Enabling technologies, application areas and impact of industry 4.0: a bibliographic analysis

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A bibliometric analysis on collaborative robots in Logistics 4.0 environments

Abstract Logistics activities were included in the wave of changes brought with the advent of the fourth industrial revolution. Several applications can be recognized for several activities, aiming all at efficiently optimizing processes and consequently production and volumes. Among them, collaborative robots involved for instance in picking, palletizing or assembly operations are quickly spreading, as also demonstrated by the increase in the number of publications available in literature. In response, this paper presents the results of a bibliometric analysis carried out on 64 scientific papers which deal with this topic within the logistics field. Analysis were made through two different software applications, namely Microsoft Excel™ and VOSviewer. Results are quite optimistic as they delineate great opportunities for collaborative robots to establish their position in the industrial context

The impact of RFID technologies on inventory accuracy in the apparel retailing: Evidence from the field

In this paper, we assess the level of inventory accuracy that can be reached by adopting radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for inventory count operations in the fashion retailing. Thanks to an in-field implementation, we carried out two series of RFID inventory counts and compared the resulting accuracy level with that obtained exploiting the traditional barcode (BC) technology, so as to highlight the main pros and cons of the RFID adoption. As a general conclusion, the findings from the experimental campaigns and the analyses carried out suggest that RFID inventory counts are more reliable thanBCones. Moreover, under several circumstances, RFID allows detecting out-of-stock situations that are not evident when using either the BC technology or the inventory data stored in the company\u2019 information system. From those findings, a trend of the inventory accuracy as a function of the time required for RFID inventory counts is empirically derived. Such a trend can be exploited in practical cases to estimate the accuracy level achievable with inventory counts depending on the time dedicated to those activities

Environmental Collaboration for Sustainability in the Construction Industry: An Exploratory Study in Italy

The notion of sustainability, in its three-fold meaning (economic, environmental, and social), is being adopted more and more by companies. Today it is widely accepted that sustainability cannot be achieved by firms in isolation, but requires the collaboration of all supply chain players. This issue is particularly relevant in industrial contexts where the supply chains are complex in terms of structure and number of players, such as the construction industry. Thus, the aim of the paper is to explore the sustainability practices adopted in the construction industry, with a particular attention to the role of environmental collaboration of supply chain partners in achieving sustainability. By means of multiple case study-based research, we investigate sustainability practices on a sample of construction companies of Italy, thus identifying three main sustainability approaches, which differ in both the strategic orientation towards sustainability and the level of implementation in design, purchasing, and governance processes, as well as the main variables driving the adoption of these approaches

Statistical Process Control of assembly lines in a manufacturing plant: Process Capability assessment

Abstract Among the main strategies adopted by companies for enhancing their competitive advantage as well as for improving the internal efficiency is the quality management. Several tools can be involved when dealing with this issue; one of these is the Statistical Process Control, which includes the employment of statistical methods and metrics to monitor and control a process' quality. In this paper, indeed, two statistical metrics are involved for assessing the process capability of a filler machine produced by an Italian company operating in the food context. Specifically, two processes are inspected: the slewing ring-pinion backlash and the handling clamps height check, both showing excellent performances after having carried out the control and provided appropriate adjustments. Results are also compared with those obtained from the Six Sigma theory, another tool involved for quality controls which is in line with principles of lean manufacturing. Moreover, for the second process, a software was implemented for speeding up operations and achieving benefits in terms of time. The reliability of these analysis is confirmed by the application of the ANOVA Gage R&R tool, which allowed to assess the precision of the measurement system involved

Analysis and testing of an online solution to monitor and solve safety issues for industrial systems

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Economic evaluation of automated guided vehicles usage in a food company

Abstract Nowadays, companies are more and more attracted and interested by the possibility of automating processes which can be easily carried out by devices or machines instead of employees, allowing saving in costs, higher productivity and flexibility. Among the most spread ways of automating processes, more precisely in this specific case the flow of materials, the Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) stand out. But the main question that everyone asks is the following: is it convenient or not? In this paper, the answer is provided for a company operating in the food context, which intends to automate the transport of raw ingredients from the kitchens where they are produced and prepared to the filling lines; to this end, an economic feasibility study is carried out, taking into account three different levels of automation for three different lines. Results from all the three scenarios demonstrate the convenience in terms of achievable revenues, saved hours and manpower, and will support the management in their operational decisions

Sport sponsoring as a corporate-communication in cycling on the example of the sports nutrition manufacturer High5

Sponsoring ist eines der wirkungsvollsten Mittel in der Unternehmenskommunikation. Besonders das Sportsponsoring hat in unser heutigen Gesellschaft einen hohen Stellenwert erlangt. Diese Bachelorarbeit befasst sich im ersten Teil mit der Entwicklung und der Analyse von Sponsoring und Sportsponsoring im Kommunikationsmix von Unternehmen. Die daraus entstehenden Resultate werden im zweiten Teil an dem Praxisbeispiel des ErnährungsmittelherstellersHigh5 Deutschland und dessen Sponsoringengagements bei der Radsportveranstaltung Schwalbe TOUR Transalp powered by Sigma© angewendet. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es,im dritten Teil Erfolgsfaktoren für ein effektives Sponsoringengagement aufzuzeigen, um diese mit dem Engagement von High5 vergleichen zu können