The Collaborative Research Project “Cyber Physical Production System – Towards Contextual and Intelligent Response. A Collaborative Research Project” is a common research project of SIMTech in Singapore and TU Braunschweig in Germany and is running 2019-2022.

12/10/2021 By

The research takes into account that synergies between companies in close proximity can reduce waste and costs. These synergies can be exploited by coordinating a common material flow. Industrial Symbiosis is an example where by-products of companies are used as resource in a factory in close proximity. This can discharge landfills, reduce virgin resource consumption and optimized transportation routes.

However uncertain conditions such as disruption in operation, weather changes lead to a challenge for resource planning. Deterministic tools based on historic trends and average data cannot consider the exchange of resources among companies in a network suitable due to individualistic operation plans and limited information.

The objective of the common research is to develop a dynamic resource planning model under consideration of uncertainties, multi-site production and multiple resources. In a system of system approach the behavior of individual systems is modelled, taking into account their interdependencies, in order to identify the synergies of a potential collaboration. In order to evaluate the environmental impacts and cost scenarios a simulation model including an assessment framework is being developed. At the moment a multi-agent-based simulation model has been developed to predict resource flows and to evaluate the ecologic and economic impact of industrial symbiosis. Further research focuses on studying the influence and prediction of volatile regenerative energy supply.

In this project TU Braunschweig and SIMTech strengthen their collaboration within the research field of Industrial Symbiosis and Urban Factories. This leads to a better understanding of the research field and the region Singapore and acquires knowledge in the fields of action of the ISUrF-Hub.