Product Layouts
Advantages
High rate of output
Low unit cost
Labor specialization
Low material handling cost per unit
High utilization of labor and equipment
Established routing and scheduling
Routine accounting, purchasing, and inventory control
Disadvantages
Creates dull, repetitive jobs
Poorly skilled workers may not maintain equipment or quality of output
Fairly inflexible to changes in volume or product or process design
Highly susceptible to shutdowns
Preventive maintenance, capacity for quick repair and spare-parts inventories are necessary expenses
Individual incentive plans are impractical