PART III | LESSON 9: THE LAYERED FLOW DIAGRAM MATERIAL HANDLING ACADEMY

Lesson 9 Worksheet: The Layered Flow Diagram

Same diagram, four rounds. Name what each layer adds, then take the base flow below and build all four layers onto it, in order. Don't compute belt speeds. That's next lesson.

Name the Four Layers

For each layer, write what gets added, and name one specific engineering decision that layer enables.

LayerWhat gets addedOne decision it enables
Layer 1
Layer 2
Layer 3
Layer 4

Build the Four-Layer Diagram

Here's the confirmed Layer 1 flow: two pick zones, a merge, the sort decision, three doors. Work down the four blocks below and add each layer's notes onto this diagram in order.

Base flow, Layer 1 confirmed
Zone A pick
Zone B pick
Merge
Sort
decision
Door 1
Door 2
Door 3

Layer 2 · Volume and rate

Split 20 CPM across the doors by Dana's percentages and note each section's rate. Flag the Zone A / Zone B split as an open item.

Layer 3 · Delays, assumptions, decisions

Mark the sort as a smart decision point. Write the three data questions at it. Note the unconfirmed WMS latency as an open item, not a fact.

Layer 4 · Buffers and people

Write buffer notes as measurable requirements. Mark the forklift crossing, the mezzanine landing, and where operators and maintenance need access.

Ask the Three Data Questions

Take the sort decision point and answer each question as far as your job at this stage allows. You're describing the decision, not designing the controls.

  1. What decision gets made here, and what does the system need to know to make it?
  2. Who or what makes it, and where does that information come from?
  3. What happens if the answer does not arrive in time?
RIVERSIDE PROJECT NOTES, LAYERS 2-4