HOW ARE LEAN MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRY 4.0 CONNECTED?

Lean Production is widely recognized and accepted in the industrial setting. It concerns the strict integration of humans in the manufacturing process, a continuous improvement and focuses on value-adding activities by avoiding waste. However, a new paradigm called Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution has recently emerged in the manufacturing sector. It allows creating a smart network of machines, products, components, properties, individuals and ICT systems in the entire value chain to have an intelligent factory.

Both lean management and Industry 4.0 support the objectives of operational excellence, but they apply different types of tools to achieve these goals. Lean management approach reduces complexity and cost by eliminating waste and non-value-adding activities throughout a process or value chain. It provides techniques for involving all employees in continuously reviewing and improving efficiency. The approach is built on such management techniques as waste reduction,

Industry 4.0 (“The fourth wave of technological advancement in manufacturing”) is powered by nine foundational technologies: additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, augmented reality, big data and analytics, cloud computing, cybersecurity, horizontal and vertical system integration, the industrial internet, and simulation. Sensors, machines, workpieces, and IT systems are connected along a value chain that extends beyond a single enterprise. These connected systems can interact and analyze data to predict failure, reconfigure themselves, and adapt to change. Manufacturers can reach new levels of operational performance. They can, for example, advance from preventive to predictive maintenance, which means that maintenance tasks are performed only when necessary.

Industry 4.0 also allows companies to share the benefits of automation technology more broadly within the organization by, for example, equipping and training line workers to receive and apply real-time information about their machinery. By increasing transparency, improving predictability, and, ultimately, allowing for self-controlled systems, Industry 4.0 promotes faster, more flexible, and more efficient processes. Manufacturers can apply these benefits to achieving the broader objectives: producing higher-quality goods and reducing costs.

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