Publications

Learning factories have an important role in the development of Industry 4.0, providing a rich environment where researchers and companies can collaborate and test (in multiple scenarios) the application of cutting-edge technologies (e.g. the internet of things, big data, collaborative robots, additive manufacturing, modeling and simulation). The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe testbeds and proof-of-concept experiments, mainly related to modeling and simulation, developed in learning factories to support Industry 4.0 deployment. It also aims to present the lab shared by Produtique Québec and the Center of Excellence in Innovative Manufacturing Enterprise Management (CEGEMI), located at Sherbrooke, Canada, identifying its potential to conduct simulation-based research and to promote the digitalization of manufacturing companies. The literature review and case presentation show the relevance of leaning factories to develop applied research and to deploy Industry 4.0, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that incrementally tend to move towards digitalization. Moreover, it describes how learning factories can incorporate and test a wide range of Industry 4.0’ technologies through testbeds and proof-of-concept experiments, supporting experimental validation of different artifacts, such as modeling and simulation frameworks.

de Paula Ferreira, W., Palaniappan, A., Armellini, F., de Santa-Eulalia, L. A., Mosconi, E. et Marion, G. (2021). Linking industry 4.0, learning factory and simulation: Testbeds and proof-of-concept experiments. Dans A. Dingli, F. Haddod et C. Klüver (dir.), Artificial intelligence in industry 4.0: A collection of innovative research case-studies that are reworking the way we look at industry 4.0 thanks to artificial intelligence (p. 85-96). Cham : Springer International Publishing.