Simulation model and multi-criteria decision making for layout design of cellular manufacturing in a solar cell manufacturer

Due to the governments´ supports and aggressive business worldwide expansion, the supply has gradually exceeded the demand in solar cell industry, which causes a serious competition in market and thus profit drops. This study proposes a feasible solution to re-layout base on the idea of cellular manufacturing, and uses the multiple criteria decision-making method (MCDM) to evaluate the best alternative. An empirical result about a leading solar cell manufacturer in Taiwan was conducted and led to 9.68% cycle time reduction and 18.17% decrease of WIP level.