Heuristic Approach for Generative Layout Planning of Scalable Production Systems

The transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy presents a significant challenge. The role of hydrogen as a sustainable energy carrier can enhance energy sustainability. However, producing sufficient quantities of hydrogen poses challenges, requiring industrialized, scalable electrolyzer factories. Long planning times and costs of such complex and often manually planned factories necessitate innovative solutions. This paper introduces a heuristic approach for automated generative layout planning of scalable production systems to counteract this.To achieve this, the heuristic creates layout planning information by iteratively improving an underlying Minimum Viable Production System. This is accomplished by iteratively linking fundamental layout parameters with performance targets and factory restrictions. Scaling mechanisms like bottleneck elimination and technology improvement are automatically and generatively employed. After each step, the calculated solution is checked for feasibility and target achievement. Once targets are met, performance indicators of the generated layout are presented to evaluate the final layout.Automating factory layout planning using this heuristic provides a feasible approach to increase efficiency and thus reducing time and costs when planning scalable production systems for electrolyzers.