Factory planning

In order to guarantee the future viability and fit of the new factory for today’s and future requirements, we weigh the overriding corporate objectives in the first step. Together with you, we define the vision and future orientation of your factory in a workshop. In doing so, we question the following goals, among others, in order to get to know your “DNS” and lay a foundation for profitable growth in the coming years:

• Product and process quality (stable production environment, high plant availability, high process stability)
• Logistics performance (short distances, optimal material flow, stock transparency and high adherence to delivery dates)
• Adaptability (scalability, modularity, flexibility, universality and compatibility)
• Sustainability (material and resource efficiency, employee-related aspects)
• Information technologies (smart factory, digitisation, intelligent systems and real-time data, industry 4.0)
• Communication (CIP, production-related R&D, management at the point of value creation, shop floor management)
• Transparency and standards (standardised workplaces and processes, uniform means of transport, 5S)
• Attractiveness and identity (stimulating working environment, company values, working conditions and image)

From the definition of the strategic corporate goals and their prioritization, a concrete vision emerges, which serves us as a red thread in the further course and which we will pull together with you.

In the next step, we derive requirements for the future factory and the planning project itself on the basis of the priorities set. This involves formulating concrete sub-goals for each of the selected target categories, the implementation of which implicitly realizes the corporate vision. Thanks to our many years of experience in the implementation of factory planning, we can offer you a comprehensive collection of best practices and application examples, from which we can work with you to tailor the most suitable solutions to your target categories. For example, the goal of high logistics performance can be achieved by converting from a push to a pull system or various ideas of lean production.

One of our most important guiding principles in each of our factory planning projects is to achieve a very high degree of target fulfilment. In order to be able to measure this concretely at the end of the project, we develop measurable evaluation criteria in the following step. For each formulated sub-goal and each defined requirement, we therefore generate key figures or criteria that enable us to continuously monitor the exact progress of these points. With the help of an individually created key performance indicator board, we are able to observe the development of the implementation of objectives already during the entire course of the project. This enables us to react immediately to deviations and nip any unpleasant surprises in the bud.

Finally, we pack the agreed factory and project (sub)goals into concrete work packages. In close consultation with you, we develop a well-founded milestone plan in which the key points of the project course are defined. Through the exact fixing of deadlines and responsibilities as well as the associated involvement of various employees, we determine the plan for the further course of the project together with you.

In concrete terms, we usually include information from the following categories:

• Areas and resources
  
  • Recording of all ACTUAL areas
  • Review of existing or creation of current layouts
  • Resources recording with frame parameters and restrictions
  • Estimation of future requirements
• Material flow
  • Recording of all material flows and value flows on the factory premises or in the factory under consideration
  • Recording of stocks in production
  • Visualization of material flows and value streams (e.g. through Sankey or Spaghetti diagrams)
• Functional relations
  
  • Recording of process sequences
  • Recording of information and communication flows
  • Communication analysis
  • Recording of the existing organizational and operational structure in the factory
• Production program
  
  • Recording of the current production program
  • Forecast of the future production programme
  • Determination of parts lists and production volumes
• Logistical structures
  
  • Recording of the basic logistical structure
  • Recording the capacity utilisation of means of transport
  • Recording and evaluation of the storage and transport technology used

In the information evaluation phase we carry out a potential analysis and examine the collected data for bottlenecks and inefficiencies in your material flow. We do not stop at a purely data-oriented evaluation, but rather examine your production processes and material flows on site on the shop floor in personal discussions with the employees. A visualisation of the material and information flows in the production layout (e.g. by means of Sankey or spaghetti diagrams) enables us to identify improvement potentials quickly and in a structured way. In this step, we attach particular importance to the detection of waste, which represents a loss and includes all those activities that do not serve the immediate process objective and thus do not add value:

• Unnecessary transport routes
• Stocks too high
• Unnecessary material movements
• High waiting times
• Over-production
• Inadequate organisation of work processes
• Avoidable errors
• Unused creativity of employees

From the collected data, we calculate the current material flow lengths, process and storage stages and area productivity in order to optimize these in further planning.  In addition, we forecast your future production quantities and determine the corresponding required production capacities. On this basis, we work together with you to develop future logistics and production concepts as well as the target value flows that form the basis of further factory planning.

In the first step of concept planning, we work with you to define the higher-level structure and arrangement concept in a structure design. This involves designing processes, structures and systems of the factory as a whole and as the basis for a new layout. To do this, we first take a look at both the current organizational and operational structure. In addition, we develop planning variants with different structuring principles (e.g. shop-floor production, island production, line production or as a mixed form of logistical segmentation). On the basis of our many years of experience, we make a recommendation for a preferred variant.

In the course of dimensioning, the general space requirements of resources such as individual plants, entire functional areas or buildings are determined.  The general space requirements of a resource result from the measured production resource area (for example, of machines or work tables) and the rectangular extension by the areas for operation, maintenance and repair as well as all necessary additional equipment. From all measured means of production as well as potential new acquisitions we form self-sufficient modules on the basis of the recorded areas.  The exact workplace design within a module, on the other hand, is only determined in the detailed planning stage. Taking ancillary, storage, transport and other areas into account, we combine the individual modules in a module grid of the factory and thus obtain information about the required net and gross production areas of your new factory. We finally combine the area dimensioning determined in this way with the material flow analysis and the structural design prepared in advance and create a functional diagram of the planned factory to scale.

