Abstract

A productive layout design effectively utilizes men, materials, machines, and space. Determination of effective utilization of space and equipment arrangement for a food service system is based on the menu item production sequences. Utilization of computer processing of the data can provide quantitative information in minimal time for major planning decisions.

It was the purpose of this research 1) to determine an optimal equipment arrangement among four types of layouts for an entree-production center and 2) to demonstrate the value of the computer-assisted method in optimizing equipment arrangements.

The production sequences indicating equipment utilization and frequency factor for each of 83 entree menu items provided the data for the computer to tabulate 1) a movement frequency table for all the selected menu items and 2) a movement frequency table for the multiple frequency menu items. The equipment dimensions, four different layout descriptions and dimensions, movement frequencies from both tables and 100 starting equipment arrangements were utilized by the layout optimization program to compute optimized layouts. Each optimized layout indicated: 1) the starting equipment arrangement number, 2) the total travel distance required to prepare all the selected menu items or only the multiple frequency menu items, 3) the to-scale equipment arrangement, and 4) the type of layout. Four layout configurations were included in this study: parallel, U-shaped, L-shaped, and L-shaped with an island.

Based on the menu items and the equipment required to prepare them, the parallel layout provided the equipment arrangement with the shortest total travel distance. The multiple frequency menu items cannot be used alone to determine the optimal equipment arrangement. The positioning of the five pieces of equipment with the high movement frequencies must be as close as possible to each other. But the total travel distance will vary depending on the location of these five units within the layout as well as the arrangement of the five units to each other. Even though the five units were adjacent to each other, in some layouts the total travel distance varied considerably indicating that the location of units with a lower movement frequency had some influence on the total travel distance.

The layout optimization program did provide a method of analyzing a large amount of quantitative data rapidly in minimal time and cost. This management tool makes it possible for administrative dietitians, design consultants and administrators to utilize current information in planning equipment layouts.

It is recommended that continuing research be directed toward, 1) incorporating a time factor, 2) eliminating certain layout dimension restrictions, and 3) analyzing each production center in order to coordinate all the date to design the complete food service system.

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Kathleen K. Zolber

Second Advisor

Paul Y. Yahiku

Third Advisor

Shirley T. Moore

Fourth Advisor

Jere E. Chrispens

Fifth Advisor

Paul S. Damazo

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1971

Date (Title Page)

8-1971

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Food Service, Hospital; Computers

Type

Thesis

Page Count

xi; 143

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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