Martinez Cebrian, Nicolas (2026) A Digital Twin Simulation Model for Production Planning under demand uncertainty in GKN aerospace Fokker. Design Project, Industrial Engineering and Management.
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Abstract
This thesis studies how increases in customer demand affect production performance at Gulfstream and Dassault assembly lines at GKN Aerospace Fokker’s Hoogeveen facilities and how planning decisions can be adapted to maintain system stability. The current production planning approach relies on experience and limited predictive capabilities, making it difficult to evaluate the impact of demand increases on workforce allocation, shift structures and station utilization. To address this challenge, a digital twin simulation model was developed to represent the interaction between material and information flows and capacity and planning decisions within the production system. The study develops a digital twin integrating Discrete-Event Simulation (DES) with individual agents and Java coding to capture both the physical production processes and the planning decisions driving resource allocation. The simulation model was implemented in AnyLogic and validated using operational data from the company. Several experimental scenarios were evaluated, focusing on increased demand levels, capacity adjustments, and planning parameter variations. The results indicate that overall system performance is highly sensitive to a limited number of bottlenecks within the production system. In particular, two Gulfstream stations are identified as critical stages that significantly influence overall performance and system stability. The developed digital twin serves as a decision support tool, enabling planners to evaluate alternative capacity configurations and planning policies prior to their implementation in practice. Overall, this project demonstrates how simulation based digital twins can facilitate data driven production planning and enhance decision making in complex aerospace manufacturing environments.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Design Project) |
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| Supervisor name: | Hubl, A. and Younas, N. |
| Degree programme: | Industrial Engineering and Management |
| Thesis type: | Design Project |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 09 Apr 2026 14:07 |
| Last Modified: | 09 Apr 2026 14:07 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/37283 |
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