Simulation-Based Visual Layout Planning in Advanced Manufacturing

There is an increasing demand for manufacturing processes to be flexible, versatile, and adaptable. Research has been done on how to create modular processes that can be rearranged rapidly. Such processes require a new kind of process planning tool to support process modifications on short notice. Applying visual analytics techniques can help users understand the effects of such modifications and increase their confidence in their adjustments. We present a system that combines an automatic evaluation of process layouts and an interactive visual interface to create a novel iterative analysis cycle of modifying process layouts based on insights gained from previous attempts. Visualizing the drawbacks and benefits of different options could help users find a good layout to meet their requirements. Although this system is specific to the manufacturing domain, we are certain this iterative approach can be extended to other tasks that involve finding better solutions based on previous iterations.