RETRACTED: The role of industry 4.0 technologies in overcoming pandemic challenges for the manufacturing sector

Abstract

Industry 4.0 aims to revolutionize the manufacturing sector to achieve sustainable and efficient production. The novel coronavirus pandemic has brought many challenges in different industries globally. Shortage in supply of raw material, changes in product demand, and factories closures due to general lockdown are all examples of such challenges. The adaption of Industry 4.0 technologies can address these challenges and prevent their recurrence in case of another pandemic outbreak in future. A prominent advantage of Industry 4.0 technologies is their capability of building resilient and flexible systems that are responsive to exceptional circumstances such as unpredictable market demand, supply chain interruptions, and manpower shortage which can be crucial at times of pandemics. This work focuses on discussing how different Industry 4.0 technologies such as Cyber Physical Systems, Additive Manufacturing, and Internet of Things can help the manufacturing sector overcome pandemics challenges. The role of Industry 4.0 technologies in raw material provenance identification and counterfeit prevention, collaboration and business continuity, agility and decentralization of manufacturing, crisis simulation, elimination of single point of failure risk, and other factors is discussed. Moreover, a self-assessment readiness model has been developed to help manufacturing firms determine their readiness level for implementing different Industry 4.0 technologies.

Pandemic and Emergency Manufacturing Innovation: A Scientometric Analysis Using CiteSpace

“…The research covers various aspects such as some specific aspects of printing emergency supplies, using additive manufacturing technologies (including printed materials, model design files, the expansion of the types of emergency materials printed, and quality testing of the finished printed products); crisis simulation using computer simulation technology to mimic scenarios after an epidemic, achieving better control over resources in the manufacturing process; remote collaboration using cloud computing to maintain efficiency and productivity even when working remotely under an epidemic; and using blockchain technology for source identification and anti-counterfeiting of raw materials for emergency supplies. 5 Emergency manufacturing material innovations include the application of novel materials such as silicone rubber, stainless steel wheeled structures, and protein receptors in the manufacturing process of respirators 6 and vaccines. In the aspect of emergency manufacturing management innovations, supply chain responsiveness, supply chain resilience, and supply chain transparency have become research hotspots, and scholars have used technologies such as block chain to provide traceability solution of emergency supply chains 7 (see Figure 2-②).…”

Cloud based manufacturing: A review of recent developments in architectures, technologies, infrastructures, platforms and associated challenges

“…From traditional view, manufacturing is a highly-centralized process, with huge production lines and factories applied for specific product lines or products. However, of the development of new technologies such as IoT and cloud computing has made it possible to decentralize manufacturing and move it closer to consumption point [16,[93][94][95][96]. This made manufacturers more sensitive in responding to the variations of market and customer demands, reduced costs and increased efficiency.…”

Can industry 5.0 technologies overcome supply chain disruptions?—a perspective study on pandemics, war, and climate change issues

“…Dadash Pour et al (2022) suggest that technologies of I4.0 such as cyber-physical systems, big data, additive manufacturing and IoT are helpful to overcome pandemic challenges. The significance of I4.0 in the identification of raw material provenance, business continuity, and collaboration, the agility of manufacturing, crisis simulation and related variables are studied.…”