Smart manufacturing production line connectivity – case study in automotive sector

Abstract

Industrial companies must continue to produce while guaranteeing the quality of their products and maintaining the availability of machines and equipment. In this context, the industrial success comes with a new way of organizing the means of production based on practical optimization solutions that integrate industry 4.0 and lean tools. Lean and Industry 4.0 are both production paradigms with a common goal: to efficiently manufacture highly customized products in small batches. Industry 4.0 aims to accelerate the flow of information and the Lean approach focuses on eliminating waste to accelerate physical flows: the synergy of the two methods contributes to operational excellence. This paper examines the misperception of the relationship between industry 4.0 and production, and examines the digitization of a complex production chain capable of implementing lean manufacturing. Digitization can be summarized as the application of digital technologies to the world of manufacturing. The digitization is the key to achieving this integration, as it allows for the interconnection of digital technologies and the implementation of a dialogue system between tools and workstations. By exchanging information, these technologies can improve productivity and working conditions within the company. Our approach is illustrated by a case study conducted in the automotive sector. The study compares a predigitization scenario with a post-digitization scenario and shows the positive impacts of digitization on the company’s productivity..