Sustainability Meets Efficiency: DFG Funds Research Project on Mathematical Models for the Optimal Design and Operation of Modular Production Networks and Sites in Process Industries

The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved the project "Optimal Planning of Modular Production Networks and Sites for a Sustainable Process Industry – Development and Analysis of Planning Models for Decision Support," based on an application of the Junior Professorship of Management Science. The initiative aims to develop a new supply chain framework that integrates mathematical optimization models for planning modular production networks and sites. It addresses the challenge of aligning uncertain demand and supply with the flexible capacities of production and logistics to fully exploit the potential of modular production concepts.

Specifically, we aim to develop mathematical optimization models for integrated planning of location and routing in modular production networks, as well as facility layout problems for modular production sites. These models consider the specific requirements of modular production concepts, necessitating extensive extensions of existing planning models and solution methods.

The project is conducted in close collaboration with our project partner, Prof. Stefan Lier from the FH Südwestfalen (Meschede), and is initially funded for 24 months. The project enables innovative research in the field of operations research and offers numerous avenues for further research on the deployment and planning of modular production concepts.

Project partners

• Tristan Becker (Technische Universität Dresden)
• Stefan Lier (University of Applied Sciences, Meschede)

© DFG