Supporting Tool for The Transition of Existing Small and Medium Enterprises Towards Industry 4.0

TL;DR

This paper proposes a methodology to assist SME managers in understanding and implementing Industry 4.0 technologies, enabling informed decisions on migration timing and strategies to enhance productivity and competitiveness.

Contribution

It introduces a novel methodology tailored for SMEs to evaluate requirements and benefits of Industry 4.0 adoption, facilitating strategic decision-making.

Findings

A structured approach for SMEs to assess Industry 4.0 readiness.

Guidelines for effective migration to Industry 4.0.

Enhanced decision-making for SMEs adopting new technologies.

Abstract

The rapid growth of Industry 4.0 technologies such as big data, cloud computing, smart sensors, machine learning (ML), radio-frequency identification (RFID), robotics, 3D-printing, and Internet of Things (IoT) offers Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) the chance to improve productivity and efficiency, reduce cost and provide better customer experience, among other benefits. The main purpose of this work is to propose a methodology to support SMEs managers in better understanding the specific requirements for the implementation of Industry 4.0 solutions and the derived benefits within their firms. A proposed methodology will be helpful for SMEs manager to take a decision regarding when and how to migrate to Industry 4.0.