Virtual reality-aided planning for energy-autonomous factories

The consideration of energy-related parameters is already in the planning phase an important step towards an energy-autonomous factory. Using Virtual Reality (VR) gives planners an important basis for decision-making with regards to drafting the layout. This potential should also be used for incorporating energy-related parameters. This paper introduces the coupling of a 2D planning system with a VR environment as the basis for the development of an energy-sensitive planning system. A prerequisite for considering energy-related parameters is recording and visualizing them. Therefore, the second part of the paper deals with energy visualization within a machine at the micro level.