University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Rakesh Nagi
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Biography

Research

• Information Fusion

• Congestion in Facilities Location and Layout

• Facility Layout (Re)Design

• Agile Manufacturing

• Real-Time Visualization

• Sensor Networks

• Facilities Design and Cellular Manufacturing

• Operations of Production Systems

• Variant Design

Teaching

• IE 684: Networks, Routing, and Logistics

• IE 661: Scheduling Theory

• IE 620: Agile Manufacturing

• IE 505: Production Planning and Control

• IE 504: Facilities Design

• IE 500: Special Topics: Logistics and Supply-Chain Management

• IE 327: Facilities Design

• IE 320: Engineering Economy

Professional Activities

Teaching Interests

IE 504: Facilities Design
•Course Overview
•Course Topics
•Staff
•Basic Requirements
•Required Work and Grading Policy
•References
•Lectures and Handouts
•Assignments and Projects

Course Overview

This graduate level course covers facilities design related problems, especially in manufacturing systems. The approach is an analytical and quantitative one, but qualitative issues are not ignored. It blends quantitative and qualitative material, theoretical and practical perspectives, and thus, bears relevance for academic as well as industrial pursuits. Following an introduction, topics covered include role of product process and schedule design, flow analysis and activity relationship, capacity and space requirements planning, computer aided layout planning, mathematical approaches to location problems, storage and warehouse systems layout, cellular and hybrid manufacturing facilities design, material handling systems and equipment selection, quantitative problems in automated guided vehicle systems (AGVS) design, and performance evaluation and selection among alternatives. Recent research directions and state-of-the art studies will be performed via comprehensive course projects, slide shows, and guest lectures.
Course Topics

1. Introduction 1
2. The Plant Layout Problem 2
3. Computerized Layout Planning 3
4. Planar Single-Facility Location Problems 4
5. Storage Systems Layout 5
6. Cellular Manufacturing Facilities Design Lectures
7. Material Handling Systems & Equipment Selection
8. AGVS

Staff

Instructor:
Dr. Rakesh Nagi, Professor
Department of Industrial Engineering
State University of New York at Buffalo
420 Bell Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260-2050
U.S.A.
Telephone: (716) 645-2357
FAX: (716) 645-3302
E-mail: nagi@buffalo.edu
Office Hours (Spring 2006): M, W: 10:30am to 11:30am

Teaching Assistants:
TBA
Basic Requirements
  • Basic calculus
  • Elementary probability and statistics
  • Elementary Linear Programming
  • General understanding of the production function
Required Work and Grading Policy

1.  Homework    - (bi-)weekly assignments                            20%
2.  Project        - proposal (10%*), two reports (35+40%*), presentation (15%*)    25%
    Individual projects will be performed, addressing a key area of facilities design. State-of-the art from scientific and/or practitioners oriented publications will be reported from a critical viewpoint. The limitations and critique of the literature is expected to result in some open/new problems and possible solution techniques. Use of computer programs and software for demonstration are highly encouraged. Results of the study and novel ideas will be presented in class. (*of project grade)
3.  Exams        - one midterm (25%), one final (30%)                55%
     (+/- Grading scheme will be employed)
References

[Text]    Francis, R.L., McGinnis, L.F. and White, J.A., Facilities Layout and Location, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall (1992).
[Ref]    Tompkins, J.A., White, J.A., Bozer, Y.A., Frazelle, E.H., Tanchoco, J.M.A. and Trevino, J., Facilities Planning, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons (1995).
[Ref]    Tompkins, J.A. and White, J.A., Facilities Planning, John Wiley & Sons (1984).
[Ref]     Several Research Articles for Scientific Journals.
Lectures and Handouts

UBLearns
Assignments and Projects

Key Areas for Term Projects (examples)
  1. Design of Manufacturing Cells
  2. Material Handling Systems Selection
  3. Material Handling Flow-Path Design
  4. Layout of Cellular Facilities
  5. Layout of Hybrid Facilities
  6. Heuristic approaches to the Layout Problem
  7. Redesign of existing facilities
  8. Performance evaluation of alternative designs
  9. AGVs: fleet-size, single vs. bi-directional, scheduling rules, routing, collision avoidance, traffic control, communication and integration.
  10. Relationship between scheduling and material handling system design

Contact information: Phone: (716) 645-2427 • Fax: (716) 645-3302 • E-mail: nagi@buffalo.edu

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