Ergonomic Workplace Layout Using Genetic Algorithms

摘要

Ergonomic considerations are important in designing efficient workplace layouts. Poorly designed layouts can result in low productivity, operator fatigue and increased likelihood of mistakes occurring. This paper presents an aid to achieving optimum workplace layouts based upon a genetic algorithm. The technique uses as a basis the primary factors which influence a designer in locating items within a workplace, namely the frequency with which each item is used and the type of interaction occurring between items. These factors are used to generate design rules which are encoded into an evaluation function. The genetic algorithm then minimises this function with respect to the locations of items within the layout. Results are given for several typical layout problems.