Approach for the configuration of flexible factory layouts based on uncertain planning data

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For success on the market production related companies have to cope with challenges of their turbulent economic environment and the globalization. Shorter life-cycles of products and a wider range of variants frequently cause changes in the general conditions of production. Due to the unpredictability of sales markets a fast adaption is important for the companies. Under these circumstances the production structure and factory layout need to be monitored according to efficiency and to be adapted to new conditions. Planning data does not always vary in a predictable way and because of a large number of influence factors the data is hard to predict. To handle this, the necessary flexibility of the layout is already arranged during planning mostly. Therefore an approach for the configuration of flexible factory layouts based on uncertain planning data is to be developed in this requested research project. A primary concern is the comparison of requirements due to uncertain data with potentials of a flexible factory layout. In this context uncertain planning data could be sales volumes, which are hard to forecast, or an enlargement of the product portfolio in the future. A flexible factory layout reflects the potential to change the output volume or to produce a new product without extra investments, for example by changing the arrangement of its elements or by extension or reduction of the production area. Therefore the approach enlarges conventional layout planning through a systematic integration of uncertain data and through consideration of flexibility potentials. The result of this research project is to be an approach, which quantifies the demand for flexibility according to uncertainty of planning data. On this basis design guidelines could be developed to find the right amount of flexibility for factory layouts.