10 



MISC. PUBLICATION 5 4 0, U. S. DEFT. OF AGRICULTURE 



The main locker and wash rooms should be located near the prep- 

 aration line since many workers are employed there. Care should 

 be taken to avoid the movement of employees across the line of 

 product flow. 



Labor requirements are closely related to plant lay-out and equip- 

 ment. For example, the length of trimming and inspection belts 

 depends upon the number of women needed for these operations. 

 The spacing of equipment and the flow of product are influenced by 

 the number of workers needed for the various operations. Proper 

 plant lay-out saves space and reduces the requirement of labor and 

 equipment. Flow of products through the plant in a manner that 

 eliminates cross traffic decreases the amount of labor required. Ele- 

 vators and conveyors also save labor. In many instances, the use 

 of gravity flow will decrease the required number of employees, and 

 will eliminate elevators and conveyors at some points. 



The work in the machine shop will consist mainly of repair of trays 

 and adjustment and maintenance of preparation equipment. It should 

 be located so as to require the least movement of the items to be 

 repaired. Some machines are too large to take to the machine shop, 

 and it is necessary to allow for working space alongside this equip- 

 ment or provide for its removal to the outside. In many cases, equip- 

 ment is shipped to the manufacturer for repairs. Storage space 

 should be provided for spare parts and equipment and supplies. 



On the basis of actual floor space in operating plants and an objec- 

 tive appraisal of the adequacy of these allowances, approximate 

 floor-space requirements for various parts of the plant are given 

 in table 1. 



Table 1. — Approximate floor space requirements in square feet for dehydration 

 plants handling carrots, potatoes, and rutabagas 1 





5-ton plant 2 



25-ton plant 2 



50-ton plant 2 



100-ton plant 2 



Item 



Low 3 



High 



Low 3 



High 



Low 3 



High 



Low 3 



High 



Raw-material storage 4 . . 



400 



400 

 400 

 1,000 

 100 

 100 



800 



800 

 600 

 2,000 

 200 

 200 



2,000 



2,000 

 1,500 

 3,500 

 400 

 300 

 100 

 500 

 300 

 200 

 200 



4,000 



3,500 



2,500 



5,000 



600 



500 



200 



1,000 



500 



400 



300 



4,000 



3,000 



2,500 



7,000 



500 



500 



200 



1,000 



400 



400 



400 



8,000 



6,000 



3,500 



9,000 



800 



800 



400 



1,500 



600 



800 



600 



8,000 



6,000 



4,000 



10,000 



800 



800 



300 



1,500 



500 



500 



500 



16,000 



Finished-product and packaging- 



12,000 





6,500 





14,000 





1,000 





1,200 



Laboratory ... .____ 



500 





200 



400 



2,500 



Office . 



750 



Machine shop and tray repair 







1,000 









1,000 









Total 



2,600 



5,000 



11, 000 



18, 500 



19, 900 



32,000 



32,900 



56, 450 







1 Because of their drying characteristics, sweetpotatoes require more tray area than allowed here and 

 therefore have not been included. Other space requirements for sweetpotatoes are substantially the 

 same, as those listed. 



2 Capacity given in tons per 24 hours, unprepared basis. 



3 The low limits of floor space will be undesirable in many instances. 



* The space indicated for raw -material storage will provide from 2 to 3 days' supply of root vegetables in 

 sacks or boxes. Additional space must be provided if a larger supply of raw material is to be kept on hand. 

 If it is not feasible to have this storage space in one building, adjoining buildings or covered platforms may 

 be used. 



4 Additional storage space, 50 percent or more of that indicated here, should be provided on mezzanine 

 floors or in separate buildings for storage of chemicals, spare equipment, and other items that accumulate. 

 It is assumed here that these dehydration plants are on a war basis and finished goods are shipped as soon as 

 shipping facilities are available. However, for normal operation in peacetime, plants of the same capacity 

 will ordinarily need more space for storage of finished goods. 



8 Floor-space allowances for the dehydrator are based upon truck and tray tunnel driers. 



7 Floor-space allowances for the boiler room are based upon the use of steam for blanching and incidental 

 uses only. If steam-heated driers are used, this item must be raised. 



8 In many instances no space will need to be allocated for sewerage. Space indicated here is for settling 

 and separation of solids from liquid wastes and for trimmings from the preparation line. 



