A systematic review on expert systems for improving energy efficiency in the manufacturing industry

TL;DR

This systematic review analyzes expert systems used in manufacturing to enhance energy efficiency, highlighting current approaches, research gaps, and future directions within the context of EU climate goals.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive classification and analysis of existing expert systems for energy efficiency in manufacturing, identifying research gaps and future opportunities.

Findings

54 articles analyzed from 1692 results

Classification based on system boundary, industry, and application

Identification of research gaps and future research directions

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the European Union's commitment to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, efforts to improve energy efficiency are being intensified. The manufacturing industry is a key focal point of these endeavors due to its high final electrical energy demand, while simultaneously facing a growing shortage of skilled workers crucial for meeting established goals. Expert systems (ESs) offer the chance to overcome this challenge by automatically identifying potential energy efficiency improvements and thereby playing a significant role in reducing electricity consumption. This paper systematically reviews state-of-the-art approaches of ESs aimed at improving energy efficiency in industry, with a focus on manufacturing. The literature search yields 1692 results, of which 54 articles published between 1987 and 2023 are analyzed in depth. These publications are classified according to the system boundary, manufacturing type, application perspective, application purpose, ES type, and industry. Furthermore, we examine the structure, implementation, utilization, and development of ESs in this context. Through this analysis, the review reveals research gaps, pointing toward promising topics for future research.