Assessment of Energy Related Planning Goals in Factory Design using Simulation Experiments

Improving the use of energy in factories represents a considerable design challenge for planners and other decision makers. In order to understand the effects of interdependent design parameters on the energy consumption of factories, researchers have developed detailed models and complex co-simulation environment. However, the insights gained from these simulation models are limited, due to the prevalence of ""trial and error"" approaches used in the assessment of design alternatives within the simulation model. Therefore, the number of simulation runs and consequently the computational effort increasing while design decisions stay suboptimal. Here we present a methodology to provide decision support in early design stages using matrix based simulation experiments. Taguchi orthogonal arrays are implied to assist in the simultaneous evaluation of multiple design parameters. As a result we show how the methodology can be applied during the design of new or the redesign of existing factories, considering energy related planning goals. While using the proposed methodology, the efficiency of simulation experiments and the quality of the provided design decisions can both be improved. This in consequence supports the use of simulation tools among planners and promotes the benefits of simulation based planning approaches among decision makers.