Approach to optimize production networks by means of synchronization

Production networks emerge because companies concentrate their core competences and cooperate with suppliers and distributors, thus generating strong linkages and connections between many independent businesses. These resulting networks are characterized by permanently increasing complexity and dynamics, forcing them to adapt to today's rapidly changing markets. This greatly complicates holistic enterprise production planning and control.Synchronization of the companies in these production networks is proposed as a solution to this problem. First, a theoretical framework for the different aspects of synchronization is given, followed by a strategy to synchronize production networks. Furthermore, simulation results are presented, which confirm that synchronization in production networks is possible.