RFID data-driven predictive modelling for resource allocation on a wall manufacturing line for energy-efficient homes

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Using advanced technologies and a manufacturing-based approach, ACQBUILT, Inc. carries out homebuildingoperations from design and prefabrication to delivery and onsite assembly. The partner is also a leader indesigning and building energy-efficient homes. To improve the R-value of the wall panels for theirenergy-efficient home product line, they are looking at incorporating both extruded polystyrene rigid andfibreglass batt insulations to the wall. This energy-efficient design, however, requires additional time and effortduring manufacturing. This adjustment of the engineering design alters the process of manufacturing, decreasesthe productivity of the wall production line, and necessitates adjustments in terms of labour resource allocationin order to balance the workflow. In addition, the increased variety of structural design of the energy-efficientwall panels that the partner plans to produce creates a challenge, as data processing will need to be planned in amanner which provides a complete picture of the differences in time requirements for different products. Theaim of this research, then, is to find an optimal solution to these problems, establishing an approach to resourceallocation leveraging real-time production data collected using existing radio-frequency identification (RFID)infrastructure in the plant. The underlying objective is to develop an optimal predictive algorithm based uponwhich to manage resource allocation on the wall production line and improve the productivity of theprefabrication process for energy-efficient homes. While in current practice most enterprises, includingACQBUILT, that use RFID limit its deployment to tracking produced items within their control, furtherbenefits can be derived from the use of RFID. Building on the results of this project, the Canadian constructionmanufacturing sector can benefit from the application of RFID for resource allocation, thereby improvingproduction efficiency. The emissions incurred per unit produced of this type of energy-efficient home modelcan also be reduced by decreasing production cycle time, given the fact that industrialized constructionactivities are carried out in an indoor environment.