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Eli Lewis
Eli Lewis · elilewis2029@u.northwestern.edu · elilewisportfolio.info/projects/shop-relayout-sequenced-to-avoid-a-shutdown · Part 1 of 2, “Ely Tool shop reorganization”: elilewisportfolio.info/projects/series/ely-tool-shop-reorganization

Part 1 of 2Manufacturing & shop · 2026

Shop floor relayout without a shutdown

Ely Tool: 5S layout planned in SketchUp and sequenced so a working custom-tooling shop never closed

Final plan for the main floor, modeled to scale in SketchUp. I discussed with the lead engineer to establish large moves and location for the new CNC machine (large upper left profile). I worked out everything in between--exact orientation, storage cabinets, worktables, manual machines. Colors: green = in final position, orange = planned, not yet moved, red = remove, purple = review, brown = work surface, yellow = keep contents. Large shaded margins = space needed to service a machine; white circles = 12, 8 and 5 ft gauges for checking the new hallway widths.

Final plan for the main floor, modeled to scale in SketchUp. I discussed with the lead engineer to establish large moves and location for the new CNC machine (large upper left profile). I worked out everything in between--exact orientation, storage cabinets, worktables, manual machines. Colors: green = in final position, orange = planned, not yet moved, red = remove, purple = review, brown = work surface, yellow = keep contents. Large shaded margins = space needed to service a machine; white circles = 12, 8 and 5 ft gauges for checking the new hallway widths.

Final plan for the main floor, modeled to scale in SketchUp. I discussed with the lead engineer to establish large moves and location for the new CNC machine (large upper left profile). I worked out everything in between--exact orientation, storage cabinets, worktables, manual machines. Colors: green = in final position, orange = planned, not yet moved, red = remove, purple = review, brown = work surface, yellow = keep contents. Large shaded margins = space needed to service a machine; white circles = 12, 8 and 5 ft gauges for checking the new hallway widths.

I modeled Ely Tool's main floor to scale in SketchUp and designed the detailed layout management adopted, fitting existing machines, benches and storage around space needed for new CNC machines and for a concrete pad installation. The plan revolved around a large flexible central area, which allowed a forklift to fit onto the shop floor to enable continuous reordering of machines, spreading the moving work over a longer timespan and avoiding a full shop shutdown, which would have cost an estimated $5,000

Role
Team

I was responsible for the detailed layout and for coordinating between management and getting feedback from employees; management made the major relocation decisions and I put it all together into a concrete plan

Duration
Jul–Sep 2026
Tools
sketchup
Skills
facility-layout, 5s-lean, stakeholder-coordination, project-planning

Goal & constraints

  • Make room for new equipment without shutting the shop down.
  • Keep required machine adjacencies and the service space around each machine.
  • Improve access, safety, storage, findability, and ease of part transport

Process

  • Interviewed machinists and watched daily work to learn what already worked and what could be cleared out or moved
  • Built a to-scale SketchUp model and tagged every item: keep in place, move, remove, or review.
  • Placed and oriented machines following management's major moves, including needing to have the back half temporarily completely clear for floor refinishing and installation of a concrete pad
  • Relayed decisions to the floor and brought feedback back to management.
  • Created plan and mapped bottlenecks into a flowchart which was presented to lead engineer
  • Began with clearing path to central zone, enabling faster reordering with forklift
  • Large-machine moves were underway when I left and central area cleared; floor resurfacing followed one to two weeks later.
The original main-floor layout in the same view, with every item tagged keep in place, move, remove or review. Compare with the final plan at the top.

The original main-floor layout in the same view, with every item tagged keep in place, move, remove or review. Compare with the final plan at the top.

The original main-floor layout in the same view, with every item tagged keep in place, move, remove or review. Compare with the final plan at the top.
The dependency map I used to sequence the work: tasks (triangles) that had to finish before each stage (diamonds) could start, building toward the two goals in red: clearing space for the new machines and concrete pad, and redoing the detail room.

The dependency map I used to sequence the work: tasks (triangles) that had to finish before each stage (diamonds) could start, building toward the two goals in red: clearing space for the new machines and concrete pad, and redoing the detail room.

The dependency map I used to sequence the work: tasks (triangles) that had to finish before each stage (diamonds) could start, building toward the two goals in red: clearing space for the new machines and concrete pad, and redoing the detail room.
Eye level in the model, original layout, isle walkways are too narrow to fit carts moving in both directions or moving equipment

Eye level in the model, original layout, isle walkways are too narrow to fit carts moving in both directions or moving equipment

Eye level in the model, original layout, isle walkways are too narrow to fit carts moving in both directions or moving equipment
The same spot in the final plan: the middle section is completely opened, allowing flexible staging space and is sized to allow a forklift to comfortably facilitate future equipment moves

The same spot in the final plan: the middle section is completely opened, allowing flexible staging space and is sized to allow a forklift to comfortably facilitate future equipment moves

The same spot in the final plan: the middle section is completely opened, allowing flexible staging space and is sized to allow a forklift to comfortably facilitate future equipment moves
Taking apart the large built in cabinet in the hallway. The glue and nail construction required sharp kinetic force to separate (I got to smash it apart with hammers)

Taking apart the large built in cabinet in the hallway. The glue and nail construction required sharp kinetic force to separate (I got to smash it apart with hammers)

Taking apart the large built in cabinet in the hallway. The glue and nail construction required sharp kinetic force to separate (I got to smash it apart with hammers)

Result

~$5,000 estimated shutdown labor avoided, 400+ square feet of floor space made available

Before and after

Before
Before: The saw room. Metal racks block the space in the middle and carts have no way to pass through, slowing intake and outtake processes

Before: The saw room. Metal racks block the space in the middle and carts have no way to pass through, slowing intake and outtake processes

Before: The saw room. Metal racks block the space in the middle and carts have no way to pass through, slowing intake and outtake processes
After
After: the same corner cleared for good; the compressor and tank stayed in place, wrapped while painters repainted the walls.

After: the same corner cleared for good; the compressor and tank stayed in place, wrapped while painters repainted the walls.

After: the same corner cleared for good; the compressor and tank stayed in place, wrapped while painters repainted the walls.
Before
Before: plastic bar and sheet stock piled in a back-room corner beside the metal-stock rack.

Before: plastic bar and sheet stock piled in a back-room corner beside the metal-stock rack.

Before: plastic bar and sheet stock piled in a back-room corner beside the metal-stock rack.
After
After: the same corner with the plastics cleared and a flammables cabinet in their place, holding paints, solvents and oils.

After: the same corner with the plastics cleared and a flammables cabinet in their place, holding paints, solvents and oils.

After: the same corner with the plastics cleared and a flammables cabinet in their place, holding paints, solvents and oils.
After
Where the plastic stock went: One of several storage containers out back. I added shelving, roughly doubling available storage space and organized the plastic by material and size

Where the plastic stock went: One of several storage containers out back. I added shelving, roughly doubling available storage space and organized the plastic by material and size

Where the plastic stock went: One of several storage containers out back. I added shelving, roughly doubling available storage space and organized the plastic by material and size

What I’d change

I wasted too much time discussing potential plans with lead engineer rather than pre-emptively creating my own and presenting them. If I had done so, my plan likely would have gotten approved sooner and I would have been able to facilitate more of the process

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