Abstract
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face challenges in implementing industrial robotics in their manufacturing due to limited resources and expertise. There is still good economic potential in using industrial robotics, however, due to manufacturers leaning toward newer technology and automated processes. The research on sustainability decision-making for transitioning a traditional process to a robotic process is limited for SMEs. This study presents a systemic framework for assessing the sustainability of implementing robotic techniques in key processes that would benefit SMEs. The framework identifies several key economic, technical, and managerial decision-making factors during the transition phase. Sustainability assessments, including cost, environmental impact, and social impact, are used in the framework for engineers and managers to evaluate the technical and sustainability trade-offs of the transition. A case study was conducted on a typical US metal fabrication SME focusing on transitioning a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process to a robotic gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process. A sustainability assessment was conducted following the framework. The results suggest that the transition phase involves numerous factors for engineers and managers to consider and the proposed framework will benefit SMEs by providing an analytical method for industrial robotics implementation decision-making.
Highlights
Introduction and Literature ReviewAs small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) move toward Industry 4.0, their manufacturing environments are changing
The case study shows that the associated economic costs would benefit from robotic implementation
The production rate would increase with robotic welding
Summary
As small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) move toward Industry 4.0, their manufacturing environments are changing These changes include automation realization on the shop floor and increased customer expectations regarding carbon footprint reduction, waste, and unemployment [1]. To address these concerns, SMEs acknowledge the importance of sustainable manufacturing to assist in the transition from traditional to robotic manufacturing processes [2,3]. Chang et al [28] conducted a study of environmental impact assessment and social life cycle assessment (LCA) of welding technologies, and found that manual welding results in lower productivity and higher health risk than automatic welding processes. IInn oorrddeerrtotococmopmopseoasetraantsriatinosnitpiolann,pelcaonn,omecioc,neonmviirco,nemnevnitraoln, amndental, and sspoorccoiicaaellsiismmappnaadcctt taahssesseesrssosmbmoeetninctstspnnreoeecededstost.obTbeheceocnoddneudcciustcieotdendt-omteoavkeaivnlugaalutweaittlehl etbhoeeveobrvaaselelrdaplelorpfnoerrtmfhoearnmrceeasnuoclftesthoeffromthmaenmuthaaelnual processussatanidnatbhielitryobaostsiecspsmroecnetsss.aTnhde tdheecitsriaonns-fmoramkaintigvewiflalcbtoerbs,aswedhiochn tahreerefusurtlhtserfroexmpltahineesdusitnainthaebility assesfsomlloewntisngansedcttihoenst.ransformative factors, which are further explained
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