Machine Tool Transition from Industry 3.0 to 4.0: A Comparison between Old Machine Retrofitting and the Purchase of New Machines from a Triple Bottom Line Perspective

Serena Ilari, Fabio Di Carlo, Filippo Emanuele Ciarapica and Maurizio Bevilacqua
Additional contact information
Serena Ilari: Department of Industrial Engineering and Mathematical Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Fabio Di Carlo: Department of Industrial Engineering and Mathematical Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Filippo Emanuele Ciarapica: Department of Industrial Engineering and Mathematical Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Maurizio Bevilacqua: Department of Industrial Engineering and Mathematical Science, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 18, 1-21

Abstract: The emerging scenario designed by digital technologies connected to Industry 4.0 is pushing towards increasingly sustainable companies. Access to the multiple benefits of digitalization (such as increased productivity, flexibility, efficiency, quality, lower consumption of resources, and the improvement of worker safety) is possible by purchasing new-generation machinery. However, thanks to smart retrofitting processes, companies can extend the shelf life of machinery without replacing it entirely. This work aims to present a framework to assess the sustainability of implementing a smart retrofitting process in old machines as an alternative to replacement from a triple bottom line (economic, environmental, and social) perspective. Due to the multidimensional and multidisciplinary variables that the proposed framework must consider, a multicriteria decision-making process is developed to identify the best transition solution from Industry 3.0 to 4.0. Then, we analyze a case study in which, thanks to the previously proposed methodology, two types of smart retrofitting on a column drill are compared with three replacement options for the same machine tool. In conclusion, the case study shows that retrofitting in the context of Industry 4.0 (or smart retrofitting), despite its high acquisition cost, is the best solution in terms of sustainability, and that this is because the smart retrofitting solution not only positively influences all parameters of digitization but also has a strong impact on the safety criterion.

Keywords: smart retrofitting; end-of-life management; Industry 4.0; sustainability; digitalization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10441/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/18/10441/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10441-:d:638900

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().