Conception Of Future-Proof Factory Buildings Via Software-Based Scenario Creation And Evaluation

Due to internal and external change drivers, manufacturing companies must adapt their production systems regularly. Factory buildings typically have a service life of several decades and, therefore, must accommodate multiple generations of production systems. To achieve this, buildings require a design that is universal to a certain degree yet adaptable when universality is not sufficient – buildings must be future-proof. Such a design requires anticipating potential future requirements and deciding which requirements to fulfil. Methods from the research field of foresight, especially the scenario technique, can support this process. However, these methods often require extensive calculations, making software support mandatory. This paper first provides an overview of the state of research on scenario-based planning of future-proof buildings and introduces a previously developed planning method. It then identifies requirements regarding a respective software tool. Afterwards, the paper presents the development of such a tool’s prototype. Finally, the tool is deployed in a case study that covers planning a battery cell production facility to validate its function. The case study demonstrates that the method, in combination with the tool, effectively supports the planning of future-proof factory buildings. It thereby prolongs the service life of factory buildings by facilitating easy adaptions of the production systems within