This chapter discusses engineering positions in production, planning manufacturing facilities, and production planning and control systems. It describes key considerations for area selection, community selection, and site selection when planning facilities. Common errors in facility location analysis include labor cost miscalculations, inadequate labor reservoirs, underestimating taxes, and purchasing unsuitable buildings. Layout planning comprises activities involved in selecting transportation routes. Objectives of layout planning are to minimize material handling costs, reduce congestion, increase safety and efficiency, and facilitate communication. Tools for production planning include economic order quantity, break-even charts, and learning curves. Production planning and control systems covered are material requirements planning, manufacturing resource planning, synchronized manufacturing, and just-in-time.

2. Advanced Organizer