Application of Industry 4.0 to the Product Development Process in Project-Type Production

Wieslaw Urban, Krzysztof Łukaszewicz and Elżbieta Krawczyk-Dembicka
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Wieslaw Urban: Faculty of Engineering Management, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45A, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Krzysztof Łukaszewicz: Faculty of Engineering Management, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45A, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland
Elżbieta Krawczyk-Dembicka: Faculty of Engineering Management, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45A, 15-351 Bialystok, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: Currently, the concept of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is reaching most companies by changing the characteristics of their production systems. The aim of this study was to determine the possibilities of applying I4.0 concepts and tools to the product development process in a small- to medium-sized enterprise (SME)—a food processing technology supplier that offers individually tailored solutions. The study employs the case study methodology along with conceptual studies. Based on the available I4.0 concepts/technologies, the areas of the process that could be improved were identified. The study concludes with proposing several modifications in the process in the context of I4.0. Some of the process stages can be shortened by implementing I4.0 tools. It was found that the length of the process can be shortened from 36 to 26 months, and possible gains also include energy savings. Technological tools, referred to as augmented/virtual reality, along with simulations and virtual manufacturing, seem to have particular applicability. The energy savings estimation emerged as a check gate evaluating if technological implementations are justified. Directions for further research with reference to I4.0 and studied processes are determined.

Keywords: Industry 4.0; product development process; project-type production; energy savings; case study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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