Intelligent Manufacturing in the Context of Industry 4.0: A Review

Our next generation of industry—Industry 4.0—holds the promise of increased flexibility in manufacturing, along with mass customization, better quality, and improved productivity. It thus enables companies to cope with the challenges of producing increasingly individualized products with a short lead-time to market and higher quality. Intelligent manufacturing plays an important role in Industry 4.0. Typical resources are converted into intelligent objects so that they are able to sense, act, and behave within a smart environment. In order to fully understand intelligent manufacturing in the context of Industry 4.0, this paper provides a comprehensive review of associated topics such as intelligent manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled manufacturing, and cloud manufacturing. Similarities and differences in these topics are highlighted based on our analysis. We also review key technologies such as the IoT, cyber-physical systems (CPSs), cloud computing, big data analytics (BDA), and information and communications technology (ICT) that are used to enable intelligent manufacturing. Next, we describe worldwide movements in intelligent manufacturing, including governmental strategic plans from different countries and strategic plans from major international companies in the European Union, United States, Japan, and China. Finally, we present current challenges and future research directions. The concepts discussed in this paper will spark new ideas in the effort to realize the much-anticipated Fourth Industrial Revolution.     

A Review of Commercially Available Cost-Estimating Software Systems for the Construction Industry

ABSTRACT

A wide variety of estimating software systems for the construction industry is available on the market. Just as the needs of estimators vary greatly, so do the capabilities and applications of these systems. This article summarizes the results of a recent survey of commercially available cost-estimating software systems for the construction industry. The focus of this study is on the Australian market, although a few of the systems reviewed are from the United Kingdom and the United States. The study identifies a list of software features on which the systems are evaluated and summarizes these features in 17 commercially available estimating systems. The benefits of these systems are illustrated by example applications. The article then compares Australian estimating systems to U.K. and U.S. systems, based on similar studies performed by other researchers in those two countries. This article aims to assist users in identifying particular software features currently available from vendors and to provide a basis for the initial comparison of the systems reviewed. It illustrates the current level of development of commercially available computerized estimating systems found in most markets. It can help readers to become aware of the possibilities that now exist for computerized estimating.     

The Future of Manufacturing: A New Perspective

Many articles have been published on intelligent manufacturing, most of which focus on hardware, software, additive manufacturing, robotics, the Internet of Things, and Industry 4.0. This paper provides a different perspective by examining relevant challenges and providing examples of some less-talked-about yet essential topics, such as hybrid systems, redefining advanced manufacturing, basic building blocks of new manufacturing, ecosystem readiness, and technology scalability. The first major challenge is to (re-)define what the manufacturing of the future will be, if we wish to: ① raise public awareness of new manufacturing’s economic and societal impacts, and ② garner the unequivocal support of policy-makers. The second major challenge is to recognize that manufacturing in the future will consist of systems of hybrid systems of human and robotic operators; additive and subtractive processes; metal and composite materials; and cyber and physical systems. Therefore, studying the interfaces between constituencies and standards becomes important and essential. The third challenge is to develop a common framework in which the technology, manufacturing business case, and ecosystem readiness can be evaluated concurrently in order to shorten the time it takes for products to reach customers. Integral to this is having accepted measures of “scalability” of non-information technologies. The last, but not least, challenge is to examine successful modalities of industry–academia–government collaborations through public–private partnerships. This article discusses these challenges in detail.     

Industry 4.0: Current practice and challenges in Malaysian manufacturing firms

This research employed a qualitative approach to discuss the current practice and challenges of Malaysian manufacturing firms in the implementation of Industry 4.0. The study examined data from seven manufacturing companies pursuing Industry 4.0 initiatives to identify various options for their strategies. The study found that the implementation of Industry 4.0 in the manufacturing firms is still in the exploratory stage. The companies involved in this study were discovered to conduct exploration using an adaptive-like framework. That is, throughout the process, the majority of the subjects are 'trying and adding' Industry 4.0 to their operations. Their trial-and-error approach is based on what is feasible and effective in their manufacturing environment. Overall, the investigation determined that data management and integration, as well as personnel re-education, were the respondents' primary operational challenges.     

电子制造服务产业需求协同模型的构建与应用

运用象限分析法,以价值链为切入点,对电子制造服务产业需求管理中的主要指标,销售额比率、生产频率、生产时间进行分析.通过纵向分析历史数据,计算出客户平均的周需求量与销售比率,同时确定产品在需求协同模型中的位置,计算出生产频率和被均衡化的需求量.归纳了四大需求类型并建立适用于中国电子制造服务产业的需求协同模型.     

Effects of Project-Related and Organizational-Related Factors on Five Dimensions of Project Performance: A Study Across the Construction Sectors in Malaysia

Abstract

The objective of this research is to analyze the relationships of project-related and organizational-related factors with five dimensions of project performance across different sectors of the construction industry. Data collected from the project managers and directors of 360 construction firms in Malaysia were analyzed using multiple-regression technique with size of the organization as a control variable. The important finding is that the effects of project-related and organizational-related factors differ by sector type and by dimensions of project performance. The findings of this study can help project managers devise and implement appropriate strategies to support project success.     

CIMS环境下的制造单元

本文着重介绍了在现代制造技术条件下,新型制造单元与传统的生产单元之间的区别、特点及其发展趋势。     

制造柔性的概念框架及其度量

研究了制造柔性的概念,讨论了制造柔性的特点及其对制造系统综合运行性能的影响,提出了一个用于对制造柔性进行分类的概念框架,探讨了制造柔性的度量方法。     

A case study in productivity-cost trade-off in the design of paced parallel production systems

This paper examines the investment and operational cost differences between high-volume serial CNC-based machining lines and parallel CNC-based machining lines. With the progress of CNC technology and their descending cost, more CNC machines have been used in high-volume production systems. CNC machines increase the flexibility and machining capability of production lines, greatly increasing the number of line configurations. Parallel configurations improve system throughput and have the same effect as adding buffers to a pure serial line but without additional work-in-process inventory. This analysis is performed through a case study of a CNC-based automotive cylinder head machining line. Examining machine reliability, line balance, configuration throughput, and cost yields insight into the cost-benefit tradeoff of implementing parallelism. It is found that even with large increases in investment in automated material handling, parallel configurations can yield significant annual cost savings over pure serial lines through reductions in capital investment, especially in CNC machines, and improvements in efficiency, and on a per unit capacity basis, parallel configurations are the least expensive.     

生产制造业物流模型研究

以生产制造业的物流过程为对象,进行了物流管理技术的研究,提出了相应的物流管理模型,该模型对企业物流系统建立有重要的参考价值。     

Keeping up with the pace of digitization: The case of the Australian construction industry

The most significant current technological trend is digitization, the impacts of which will be faced by all levels of society. This paper addresses how the Australian construction industry has kept up with the pace of digitization compared with other industries in Australia. The data is drawn mainly from the national accounts hosted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, within the time period of 1995–2015. Construction has developed into one of the most important industries in Australia. Together with mining and the financial and insurance sector, it has contributed to a significant gross added value (GVA) in the economy. The construction industry has invested around 1% or less in information and communication technologies (ICT) as their share of GVA; however, it has invested about 15% in ICT of their total investments (gross fixed capital formation). Among the selected industries, construction's labour productivity measured by GVA per hour was the third highest, despite low level of investments in digitization. The observed correlation between ICT investments and productivity is weak when using industry level data from the national accounts. Any big leap towards digitization is not recognised for the construction industry; rather there appears to be steady acceptance of the technology.     

实施中国制造强国战略的政策体系研究

实施制造强国战略,中国迫切需要调整当前产业政策模式,以功能性产业为主来构筑实施中国制造强国战略的政策体系。在这个政策体系中,市场居于主导地位,政府的作用是增进市场机能,扩展市场作用范围,并在公共领域补充市场的不足,让市场机制充分发挥其决定性作用。具体而言,实施制造强国战略需要政府从深化体制改革、强化制造业技术创新体系等方面积极作为。     

An empirical study for smart production for TFT-LCD to empower Industry 3.5

Abstract

With increasing technological advancements, manufacturing intelligence has become a crucial issue for maintaining competitive advantages. Industry 4.0, proposed by Germany, is one of the large-scale projects to achieve manufacturing intelligence and smart production. Others include the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership 2.0 (AMP2.0) from the United States, Industry 4.1J of Japan and Made in China 2025. On the other hand, most of the emerging countries may not be ready for the migration of Industry 4.0 directly since their industrial infrastructures are different with the leading countries. This study aims to propose Industry 3.5 as a hybrid strategy between existing Industry 3.0 and to-be Industry 4.0, in which digital decision-making, big data analytics, and manufacturing intelligence are integrated to empower smart production with disruptive innovations that can be realized in existing industrial infrastructure. To estimate the validity of the proposed Industry 3.5, an empirical study was conducted in a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) manufacturing factory in Taiwan. A smart daily planning and scheduling (DPS) system is developed to enhance manufacturing intelligence for smart production without a fully automation facility as the Cyber-Physical System proposed in Industry 4.0. This study concludes with discussions of development directions for industrial revolution.     

Measuring Project Management Performance: Case of Construction Industry

This study develops construction-specific determinants and indicators of project management performance based on the 14 knowledge areas of the project management body of knowledge guide. Interrelations among the knowledge areas and influence of these factors on performance are investigated. Data collected from 121 construction projects are analyzed using structural equation modeling. Research findings suggest that project integration, communications, safety, risk, human resources, financial, and cost management have a direct impact, whereas scope and time management have an indirect effect on performance. The findings reported in this study are expected to help construction project managers devise and implement strategies and develop actions to improve project success. An engineering manager can use the framework developed in this research to define the underlying factors of efficient project management practices.     

虚拟制造中的制造系统建模

为了映射真实系统与服务环境之间的相互作用,分析了在虚拟制造环境下制造系统静态模型和动态模型的建模方法,并通过生产系统预规划和动态规划过程,揭示了该模型具有的支持产品制造全过程的特性,最后阐述了原型系统的结构框架以及工业应用的成果。     

Quantitative Methods for Quality and Productivity Improvement

A new kriging predictor is proposed that gives a better performance over the existing predictor when the constant mean assumption in the kriging model is unreasonable. Moreover, it seems to be robust to the misspecifications in the correlation parameters. The advantages of the new predictor are demonstrated using some examples from the computer experiment literature.     

专项生产模式下基于成组技术的制造系统集成

主要研究了专项生产方式下以成组技术为基础的CIMS集成方法,包括面向CIMS的集成的成组信息编码,基于成组编码的CAD／CAE／PDM集成,CAPP／PDM集成和PDM／ERP集成,提出了基于成组技术的CIMS集成框架,研究了贯穿于CAD,CAE,CAPP,PDM与ERT系统的统一的成组编码方案和信息编码方案,这种集成方法的研究对于推动CIMS和并行工程在专项生产企业的应用具有重要意义。     

汽车行业冲压加工生产率的研究与分析

汽车行业中冲压加工法在欧美、日本等汽车公司得到了高度重视,特别是日本丰田汽车公司经过长期的分析和不断优化改进,创立了快速换模工作法,以最少的资源投入获取最大的冲压生产效率。据此研究并掌握精益生产方式,从而大幅度提高生产效率,缩小与先进发达国家汽车行业的差距。