Abstract :
[en] In the last decade, the manufacturing industry has seen a shift in the way products are produced due to the integration of digital technologies and existing manufacturing systems. This transformation is often referred to as \textbf{Industry 4.0} (I4.0), which guarantees to deliver cost efficiency, mass customization, operational agility, traceability, and enable service orientation. To realize the potential of I4.0, integration of physical and digital elements using advanced technologies is a prerequisite. Large manufacturing companies have been embracing the I4.0 transformation swiftly. However, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) face challenges in terms of skills and capital requirements required for a smoother digital transformation.
The goal of this thesis is to understand the features of a typical manufacturing SME and map them with the existing (e.g. Lean) and I4.0 manufacturing systems. The mapping is then used to develop a Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) to measure the maturity of a manufacturing entity. The SAT developed in this research has a critical SME focus. However, the scope of the SAT is not limited to SMEs and can be used for large companies. The analysis of the maturity of manufacturing companies revealed that the managerial dimensions of the companies are more mature than the technical dimensions. Therefore, this thesis attempts to fill the gap in technical dimensions especially Augmented Reality (AR) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) through laboratory experiments and industrial validation. A holistic method is proposed to introduce I4.0 technologies in manufacturing enterprises based on maturity assessment, observations, technical road map, and applications.
The method proposed in this research includes SAT, which measures the maturity of a manufacturing company in five categorical domains (\textbf{dimensions}): Strategy, Process and Value Stream, Organization, Methods and Tools, and Personnel. Furthermore, these dimensions are attributed to 36 modules, which help manufacturing companies measure their maturity level in terms of lean and I4.0. The SAT is tested in 100 manufacturing enterprises in Grande Région consisting of the pilot study (n=20) and maturity assessment (n=63). The observations from the assessment are then used to set up the technological road map for the research. AR and IIoT are the two technologies that are associated with the least mature modules, which are explored in depth in this thesis. A holistic method is incomplete without industry validation. Therefore, the above-mentioned technologies are applied in two manufacturing companies for further validation of the laboratory results. These applications include 1) the application of AR for maintenance and quality inspection in a tire manufacturing industry, and 2) the application of retrofitting technology for IIoT on a production machine in an SME.
With the validated assessment model and the industrial applications, this thesis overall presents a holistic approach to introducing I4.0 technologies in manufacturing enterprises. This is accomplished through identifying the status of the company using maturity assessment and deriving the I4.0 roadmap for high potential modules. The skill gap in the addressed technologies is compensated by designing and testing prototypes in the laboratory before applying them in the industry.
