Analyzing Consultancy on Production Systems Based on the Digital Triplet Concept

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the process flow of skilled consultants who utilize production improvement know-how and digital technology to enhance production systems in external companies. The concept of a Digital Triplet (D3), which expands the authors’ Digital Twin framework to include the intelligent activity world, is adopted as it aligns with this study’s objective. Given the complexity of the problems faced by production system consulting and the resulting inadequacy of reusing decision-making processes of skilled engineers based on the Generalized Process Model (GPM) using D3, a production system consulting modeling method is proposed. This method incorporates the Generalized Production System Consulting Process Model (GCPM) to generalize the production system consulting process. Using the proposed method, a case study focusing on energy-saving improvements was conducted to describe and analyze the consulting process of skilled consultants. The results show that the proposed method effectively captures the process flow of skilled consultants while considering the iterative structure of the GCPM. Additionally, utilizing the GCPM enables a comprehensive view of the entire process, facilitating an understanding of how knowledge and tools are utilized in various contexts.

Empowering Unskilled Production Systems Consultants through On-the-Job Training Support: A Digital Triplet Approach

“…In this study, our objective is to facilitate the transfer of Knowledge 2 and 4, which have traditionally proven resistant to conventional OJT methods. Our previous study formalized the process knowledge of skilled consultants [6]. Using this valuable result, we propose an alternative approach to OJT that introduces the formalized process knowledge and is replicated by unskilled counterparts.…”

“…Aligned with the definitions of production systems and management consulting, this study defines production system consulting as an activity where consulting experts in production control conduct surveys to analyze the client company's production system. The goal is to identify areas for improvement and provide support for both short-and long-term enhancements [6].…”

“…While production system consultation encompasses improvements in production systems across various manufacturing industries, this study specifically focuses on the machining and assembly manufacturing sectors [6].…”

“…The authors have extensively outlined the improvement process of skilled production systems consultants in prior studies [6], employing the "Framework for reusing decision-making processes of skilled production system engineers based on the D3 Concept" depicted in Figure 2. Given its potential to facilitate the transfer of knowledge that has traditionally been challenging in conventional OJT, which aligns with the objective of our study, we aim to investigate the application of this framework to OJT in production system consulting.…”

“…As a preliminary step towards achieving this objective, we address the research question of effectively transferring knowledge that is traditionally difficult to convey in conventional OJT settings in this paper. Building on our previous work that formalized the knowledge of skilled consultants [6], we propose a novel OJT method. This method enables unskilled consultants to emulate the valuable expertise of their more experienced counterparts.…”