Production projects – designing and operating lifecycle-oriented and flexibility-optimized production systems as a project

Abstract

Due to fast changing markets and ever shorter product lifecycles, lifecycle-orientation and flexibility can be described as major factors for success. As an answer to the resulting challenges this paper introduces the concept of Production Projects. According to the concept either a single production line or an entire production location can be planned and operated as a project. Thereby, Production Projects form the organizational base to link the lifecycles of products and production systems and to optimize the degree of flexibility of the latter. Within Production Projects the traditional project target dimensions ‘quality’, ‘time’ and ‘cost’ are supplemented by ‘flexibility’ as a fourth target dimension. Major elements within the concept are the so-called Production Project Master Schedule, Process Modules, and the Flexibility Mode and Effect Analysis (FlexMEA). The Production Project Master Schedule consists of standardized phases for the lifecycle-oriented design and operation of a production system. Based on the Master Schedule, the standardized building blocks of a production system, so-called Process Modules, can be relocated within and in between production locations. With the FlexMEA, an innovative method is introduced, which enables an enterprise to plan and monitor the degree of flexibility of its production systems and to derive flexibility optimizing measures if necessary.