Software Evaluation Criteria for Rapid Factory Layout Planning, Design and Simulation

The objective of this paper is to specify functional requirements on software for rapid factory planning and design in a digital factory context. In comparison with other studies that focus on particular aspects of layout development, this work deploys a comprehensive approach, based on industrial needs, to determine main functionalities for factory layout software. The research considers integration of different layouts where original equipment manufacturer and other stakeholders involved in factory layout design collaborate with each other to develop, or extend a factory. Therefore; engineering change management and data exchange in a system neutral format are taken into account as main pillars.