Closed-Loop Manufacturing for Aerospace Industry: An Integrated PLM-MOM Solution to Support the Wing Box Assembly Process

The aim of this research is to provide an example of the importance that integrated Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Manufacturing Operation Management (MOM) systems have in realizing the Digital Manufacturing. The research first examines what the Digital Manufacturing involves and then identifies Digital Twin and the related Digital Thread as key elements. PLM and MOM solutions support the Digital Twin and the Digital Thread allowing the exchange of product-related information between the digital manufacturing model and the physical manufacturing execution. A Digital Twin of a wing box and its assembly process is created in PLM by building the bill of material and bill of process. Then it is shown how in MOM system the production phase is facilitated by managing production operations, advanced scheduling and supporting the execution of the processes and how the analysis of the manufacturing performance is possible. The result integrating these systems is to have the right information at the right place at the right time along with the related benefits in terms of costs, time and quality. The activity has been developed in Siemens Industry Software under the European Project AirGreen 2, an integrated research action of the REG IADP (Regional Innovative Aircraft Demonstration Platform) part of the Joint Technical Programme, the steering and coordination of LEONARDO Aircraft. The AirGreen 2 project is an Innovation Action funded by the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union\u2019s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, under Grant Agreement N\ub0807089 REG IADP)

Hybrid modeling to support the smart manufacturing: concepts, theoretic contributions and real-case applications about Hybrid and Wisdom-based Systems

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

Proposal of a method to support the implementation of vertical integration in the context of Industry 4.0

One of the fundamental principles of Industry 4.0 in the field of intelligent manufacturing is the implementation of vertical integration, that is, the integration of information systems at the different hierarchical levels of the company to provide data flow over time and support decisionmaking. However, the academic literature still needs to present empirical evidence on how vertical integration and the technologies that compose it can be implemented to contribute to the requirements of Industry 4.0. Although vertical integration is presented as a solution to the need for data visibility that Industry 4.0 requires, it is known that there are different ways to implement vertical integration that depend on the desired operational objectives and the characteristics of the companies. Therefore, the technological sets of vertical integration can have different ways of contributing to achieving greater visibility of production processes. This thesis aims to propose a methodology to support companies in the implementation of vertical integration that allows companies to advance in Industry 4.0. The study followed a mixed approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. In qualitative terms, the thesis presents a multi-case study of 10 leading manufacturing companies in implementing 4.0 technologies, aiming to understand the main factors that influence these companies in adopting information systems for vertical integration. Furthermore, a multi-case qualitative study in 3 buyer-supplier dyads to understand the implications of information asymmetry in MES purchasing allows vertical integration in Industry 4.0. On the other hand, in quantitative terms, the thesis presents a survey conducted with 132 companies in the machinery and equipment sector, through which the contribution of cybersecurity actions to vertical integration is analyzed, making it possible to achieve greater digital transformation. This thesis demonstrates that the implementation of vertical integration is challenging for companies due to its complexity and novelty but that the methodologies presented contribute to clarifying this implementation. Furthermore, it explores the limitations and nuances of these contributions in different situations. The main contribution of this study is to provide empirical evidence of methodologies that support companies in the implementation of vertical integration in the context of Industry 4.0.Um dos princípios fundamentais da Indústria 4.0 no domínio da manufatura inteligente é a implementação da integração vertical, ou seja, a integração dos sistemas de informação dos diferentes níveis hierárquicos da empresa para fornecer fluxo de dados no tempo e suporte à tomada de decisão. Contudo, a literatura acadêmica ainda não tem apresentado evidências empíricas sobre a forma como a integração vertical e as tecnologias que a compõe podem ser implementadas de maneira a contribuir com os requisitos da Indústria 4.0. Embora integração vertical seja apresentada como uma solução para necessidade de visibilidade de dados que a Indústria 4.0 requer, é sabido que existem diferentes caminhos para implementação da integração vertical que dependem dos objetivos operacionais almejados e das características das empresas. Portanto, os conjuntos tecnológicos da integração vertical podem ter diferentes formas de contribuição para alcançar uma maior visibilidade dos processos de produção. O objetivo desta tese é propor uma metodologia para suportar as empresas na implementação de integração vertical que permita que as empresas avancem na Indústria 4.0. O estudo seguiu uma abordagem mista, combinando métodos qualitativos e quantitativo. Em termos qualitativos, a tese apresenta um estudo multicasos em 10 empresas de manufatura líderes na implantação de tecnologias 4.0, visando entender os principais fatores que influenciam essas empresas na adoção de sistemas de informação para integração vertical. E ainda, um estudo qualitativo multicascos em 3 díades de comprador e fornecedor para compreender as implicações da assimetria da informação na compra de MES que permita a integração vertical na Indústria 4.0. Por outro lado, em termos quantitativos, a tese apresenta uma pesquisa survey conduzida com 134 empresas do setor de máquinas e equipamentos, através da qual se analisa a contribuição de ações em cibersegurança na integração vertical possibilita alcançar maior transformação digital. A presente tese demonstra que, de fato, a implementação da integração vertical é desafiadora para as empresas devido sua complexidade e novidade, mas que as metodologias apresentadas contribuem para o esclarecimento dessa implementação. Além disso, explora as limitações e nuances dessas contribuições em diferentes situações. A principal contribuição deste estudo é fornecer evidências empíricas de metodologias que suportem as empresas na implementação de integração vertical no contexto da Indústria 4.0

