https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4921-9647
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Abstract
Industry 4.0 represents a new industrial paradigm ignited by disruptive technologies that can transform manufacturing into a cyber-physical system that integrates products, people and processes. However, there is little guidance concerning how to implement and integrate Industry 4.0 technologies by existing lean manufacturing (LM) systems. We select autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) and internet of things (IoT) to develop an action plan that helps managers integrate Industry 4.0 technologies into their manufacturing systems and achieve lean automation. We conducted a case study of a large manufacturing company that introduced AGVs and IoT to automate its lean operations. We used socio-technical systems (STSs) design logic to integrate the two distinct domains (lean and automation) into an action plan that successfully meets six lean automation objectives. The findings demonstrate that AGVs implementation should include three phases: design, integration and continuous improvement. The lean automation objectives are: cost, reusability, reliability, simplicity, compactness, fit, engage and culture. The lean automation plan successfully manages the interactions and interplay between social factors (people and culture), technical factors (infrastructure and technology) and operational factors (routines and processes). The lean automation plan has significant managerial implications helping companies integrate lean philosophy, which is people-centric, with Industry 4.0 technologies, which promote efficiency via automation.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was by reported the author(s).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Ilias P. Vlachos
Dr. Ilias Vlachos is a Professor in Supply Chain Management at Excelia Business School, France with previous positions in Leeds University Business School (LUBS), Newcastle Business School (NBS), and Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), Greece. He is external examiner at University of Bradford and Leeds Beckett University and adjunct professor (recognized teacher status) with Cranfield University and Hellenic Open University, Greece. Ilias holds a Ph.D. from Cranfield University under full scholarship from Greek state. Ilias has extensive research and leadership experience including Scientific Responsible of several competitive funded programmes (AUA), Research Degrees Director (LUBS), Manager of Research and Enterprise Development Programme (NBS), Chair of International Conferences. He is member of the Industry-IoT community, the European Technology Platform ’Food for Life’ (Sustainable Food Processing and Packaging), and the OECD- International Transport Forum (Resilience of Multi-modal Supply Chains). Prof. Vlachos publications have appeared in the top journals such as Production Planning & Control: The Management of Operations, Supply Chain Management: an International Journal, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, Tourism Management, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Journal of Cleaner Production, International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications, and Expert Systems with Applications.
Rodrigo Martinez Pascazzi
Rodrigo Martinez Pascazzi is a TIE (Total Industrial Engineering) Assistant Manager at DENSO Marston Ltd with previous experience at other DENSO facilities. His focus lies in Operational efficiency and effectiveness. He graduated as Industrial Engineer at the Catholic University of Cordoba and then obtained his MBA at the University of Leeds.
George Zobolas
Dr. George Zobolas is an adjunct lecturer at the Hellenic Open University. He has also taught at the Athens University of Economics and Business, MBA international programme as well as online postgraduate programmes at the University of Liverpool. His research interests include production planning, control and scheduling focussing on artificial intelligence and metaheuristic algorithms. He holds a diploma in Mechanical Engineer from the National Technical University of Athens and also holds an MSc in Operations Management awarded by the University of Manchester. He acquired his PhD in production scheduling from the Athens University of Economics and Business. Apart from publications and presentations in international conferences on Operations Research, he has, among others, published his research in high-impact factor peer-reviewed journals like EJOR, IJPR, COR and JORS. He is also a co-author of the opening chapter of the book ‘Metaheuristics for Scheduling: in Industrial and Manufacturing Applications’ by Springer Verlang. For the past years, he has been actively involved in research projects on operational research and manufacturing management funded by the European Union and he is currently an entrepreneur in the Automotive Sector managing an automotive company with intense research and export activities. Google Scholar Profile: http://scholar.google.gr/citations?user=-qUdnywAAAAJ&hl=el.
Panagiotis Repoussis
Dr Panagiotis Repoussis is Assistant Professor at the Department of Marketing and Communication, School of Business at Athens University of Economics and Business (Athens, Greece). He has published -in a variety of distinguished highly ranked international journals – several papers on the design, development and application of mathematical models and algorithms to aid rigorous decision making in operational planning and scheduling of resources. His work has concentrated in the areas of network design, supply chain management, inventory management, production scheduling, and freight transportation and logistics. Currently, he is serving the editorial boards of Transportation Research Part E (Elsevier) and Advances of Operations Research (Hindawi). He has also served as member of the board of directors for the Hellenic Operational Research Society and the board of the College of Service Operations of the Production and Operations Management Society. Dr. Repoussis is also affiliated with Satalia leading various research and development projects, while his research has been funded by various non-profit organizations and private companies in the EU, UK and USA.
Mihalis Giannakis
Mihalis Giannakis Professor Mihalis Giannakis, PhD HDR is Full Professor of Operations and Supply Management at Audencia Business School in France. He is a chartered mechanical engineer and started his career as field engineer of the national gas supply company of Greece. He has held faculty positions at the University of Warwick, University of Middlesex and the University of Brighton. He holds a BSc/MSc degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Patras, an MSc in Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick and a PhD in Industrial and Business Studies from Warwick Business School, University of Warwick. He has conducted research and consulting work in financial services, construction, defence and aerospace, professional services and pharmaceutical companies.