Integration of a Sankey diagram to visualize material and transport flows in an Excel-based AMR planning tool using Power BI

The introduction of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) into existing factory environments, so-called brownfields, presents companies with considerable challenges. In contrast to greenfield projects, brownfields are characterized by established structures, limited space, existing systems and a lack of interface standards. This makes the integration of new technologies such as AMRs considerably more difficult. Although holistic planning procedures already exist for the use of driverless transport systems, these are often not fully transferable to the specific conditions of brownfield environments. In particular, there is a lack of practical tools that systematically support the planning, selection and dimensioning of AMRs while taking into account the given restrictions. This is where an Excel-based planning tool comes in, which supports the selection of suitable AMR types, their capacity calculation and the derivation of a specification sheet. Supplemented by an integrated visualization solution, for example in the form of a Sankey diagram, this tool can make an important contribution to making planning processes in the brownfield more transparent and efficient.

Aim of the work

The aim of this work is the development and prototypical implementation of a visualization solution for the representation of material and transport flows within an existing Excel-based planning tool for the use of AMRs in brownfield environments. For this purpose, a connection between the planning tool and Microsoft Power BI is to be created in order to automatically prepare the recorded planning data in the form of a Sankey diagram. The visualization should help to present complex transport relationships in an understandable way and support those responsible for planning in the selection, dimensioning and integration of AMRs. In addition, the solution will be evaluated in terms of its suitability for practical use and recommendations for further development will be made.

Possible questions

• What are the requirements for a visualization solution to display material and transport flows in the context of AMR planning in brownfield environments?
• How can planning data from an Excel-based tool be prepared in such a way that it can be automatically displayed in a Sankey diagram in Power BI?
• What technical and design options does Power BI offer for implementing a dynamic Sankey diagram that is linked to Excel data?
• How must the data structure of the planning tool be adapted or extended to enable an effective visual representation of the transportation flows?
• What are the advantages of an integrated visualization of transport flows for planners and decision-makers in brownfield AMR implementation?
• How can the developed solution be applied, evaluated and further developed using an example use case?

Approach

• Analysis of the planning context and the initial data
• Definition of requirements for the visualization
• Conception of the data structure for Power BI
• Implementation of the Sankey diagram in Power BI
• Application and validation

Possible results

• Functional prototype of a Sankey diagram in Power BI
• Conceptual data model for linking Excel and Power BI
• List of requirements for visualization in the AMR planning context
• Evaluation of the solution based on a realistic example use case