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This research investigates the importance of the within-building constraints on the solution speed of the machine layout problem. The machine layout problem, or the more general facility layout problem, has been well studied. Often, practical constraints such as within-building constraints are ignored when the modeller is not space-restricted. This research develops an ‘implied’ within-building constraint for the single-row machine layout model. The incorporation of such constraints may assist layout planners in obtaining higher quality (or known-quality) solutions within shorter planning periods. The impact of the constraint is assessed in several ways. First, the constraint is evaluated on several problems arising from the literature using the time to solution and objective function value as metrics using mixed-integer linear and nonlinear formulations. In addition, statistical assessments are made using the time to solution and objective function value metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The design of material flow systems is a multifaceted problem. The designer is required to process large amounts of information and make complex decisions concerning the design objectives. A design framework for building material flow system models has been developed by the authors to take key steps towards the management of design complexity. This paper addresses the issue of selecting and sequencing software tools for building material flow system models within a design environment that contains a variable set of design tools. Strategies for performing these tasks as well as their implementation are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]