Harmonization of generic simulation and specific parametrized models into one simulation environment

The key objective of this task is harmonization, development and prototyping of simulation techniques and buildup of an expandable model to analyze the dynamic behavior of a flexible (agent-based) production system. This objective will be subdivided into three work steps comprising the definition of requirement specifications, the conceptual development as well as the implementation of the developed concept into simulation tools. By initially defining the basic requirement specifications for the simulation techniques including important aspects such as defining appropriate system boundaries, incorporating defined key performance indicators (KPIs) specified in T.1.2 and T.1.3 in WP 1 will be established. The second work step concerns the development of a simulation concept and its techniques based on existing approaches and software engines. Based on the requirement specifications, this part develops the entire logic of the simulation comprising a modular structure enabling expandability for new elements, a software in the loop system architecture (interfaces to other tools: data flow, control flow, timing) as well as the main “control logic” for optimization of the specified KPIs from T.1.2. Apart from monitoring and optimizing typical production criteria such as degree of utilization, lead times and failure safety the simulation concept will further integrate energy and resource related aspects to enable dynamic environmental assessment of the production system. Furthermore a mechanism must be developed to provide data for the behavior models e.g. for instance regarding the optimization of energy and resource demand, production related criteria (see T.1.2), the integration of field device information, reconfiguration capability, internal material supply etc. However, the key function of the “control logic” of the concept will be to dynamically adapt to changes in product variants and volumes representing a production system, which can easily produce decoupled from its usually constraining cycle time. In this context the concept will further incorporate important aspects of the internal material supply for the separate production modules. To achieve the aforementioned objectives this aspect is of great relevance, since a constant supply of materials (components, modules etc.) has to be guaranteed at all times. This work step explicitly takes complex interdependencies regarding product and production structure and control (e.g. just in time, capacity and inventory control) into consideration to account for existing intralogistic and reconfigurability concepts. The third work step will deal with the implementation of the developed concepts and its sub modules into a simulation environment to subsequently demonstrate and prototype the results of the concepts. At this point it is stressed that the developed simulation techniques are built on existing simulation software.