Modelling, planning and designing of logistics structures of regional competence-cell-based networks with structure types

Autonomous, elementary units of production, co-operating in temporary networks, are considered as a key organisational form of enterprise in the 21st century. A scientific approach is provided by networks based on customer-oriented, directly linked, smallest autonomous service units, called competence cells (CC). Simultaneously this concept, which is being researched at the Collaborative Research Centre 457, “Non-hierarchical Regional Production Networks” at the Chemnitz University of Technology, points out perspectives for present-day small and medium-sized enterprises to face ever-changing economic conditions. CC-based networks represent a diversified environment for production management and planning. In several respects, such networks have impacts on the logistics structures. Starting from the approach of CC-based networks, an overview of its implications on logistics structures is given. To meet the requirements, a suitable modelling, planning and designing is needed. One promising idea for regional CC-based networks is to use elementary basic shapes of structures, called structure types. Following this basic idea, different scenarios of logistics structures of the material flow could be established by means of the fundamental structure types point structure, line structure and net structure and furthermore by means of a three-layer model comprising the layers demand (material) flow, transport operation and infrastructure. Through combination of different demand structures with different transport(-net-)structures, a set of scenarios or rather of possible preference solutions could be generated. The synthesis of preference solutions for the material flow must be supported by methods and tools for calculation, optimisation and simulation. Different scenarios could be analysed analytically with the tool 4flow vista while the same can be done with eM-Plant simulatively. First results of the analyses will be presented. One important result is, that no general preference solutions exist for transport(-net-)structures but that there are different preference solutions depending on the demand structures as well as the target variables such as costs or lead times.