Differences between process layout and product layout

Differences between process layout and product layout

Process layout: According to Shim and Seigel (1999) process layout refers all processes or machines of the same attribute's type are grouped together in what are usually known as departments or machine centers. It is also known as job lot layout or functional layout.

Product layout: According to Lussier (2011, p.509) ‘product layout is associated with make-to-stock, and assemble-to-order levels of customer involvement, relatively inflexible repetitive process or continuous process operations and capital intensify.’ It is usually used in high production oriented process.

Ingram (2015) mentioned some differences between process layout and product layout those are described below:

Process layout	Product layout
In process layout, groups workstations jointly doing activities without considering which product is working on each workstation.	In product layout, various groups workstations jointly doing activities according to the products they work on.
Process layout is applied in low volume products and customized products that require sequences of operations.	Product layout is applied in high standardize and high volume products which need repetitive process.
It is suitable where variety of process requirement needs to handle.	It is suitable where large volume of products need to produce in a short time.
It requires high level of equipment and labor utilization.	It requires low equipments utilization because th uses of machine relies on a variety of output requirements.
It is flexible than product layout.	It is inflexible than process layout.