Guiding manufacturing companies towards digitalization a methodology for supporting manufacturing companies in defining their digitalization roadmap

open4noWithin the era of Industry 4.0, digital technologies are seen as the main drivers for manufacturing industry transformation. In fact, many sustain that manufacturing companies will be able to obtain many benefits and opportunities from the digital transformation. If on one hand manufacturing companies have to be able to “ride” this wave of transformation in order to remain competitive, on the other hand, before investing in digital technologies, they have to understand what their current situation is and what their needs are with respect to both digital technologies and organizational processes in different functions. Indeed, the success of the transformation process mainly depends on the company ability to be ready to apply the technological change that some of these digital technologies envision. From these considerations, after having figured out their current readiness level for starting the digital transformation fostered by the Industry 4.0, it is possible to state that the next step manufacturing companies have to undertake is to define their transformation roadmap. With the aim to guide them towards this transformation process, a maturity model, called DREAMY (Digital REadiness Assessment MaturitY model) and based on the inspiring principles of the CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) framework, has been developed and utilized. The objectives of this model are twofold. Firstly, it allows the assessment of the current digital readiness of manufacturing companies and the identification of their strengths and weaknesses with respect to implemented technologies and organizational processes. Secondly, it enables the identification of a set of opportunities offered to companies by the digital transformation, considering their strengths and aiming to overcome their weaknesses. Through the application of this methodology into case studies, it has been possible to reach two main results. On one hand, the analyzed manufacturing companies have been aware of their digital readiness level, of their strengths and weaknesses and of the main opportunities they can exploit from the digitalization process starting from their current situation. On the other hand, empirical evidences were gathered on the current level of manufacturing companies’ digital readiness and on the possible common traits among the identified opportunities.openDe Carolis A.; MacChi M.; Negri E.; Terzi S.De Carolis, A.; Macchi, M.; Negri, E.; Terzi, S

The concept of "Industry 4.0" applied to a SME

In the last years manufacturing enterprises are facing the fourth industrial revolution. This work wants to give the readers a knowledge about the "Industry4.0" world with an exhaustive explanation of the whole potentiality of its tools. The main objective of the thesis is to report the improvements given by the digitalization of an industrial system in terms of analysis and management of the whole industrial process

Digital Manufacturing in SMEs based on the context of the Industry 4.0 framework-one approach

Serbia is rapidly working on the development and implementation of digital manufacturing models in SMEs, through the national Industry 4.0 Platform. The aim is to create a pilot intelligent workshop which would be used to develop and showcase examples of best practice for digital manufacturing. Currently, most SMEs use CAD, CAM, ERP models, which form the basis for the development of the concept of digital manufacturing through cloud computing, BDA, IIoT and smart supply-chains, as elements of Industry 4.0. This paper gives a practical example of an SME with all the above-mentioned elements of digital manufacturing

Digital Manufacturing in SMEs based on the context of the Industry 4.0 framework-one approach

