Expertise

Factory planning can increase the productivity of manufacturing significantly, though the process is expensive when it comes to cost and time. In this paper, we propose an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) framework that accelerates this process and decreases the costs. The framework consists of a UAV that is equipped with an IMU, a camera and a LiDAR sensor in order to navigate and explore unknown indoor environments. Thus, it is independent of GNSS and solely uses on-board sensors. The acquired data should enable a DRL agent to perform autonomous decision making, applying a reinforcement learning approach. We propose a simulation of this framework including several training and testing environments, that should be used for developing a DRL agent.

drone, UAS, deep reinforcement learning

The reorganization of factory objects in the restructuring of existing factories is associated with numerous challenges. This article provides an overview of possible conflicting goals and key factors influencing the success of the project.

Factories are subject to continuous change. Ever shorter development cycles in the manufacture of different products lead to an increased need for restructuring of affected manufacturing structures. In the context of factory planning projects, the focus is on the design of the layout under the influence of individual framework conditions. The relocation steps necessary for realization are usually determined only after the layout design has been completed. However, the planning and preparation of the relocation represents an independent project task with regard to the objectives and complexity. Within the scope of the research project on the "Development of a Method for the Optimal Planning of the Relocation of Factory Objects in the Course of the Realization of a New Factory Layout" (OptiFaU), fundamental interrelationships in the planning and execution of factory relocations are investigated and discussed with regard to their significance for the success of the project. The aim of the project is to provide planning persons (e.g. relocation service providers or factory planners) with a possibility to evaluate relocation alternatives.

relocation planning, project planning, scheduling, factory planning, reorganization

Storage planning is an important element of the factory planning and a significant competitive factor in times of an increasing global market. The selection of a suitable storage, commissioning and transport system (sct system) is a major challenge for companies, because of the increasing number of new sct systems with different features. The level of automation and versatility of these systems are intransparent and the required level of both for a certain company is unknown. To identify the level of versatility of sct systems a method based on versatility characteristics assigned to the versatility enablers was developed. To determine the required versatility of sct systems for a particular company, a catalogue of change drivers was created. For the level of automation of sct systems, the requirements resulting from product characteristics and performance requirements of the warehouse were identified. The performance of the sct systems depends on the automation level, which can be set by influencing factors such as the degree of digitalization. The required level of automation must be determined by restrictions of the company and the identified possibilities of the systems. At the same time, it is required to consider the costs of the systems as well as their possible combinations. Therefore, to save costs, the aim is also to consider systems which do not fit perfectly to the required versatility and automation level for a company but are still at an acceptable level.

storage, commissioning and transport systems, automation and versatility

This handbook introduces a methodical approach and pragmatic concept for the planning and design of changeable factories that act in strategic alliances to supply the ever-changing needs of the global market.

In the first part, the change drivers of manufacturing enterprises and the resulting new challenges are considered in detail with focus on an appropriate change potential.

The second part concerns the design of the production facilities and systems on the factory levels work place, section, building and site under functional, organisational, architectural and strategic aspects keeping in mind the environmental, health and safety aspects including corporate social responsibility.

The third part is dedicated to the planning and design method that is based on a synergetic interaction of process and space. The accompanying project management of the planning and construction phase and the facility management for the effective utilization of the built premises close the book.

factory planning, factory building, logistics

Die Motivation zur Erstellung dieses Papers entstand aus zahlreichen Diskussionen mit Vertretern produzierender Unternehmen und der unzureichenden Antwort der Wissenschaft auf die Fragestellung, welche Organisationsform die geeignetste für einen spezifischen Anwendungsfall darstellt. Dabei beginnt die Problematik schon bei der reinen Beschreibung der unterschiedlichen Organisationsformen der Produktion. Die in der Literatur bestehenden Systematiken differenzieren zumeist zwischen Fertigung und Montage – und dass unter der Verwendung ähnlicher Begrifflichkeiten bei unterschiedlicher Bedeutung. Dass auf diesem Wege zum einen kein einheitliches Verständnis entstehen und zum anderen keine gezielte Auswahl der für den betrachteten Anwendungsfall geeignetsten Organisationsform erfolgen kann, liegt auf der Hand. Das vorliegende Paper bietet sowohl der Wissenschaft als auch dem praktischen Anwender durch die entwickelte Beschreibungssystematik einen Überblick über mögliche Organisationsformen in der Produktion und damit allgemein eine Beschreibung sowohl der Fertigung als auch Montage. Mit der Variantenmix-Produktion wird zudem eine Organisationsform vorgestellt, die die neuartigen Entwicklungen in der Praxis systematisch beschreibbar macht und somit bei der Ausgestaltung spezifischer Organisationsformen unterstützt. Die hier dargestellte Beschreibungssystematik für die Organisationsformen der Produktion bildet zudem die Grundlagen für weitere Arbeiten am Institut für Fabrikanlagen und Logistik (IFA), die sich auf die Erforschung der Planung und Gestaltung neuartiger Organisationsformen sowie die Auswahl der für einen spezifischen Anwendungsfall geeignetsten Organisationsform aufgrund entsprechender Vor- und Nachteile fokussieren.

Variantenmix-Produktion, Matrix-Produktion, Modulare Montage, Fertigungsprinzip, Montageorganisation, Produktionssysteme

Die synergetische Fabrikplanung dient der Intensivierung der Zusammenarbeit in Fabrikplanungsprojekten. Eine Weiter­entwicklung dieses Vorgehens zur Beherrschung wachsender Datenmengen existiert jedoch bislang nicht. Jenseits der Fabrikplanung hat sich für diese Herausforderung das Building Information Modeling (BIM) etabliert. In diesem Beitrag wird BIM der synergetischen Fabrikplanung gegenübergestellt, um Anforderungen und Potenziale bei der Integration in die Fabrikplanung abzuleiten.

Fabrikplanung, Daten, Building Information Modeling (BIM)