Patent ID: 8762111

Claim:
A method for analyzing a spatial layout of production devices, which together form a production plant, using a computer-aided planning program, the method comprising: arranging a plurality of physical models on a flat substrate to form a model layout of the production plant, the physical models including at least one of two-dimensional models and three-dimensional models of a plurality of production devices, which each physical model is true to scale in terms of physical area requirements of the production device represented by that physical model, and wherein at least one of the physical models includes an optically-detectable identification symbol that identifies that physical model, capturing an image of the model layout by a sensor or an image sensor, the planning program receiving the model layout image, and based on the model layout image: calculating a position of each physical model included in the model layout image, detecting at least one optically-detectable identification symbol in the model layout image, for each detecting identification symbol, determining the physical model identified by that identification symbol and automatically accessing from storage a data record for the production device represented by that physical model, the planning program analyzing the model layout based at least on (a) the calculated position of each physical model and (b) the data records accessed for each physical model having a detected identification symbol, wherein the analysis includes determining overlaps of the respective relevant area requirements of production devices represented by adjacent physical models, and the planning program generating and displaying with an output device an image of the analyzed model layout, which indicates the determined overlaps.