Serbia is rapidly working on the development and implementation of digital manufacturing models in SMEs, through the national Industry 4.0 Platform. The aim is to create a pilot intelligent workshop which would be used to develop and showcase examples of best practice for digital manufacturing. Currently, most SMEs use CAD, CAM, ERP models, which form the basis for the development of the concept of digital manufacturing through cloud computing, BDA, IIoT and smart supply-chains, as elements of Industry 4.0. This paper gives a practical example of an SME with all the above-mentioned elements of digital manufacturing

Digitalisation and Business Model Innovation: Exploring the Microfoundations of Dynamic Consistency

The Industry 4.0 paradigm (I4.0) as the digitalisation of manufacturing firms denotes the exploitation of real-time data originating from a ubiquitous interconnection of objects, machines and humans (via the internet) across the entire value network. I4.0 not only serves as a catalyst to improve value-adding activities or to design new product and service solutions but also, more fundamentally, enables manufacturing firms to innovate their established business models (BMs). Against this rapid socio-technological shift, manufacturers face the challenge of holistically innovating their BMs. This requires the individualisation of the value proposition alongside the flexibilisation of their value creating and capturing activities, as well as a continuous adaptation and alignment of these activities with the firm’s organisational systems and the resource and competence base. Adopting the view of a BMI (business model innovation) as a system of interdependent activities, the continuous alignment of activities across the BMI is called dynamic consistency. However, it is not clear what mechanisms denote the notion of dynamic consistency. This thesis operationalises the microfoundations of dynamic consistency in an I4.0-driven BMI by empirically investigating six European manufacturing firms. Following the design themes of BMI, it argues that the notion of dynamic consistency comprises three main aspects: (1) a value focus on data and software; (2) a flexi-directional interlinkage to facilitate the exchange of information and materials; (3) agile working ensembles governing changes to the activity system. Moreover, it proposes open-mindedness and integrity of behaviour as a cognitive foundation that facilitates changes to the activity system. Taken together, these microfoundations provide reasoning for manufacturing firms to transform their traditional make-and-sell BM into a sense-and-act BM, yielding higher profits and profitability. The results demonstrate that the notion of BMI as an activity system must be complemented by the cognitive perspective of BMI to sufficiently operationalise the concept of dynamic consistency. This thesis is anticipated to be a starting point for further studies to achieve consistency during I4.0-driven BMI to generate superior and sustained value appropriation for manufacturing firms.Ford Britain Trust, Queens' Colleg

Unified Information Access in Product Creation with an Integrated Control Desk

Customers demand for individualized products leads to a large variety of different products in small series and single-unit production. A high flexibility pressure in product creation is one result of this trend. In order to counteract the pressure, the information steadily increasing by Industry 4.0 must be made available at the workplace. Additionally, a better exchange of information between product development, production planning and production is necessary. The improvement of individual systems, like CAD, PDM, ERP and MES, can only achieve this to a limited extent. Since they mostly use systems from different manufacturers, the necessary deeper integration of information is only feasible for SMEs to a limited extend. The presented control desk helps to ensure a more flexible product creation as well as information exchange. It captures information from different IT systems in the production process and presents them integrated, task-oriented and oriented to the user's mental model, e.g. information of the production combined with the 3D model of product parts, or information about product development on the 3D model of the production. The solution is a digital 3D model of the manufacturing environment, which is enriched by billboards for a quick information overview and web service windows to access detailed MES and PDM information. By this, the level of abstraction can be reduced and reacts to changed requirements in the short term, making informed decisions. The interaction with the control stands utilizes the touch skills of mobile and fixed systems such as smartphones, tablets and multitouch tables

Reviewing Digital Manufacturing concept in the Industry 4.0 paradigm

Digitalization of manufacturing is once again on the industry application research agenda and Digital Manufacturing plays a fundamental role in this process. However, there is a lack of commonality in the literature about the purpose of Digital Manufacturing. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the concept and application domain of Digital Manufacturing considering the increasingly established Industry 4.0 paradigm. Based on a content analysis concepts are framed, and new technological characteristics identified. The paper contributes to a better understanding of the future challenges that companies face by positioning Digital Manufacturing conceptually and delimiting its application domain