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There are many elements to consider when planning the route of the food facility. Such as production efficiency, material handling, and hygiene regulations. In order to enhance the objectivity of planning, this study aims to establish a quantifiable assessment method. The research object is the primary aquaculture processing facility, which main productions are salted mackerel, frozen fish slices, and breaded shishamo. The research method is divided into four steps. Step 1: Confirm that the case facility is compliant with regulatory requirements, by using the route planning checklist of the food facility. Step 2: Analyze the space integration value of the case facility using space syntax to improve space utilization. Step 3: Improve the layout of the operating area by reviewing the activity relationship chart. Step 4: Use flow diagram to simulate the performance of the improvement program.
Results from expert questionnaire showed that the importance value of the first level weighing from high to low as follows: “hygiene operations and pollution control (0.381)”, “space area layout (0.249)”, “production efficiency (0.214)”, “structure selection (0.100)”, “future development (0.057)”. Second level weighing from high to low as follows: “pollution prevention and control of production operations (0.130)”, “low-temperature storage area (0.078)”, “personnel line management (0.070)”. By using the route planning checklist of the food facility to assess the status of the case facility, the result showed that the most vital item to improve is “pollution prevention and control of production operations (checklist score -8.8)”. The results from space syntax analysis showed that the space integration value of unit 19 ranked first, its actual material handling also came first, making it the best at space utilization. Space integration value of unit 14 came second, with its actual material handling ranking fourth, which means that space is effectively used. Space integration value of unit 31 ranked fourth, its actual material handling ranked third, and it is the main handling channel. Space integration value of unit 15 and 17 ranked third and fifth respectively, their actual material handling ranked fourteenth and fifteenth respectively. The area operation record showed that this area has the highest number of staff on break, which means people started to use it as a staff lounge. After adjusting the layout, the total free space was reduced by 315 m2, expanding the production operational area by 27%. The results obtained from reviewing activity relationship chart showed that there are 5 pairs of A relationship, with a total distance of 77.6 m; 14 pairs of E relationship, with a total distance of 402 m; 36 pairs of I relationship, with a total distance of 1180 m. The improvement program reduced the total distance of A relationships by 46.6%, mainly by moving Taiwan mackerel operations into the Norwegian mackerel area. The total distanced of E relationships was reduced by 49.8%, the vacuum packaging zone and the continuous vacuum packaging zone were moved to adjacent locations in the central area of the plant. The additive and dry goods areas were moved to adjacent locations. The mackerel thawing and sorting area were moved into the Norwegian mackerel area, so that pre-treatments are done in the same area. The flow diagram simulation showed that the improvement program reduced the processing distance of breaded shishamo by 29%, Taiwan mackerel production line processing distance is reduced by 30%, and in order to meet the hygiene requirements, the processing distance of continuous vacuum packaging and vacuum packaging is increased by 3%.
This study integrates analytic hierarchy process, space syntax, activity relationship chart, and flow diagram, to establish a method to quantify food plant moving line planning. This method can be used to plan a route to meet the production efficiency needs and food hygiene safety, and can estimate the performance of the improvement program, delivering an objective overview to the planner.
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