Volker Wohlgemuth

Combining discrete event simulation and material flow analysis in a component-based approach to industrial environmental protection

Abstract While eco-balances and Material Flow Networks are common analysis tools of Environmental Management Information Systems (EMIS), discrete event simulation has not been used widely for this purpose. This paper argues in favour of combining discrete event simulation with material flow analysis to explore both the environmental and economic impact of business decisions. After a brief overview of core characteristics and benefits of discrete event simulation and material flow analysis using Material Flow Networks, a plug-in architecture for generating customized material flow simulators is presented. The benefits of this frameworks component-based structure are then discussed in terms of its practical application to the lithography stage of the semiconductor manufacturing process. A summary of the frameworks most significant characteristics and areas of application concludes the paper.

Combination of job oriented simulation with ecological material flow analysis as integrated analysis tool for business production processes

This paper outlines the application of a special Environmental Management Information System (EMIS) as combination of discrete event simulation with ecological material flow analysis for a selected production process. The software tool serves as decision aid for economic as well as ecological business problems. A combined view of the material flow as well as job-oriented view on an enterprise allows for a unified and efficient model building process. This contribution summarizes the underlying concepts and the experiences with the development and utilization of a suitable software tool following this integrated view and describes the concrete problems and solutions at the example of modeling a complex semiconductor fabrication.

Combining sustainability criteria with discrete event simulation

This paper attempts to highlight shortcomings in the concept of sustainability and ways to make the concept more workable by presenting the development of an Environmental Management Information System (EMIS) as a combination of discrete event simulation and ecological material flow analysis for production processes. The motivation behind the focus on simulation techniques on one hand and on production processes on the other, is the understanding that the current metabolic rates of todays economies are beginning to affect the life-sustaining services of the earth. Dematerialization and resource efficiency are mandatory concepts in the coming decades, hence the production processes; simulation techniques are needed as existing systems cannot be easily changed to be experimented with. There is however a lack of simulation systems addressing sustainability as a whole. This paper intends to show ways on how to connect supposedly opposite factors and thus getting closer to the so called immeasurable: sustainability.

RSB tool: a LCA tool for the assessment of biofuels sustainability

The paper focuses on the role of simulation within the RSB GHG Tool, which is a web-based decision support tool that assesses greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels according to the principles of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels. Using a questionnaire, each operator can specify his individual data and calculate the GHG emission for his production step. To derive the environmental flows required for the impact assessment, the tool applies simulation, which allows generating a full inventory on the basis of the limited input data the operator can provide. This is the basis for the interactive assessment of the GHG emissions of individual steps of biofuels pathways, without the need of conducting a time and resource-intensive Life Cycle Assessment study. In this paper, we focus on the simulation for the emissions caused by land use change since such emissions can play a dominating role in the GHG balance of a biofuel.

Entwicklung eines Open Source basierten Bau-kastens zur Identifikation von Ressourceneffizienzpotentialen in produzierenden KMU

Dieser Beitrag beschreibt die Zielstellung und Konzeption eines Open Source basierten Baukastens zur Identifikation von Ressourceneffizienzpotentialen in produzierenden KMU, welcher im Projekt OpenResKit von der Berliner Senatsverwaltung fur Wirtschaft, Technologie und Forschung gefordert wird. Das Projekt lauft bis Ende Februar 2014 und basiert auf den Erfahrungen und Ergebnissen der vorher durchgefuhrten Projekte EMPORER, MOEBIUS und RESEFI. Die Idee ist es, praktisches Wissen und Leitlinien in Form von Softwarebausteinen direkt nutzbar zu machen. Das Kernstuck ist eine zentrale Serversoftware, die als Datenquelle und -senke fungiert und einzelne Softwarebausteine aufnehmen kann, die ein gewisses Domanenmodell abbilden. Das Gegenstuck zum zentralen Software-teil sind einzelne, einfache, problemspezifische Softwaretools, die je nach Anwendungsfall fur mobile Plattformen z. B. zur Datensammlung oder als Desktop-Applikation fur einfache Analysen oder fur die Administration entwickelt werden. Die Prasentation der einzelnen Softwarebausteine mit der dahinterstehenden Methodik auf einem Webportal und die Moglichkeit der Kommunikation mit Mitgliedern aller Anspruchsgruppen sollen helfen, eine Ressourceneffizienzkompetenz im Unternehmen aufzubauen.

