In this paper we address a layout problem in flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs). A layout type that has been extensively implemented in FMSs is the single row machine layout. In such a configuration machines are arranged along a straight track with a material handling device moving jobs from one machine to another. The single row layout problem (SRLP) deals with the optimal arrangement of the machines for the above configuration. We propose a simulated annealing (SA) heuristic for the solution of SRLP. Extensive computational results, and ways to improve the performance of the SA algorithm through parameter fine-tuning procedures, are reported.