Simulation-based planning and control of production fractals

In order to increase their competitiveness, companies optimize their manufacturing processes by adapting structures to the requirements of technology and market. Appropriate organization forms, such as the fractal company, are distinguished by high flexibility, rapid adaptability and exploitation of human potentials. However, these manufacturing companies also require appropriate production planning and control (PPC) systems. The most important elements of such a PPC-system are long-range analysis of the production structure, medium- and long-range planning for the entire production area, short- and medium-range coordination among production fractals and short-range shop-control inside the fractals. At the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation, simulation-based systems are being developed to support the planning and control of such organization forms within production. The user is put into the position of planning job orders reliably and optimizing production by making use of the advantages of decentralized structures.