SQCB - Sustainability Quick Check Tool for Biofuels

The paper deals with the conception and technical development of the “Sustainability Quick Check for Biofuels” (hereafter SQCB). The SQCB is a tool to evaluate the impacts of biofuel production on environment. Against the background of mineral oil tax remission in Switzerland providers or dealers of energy crops or biofuels in developing countries can do a legally non-binding check if their products qualify for this remission. For this purpose a web-based calculation model is developed that does a lightweight material flow analysis.

Usability als Schlüsselfaktor für ein nachhaltiges Softwaredesign

Der vorliegende Beitrag soll als Anknupfungspunkt dienen, inwiefern aktuelle Tendenzen der Softwareentwicklung mit Usability-Methoden verknupft werden konnen, so dass Akzeptanz- und Nutzungsprobleme von betrieblichen Umweltinformationssystemen verringert werden und die Softwarelosungen damit letztlich ihrem Anspruch, der Senkung der schadlichen Umweltauswirkungen und Optimierung von Unternehmen, gerecht werden.

Einsatzmöglichkeiten von Methoden der Künstlichen Intelligenz zur Optimierung von Stoff- und Energieströmen und prototypische Umsetzung auf der Basis von Stoffstromnetzen

Auf dem Markt erhaltliche Betriebliche Umweltmanagementsysteme (BUIS) verarbeiten die enthaltenen Daten uber Datenbankabfragen und Funktionen. Dabei stehen spezielle Algorithmen zur Datenerfassung und –auswertung aus dem Bereich der Kunstlichen Intelligenz noch nicht im Fokus existierender Systeme. Aber gerade das ermoglicht eine vollig neue Qualitat der nutzerzentrierten Informationsbereitstellung, da die Wissensbasis iterativ erweitert wird und somit individuellere Voraussagen und Analysen getroffen werden konnen. Mit dem Beitrag „Einsatzmoglichkeiten von Methoden der Kunstlichen Intelligenz zur Optimierung von Stoff- und Energiestromen und prototypische Umsetzung auf der Basis von Stoffstromnetzen“ wird der Versuch unternommen, eine Grundlage fur den Einsatz von Methoden der KI in produzierenden Betrieben zu schaffen, welche durch ein zu entwickelndes Kunstliches Neuronales Netz in Kombination mit Evolutionaren Algorithmen und Fuzzy-Logik unterstutzt werden sollen, ressourcen- und energieeffizienter zu arbeiten, wobei jedoch der personelle und finanzielle Aufwand gering bleiben soll.

Application of Methods of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Production of Manufacturing Companies

An energy- and resource-friendly production is an important key performance indicator for industrial companies to work economically and thus remain competitive. For this software systems are necessary for analysis, evaluation, diagnosis and planning. Thanks to intensive research efforts in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) a number of AI based techniques such as machine learning, deep learning and artificial neural networks (ANN) have already been established in industry, business and society. In this paper, we address the problem of energy- and resource efficiency in production processes of manufacturing companies. We present an approach to improve energy- and resource efficiency by methods of AI. We propose an in-progress idea to extend the possibilities of using methods of AI for optimizing material and energy flows. In addition to processing the process data, an integrated database of measures is designed to support sustainable production. The investigations are carried out prototypically using an ANN in combination with fuzzy logic and evolutionary algorithms (EA).

Aggregation and Measurement of Social Sustainability and Social Capital with a Focus on Human Health

This paper addresses theoretical differences between the perceived content of social sustainability and different socially attributed capital stocks, as for example, rather transaction oriented so called social capital, human capital or societal capital. It does so, by mapping different aspects from existing capital approaches to social sustainability, in order to resolve theoretical misconceptions. In addition, the review is intended to highlight different approaches for the measurement and aggregation of social aspects. Consequently the balance within sustainability approaches is addressed and strengthened by elaborating ways to formalize the social perspective. Furthermore, technical solutions considering the resulting impact assessment of social aspects are discussed and in order to demonstrate the significance of the presented ideas, an own application of a threshold based aggregation method, in a manufacturing simulation software, is presented.