We use the following methods for layout planning. With the focus on the optimal functionality in terms of material flows, we develop an ideal layout based on the functional schema. This can be done at production level as well as at plant level in order to optimally arrange different functional areas (production, supply and logistics, storage areas, and so on). The focus is on efficient and lean production and transport processes based on the principle of lean manufacturing. Various discussion variants result from different basic forms of material flow (e.g. U-shape, L-shape, closed form, etc.). Here we strive for an optimal, functional arrangement of the modules without regard to their supposed or actual feasibility. The ideal layout is only adapted to the restrictions of buildings, land and technical equipment in the following step. In this way, we define a benchmark with the ideal layout, against which all later real layout variants must measure themselves. We see the ideal layout as the heart of the new factory, which strives for optimal added value.

In the last step of concept planning, a real layout in different variants is derived from the ideal layout, taking into account all organizational, spatial and technical restrictions. We are committed to the goal of adopting as many solution approaches as possible from the ideal structure. Based on the boundary conditions of buildings (e.g. support grids) and logistics (e.g. existing transport containers), the functional areas of the factory are structured and assigned modules according to defined criteria. When designing the factory layouts, we use software-based optimisation procedures and can simulate the various scenarios that arise in digital models and visualise them in three dimensions. Using these images of the possible new factory layouts and their material flows, we can work with you to evaluate individual scenarios optimally and clearly and achieve a high level of planning reliability – your planning risk is reduced. When selecting the layout variant to be implemented, we prepare a utility value analysis, which enables us to evaluate the individual options based on weighted target criteria. Based on our many years of experience and technical know-how, we evaluate, among other things, the investment volume and technical feasibility. In addition, the preferred option is selected on the basis of previously formulated corporate objectives (e.g. with regard to modularity, communication channels or short material flows). Finally, we record our planning results and recommendations for the future factory structure in a factory concept. The structures, arrangements, investment budgets and planning milestones as well as opportunities and risks contained therein serve as the basis for the subsequent detailed planning.

In the detailed planning phase, we design the selected real layouts in detail at equipment level. For each functional area, we plan an optimal arrangement of individual workstation groups and production modules. On the basis of lean methods, we then adapt the detailed logistics, transport and information paths as well as the workflows in production to the value stream. Our detailed planning also includes the detailed arrangement of each of your machines and systems as well as workstation elements and the corresponding equipment with technology and equipment. Further services in the course of our detailed planning are:

• Development of a concrete machine installation plan up to the highest level of detail
• Workstation design incl. media connections
• Creation of a 3D factory model
• Graphic elaboration of the detailed layout of all functional areas
• Definition of structural and safety requirements
• Development of a detailed business case for the implementation of the layout plans

At the end of the detailed planning phase, we draw up a detailed implementation concept that includes a concrete plan of measures, resources and procedures.

After the exact preparation of the detailed planning, we also help you in the further planning implementation. In concrete terms, this includes the preparation of permit applications in order to have the realization of the planned factory verified by official authorities. With our many years of experience, we are the ideal partner to guide you through the jungle of authorities.

After completion of the entire planning, we support you in the tendering process for your project. In a detailed specification sheet we define all technical requirements as well as time and cost relevant restrictions on the tasks of the possible service providers and suppliers. Our technical advice guarantees a clear communication of the project goals and thus ensures an optimal implementation of the layout plan, so that in the end you get the factory we have planned with you.

After the successful completion of the planning phase of the new factory, we also support you in the implementation of the developed plans. In order to achieve a successful implementation of the new layout, a large number of both internal and external project partners such as planners, evaluators, construction companies and authorities are required to work together. In order to find the right partners at this important point, we offer you expert advice by means of well-founded proposals for the award of contracts and bid evaluation already during the selection of service providers and suppliers. Furthermore, before the actual start of the realisation we prepare a requirements specification sheet with all detailed realisation requirements.

The construction or expansion of a factory during ongoing production often feels like open heart surgery. Therefore, we offer you to take over the representation of the client during the entire realisation phase, leaving you free to concentrate on your daily business. The focus of our professional project management is on the coordination and control of all participants and tasks of the project. First and foremost, we ensure smooth communication of the exact planning plans to all project partners in order to avoid negative surprises right from the start. We also represent you as the coordinating management of the entire partner network during the further course of the project in order to directly agree on possible change requests. For this purpose, we take over the organisation and implementation of coordination rounds of the project participants as well as the exact coordination of dates and interfaces with other projects. Our main focus is on monitoring and ensuring that all deadlines, quality and budget requirements are met. By actively counteracting the risk of exceeding these targets, we can ensure that your factory is completed on schedule.

We also assist you during the final ramp-up of your new factory and the stabilization of your new processes. With our well-founded expertise in the field of process optimization, we help you, for example, to introduce lean processes or continuous improvement methods and shop floor management. With the help of various interactive workshops, we also introduce all relevant employees to the new processes and provide them with the appropriate qualifications. After a final accompaniment of system tests and acceptance of processes, it only remains for us to congratulate you on the successful commissioning of the new factory.