static cut rose cultivation system. Biosystems Engineering, 135, 87–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2015.04.014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Henten, E. J. (2004). Greenhouse mechanization: State of the art and future perspective. In Proceedings of international society for horticultural science (pp. 55–70). https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2006.710.3

  • Van Os, E. A., Gieling, T. H., & Lieth, J. H. (2019). Chapter 13—Technical equipment in soilless production systems. In M. Raviv, J. H. Lieth, & A. Bar-Tal (Eds.), Soilless culture, 2nd edn. (pp. 587–635). Cambridge, MA: Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63696-6.00013-X

  • Visuwan, D., & Phruksaphanrat, B. (2014). Plant layout analysis by computer simulation for electronic manufacturing service plant. International Journal of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, 8(3), 586–591.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitner, G., & Bechar, A. (2011). Screen house layout design using work methods simulation. Agricultural Engineering International: CIGR Journal, 13(1), 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, T., Su, C. T., & Hsu, Y. R. (2000). Systematic layout planning: A study on semiconductor wafer fabrication facilities. International Journal of Operations & Production Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443570010348299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, K., Leck Jensen, A., Bochtis, D. D., & Sorensen, C. G. (2015). Simulation model for the sequential in-field machinery operations in a potato production system. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 116, 173–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2015.06.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant number: 2019YFE0125100), Great Scholars Program (Grant number: CIT&TCD20190309), Beijing Postdoctoral Research Foundation (Grant number: Q6001025202101), and postdoctoral work fund of Chaoyang District (Grant number: Q1001025202201).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Materials and Manufacturing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China

    Guohua Gao, Yongbing Feng, Zihua Zhang, Shuangyou Wang & Zizhao Yang

Authors
  1. Guohua Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yongbing Feng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zihua Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shuangyou Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Zizhao Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yongbing Feng.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gao, G., Feng, Y., Zhang, Z. et al. Integrating SLP with simulation to design and evaluate facility layout for industrial head lettuce production. Ann Oper Res 321, 209–240 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-022-04893-z

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-022-04893-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation