Exploratory study on integrating lean capabilities with Industry ۴.۰ technologies

The companies are adopting some of the variants of Industry ۴.۰ (I۴.۰) and searching for ways to collect data from operations by incorporating robots with human labour. Different versions of I۴.۰ are being implemented in different industries to get competitive advantage. I۴.۰ has the potential to bring in competitive edge with the help of various methods and data to improve the processes. Yet, technology alone is not sufficient, because without collecting data and making charts; it does not bring any value to one. Currently organizations need to support the data-driven Lean culture by augmenting Lean Six Sigma (LSS) tools with I۴.۰ data. The I۴.۰ drives the leaner manufacturing environment through the possibilities for various technologies, which includes,  Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Cloud Computing (CC) and Digital Twins, that boost the Lean processes, making them efficient and more competitive. Both Lean and I۴.۰ are critical to improve the productivity and boost the economic growth of the manufacturing sector. In order to gain continuous improvement in operations I۴.۰ practices must be combined with Lean methodology in globalized and techno-driven competition. This paper examines the cross-conceptual synergy within Lean and I۴.۰ with regard to manufacturing operations. Based on available literature, it proposes a conceptual framework that outlines possible pathways for integrating I۴.۰ technologies with Lean principles. The framework is designed as a road map for organizational changes that will guide organizational transformation and future empirical research, and is not intended as a directly validated implementation model.

کلیدواژه ها:

Lean manufacturing ، Lean Six Sigma ، Industry ۴.۰ ، Lean Management System ۴.۰ ، Lean ۴.۰