Industry 4.0, transition or addition in SMEs? A systematic literature review on digitalization for deviation management

Abstract

Nowadays, Industry 4.0 (I4.0) has become a trendy topic in manufacturing industries worldwide. The definition is far from being comprehensible for small players, and the practical uptake is ambiguous. Transnational companies are often at the top in deploying I4.0 features, learning primarily from their experimentation. Alternatively, small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), given their less stable value chains and unsteady processes, tend to target most of their efforts on controlling disturbances and adopting solutions for deviation control. Such solutions can be features that set the path for SMEs to transition to I4.0. This paper aims to examine the reported degree of digitalization in implemented solutions in SMEs when handling deviations and analyze the integration of such solutions in their digital transformation process. Systematic literature review (SLR) is used to examine literature published up to and including January 2019. The results show a higher concentration on practical applications rather than on frameworks. Existing frameworks that focus on SMEs address particular elements of I4.0 rather than a gradual shift with a holistic view, increasing the deployment difficulty for SMEs. This paper identifies potential constraints in deployment if such a trend maintains for consecutive years.

Remote, Virtual and Physical Labs in Engineering Education: What is the Best for What?

“…In this review, we followed the SLR strategy proposed by [19], which implements a four-stage protocol. The reason for selecting this approach is that it has been utilized by several rese archers [20][21][22][23][24] and we have good experience in carrying out its guidelines. The four stages reviewed and included in this SLR are:…”

“…A more detailed description of the SLR approach can be found in [24] An SLR on Virtual, Remote and Online Labs Basing our work on the method described in Section 2, we carried out an SLR according to the four-stage protocol. The progression of the four stages was: (i) plan the review, (ii) conduct the review, (iii) report, and (iv) disseminate-all of which are presented in the following sub-sections.…”

Online-Labs in Education

“…A more detailed description of the SLR approach can be found in [24] Remote, Virtual and Physical Labs in Engineering Education…”

“…Successively through these basic tests, they saw that with a low power level (18 dBm) the curve is volatile, while with a higher power level (30 dBm), the RSSI curve became continuous but consisted of a huge amount of unwanted tag readings (those that were present in a laboratory, but were not attached to the products studied, but were registered). After receiving these results, the students decide to extend the power settings to five levels (18,21,24,27,30 dBm), analyze their trend with far-field and near-field antennas, and analyze the empty boxes and three more products to see how the RSSI curve tendency changed.…”

Industry 4.0 Implementation in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Recommendations Extracted from a Systematic Literature Review with a Focus on Maturity Models

“…Additionally, da Silva et al [15] explored the practical application of Industry 4.0 technologies in SMEs, examining challenges and performance outcomes. Lastly, Chavez et al [16] focused on digitization levels in SME deviation management. These studies collectively advance our understanding and application of Industry 4.0.…”