Approach for model-based change impact analysis in factory systems

Due to shortened product innovation cycles, high variant products, demand fluctuation, equipment life cycles, and technology life cycles, regular changes in manufacturing systems are necessary. As elements of a factory are connected via a complex network of relations and flows, single changes can have an impact on the entire manufacturing system. In order to enable a successful change management, companies need to understand and consider all possible change impacts. For this purpose, this paper presents a method for change impact analysis in factory systems. By combination of manufacturing system modeling and a network of manufacturing metrics, change impacts on arbitrary metrics can be estimated. The definition of constraints between factory element properties improves the certainty of the analysis' results. Consecutive required changes are applied directly to the model and are equally considered in the change impact analysis. In an exemplary scenario, the applicability in principle of the approach is demonstrated, but also, current limitations and further research activities are identified.