Design and evaluation of structure variants (GBS)

In saturated markets in particular, there is increasing pressure for companies to expand or maintain market shares by increasing the individualisation of products. With a simultaneous shortening of product lifecycles and decreasing quantities, this requires a more frequent integration of new products into existing production. This results in an increased number of factory planning projects.

The aim of this research project is to develop a methodology that systematizes the intuitive development process of structural design and makes the selection of a factory structure more transparent with regard to the specific company objectives. For this purpose, so-called structuring characteristics are developed which can be used to form a factory structure. The large number of possible combinations of characteristics results in a disproportionately large number of structure variants. In order to ensure an objective evaluation of the various variants with regard to the company's objectives, evaluation criteria are also defined. In addition, restrictions are being investigated that could lead to the exclusion of individual factory structures. This minimizes the necessary planning effort.