This paper addresses the layout design of an assembly system consisting of multiple lines of different shapes. According to the proposed model (a mixed-integer linear program), the areas and shapes of the assembly lines constituting the assembly system are given and cannot be changed due to technological considerations. Still, the physical placement of each line and its orientation within the facility are decision variables. The objective function of the proposed model is to minimize the distances traveled by material flow. The mixed-integer programming formulation for the problem is presented. Computational results give an indication of the maximal problem size that can be solved in a reasonable amount of time and examine the effect of the problem parameters on the solution run time.
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