Implementation of Industry 4.0 Principles and Tools: Simulation and Case Study in a Manufacturing SME

Samir Abdulnour, Chantal Baril, Georges Abdulnour and Sébastien Gamache
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Samir Abdulnour: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Québec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
Chantal Baril: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Québec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
Georges Abdulnour: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Québec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
Sébastien Gamache: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Québec in Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: Small and medium enterprises (SME) face various challenges in order to remain competitive in a global market. Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is increasingly presented as the new paradigm for improving productivity, ensuring economic growth, and guaranteeing the sustainability of manufacturing companies. However, SMEs are ill equipped and lack resources to undertake this digital shift. This paper presents the digital shift process of an SME in a personalized mass production context. Our work provides a better understanding of the interaction between Lean and I4.0. It contributes to the development of Lean 4.0 implementation strategies that are better adapted to manufacturing SMEs in a personalized mass production context. We also demonstrate the usefulness of simulation as a decision-making assistance tool when implementing I4.0. A practical case is documented to fill a gap in the scientific literature identified by several researchers.

Keywords: I4.0; intelligent manufacturing; modular design; modular product; dynamic cellular manufacturing; modular automation; ambulance assembly line; flexibility; agility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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