Mass Customization Demonstrator at an Industry 4.0 Learning Factory

6 Pages Posted: 2 Jun 2021

See all articles by Pedro Antonio de A. F. Romeral

Pedro Antonio de A. F. Romeral

University of São Paulo (USP)

Lorenna F. Leal

University of São Paulo (USP)

Eduardo Zancul

University of São Paulo (USP)

Date Written: June 1, 2021

Abstract

The industry has been working to increase product variety while maintaining economies of scale for many years already. Mass customization strategies, product platforms, and modularity have provided the conceptual fundaments for increased product variety, targeting segmented customer needs in the last decades. Recently, technologies related to Industry 4.0 promise the needed production flexibility to support higher levels of product customization. Although the required concepts and technologies are already available, their integration for demonstration and teaching is still challenging. In this context, we discuss which technologies need to be integrated into a Learning Factory to create a comprehensive mass customization demonstrator. We also discuss how to teach mass customization leveraging the Learning Factory demonstrator. Therefore, a case study has been conducted. In order to create the mass customization demonstrator, a customizable modular product has been selected. The case product is a modular skateboard. Customization features include the wheel colors, options (rails and IoT connectivity), and the shock absorber levels (continuous scale from soft to hard). Based on an Industry 4.0 technology framework from the literature, the required technologies have been identified. The range of technologies includes: product configurator, ERP, MES, automatic computational vision quality control for the assembly, automatic torque wrench, augmented reality for assembly instructions, and additive manufacturing for the low scale, high variety production of options. Next, the technologies have been integrated. In the integration, the ERP and MES systems play a key role in managing the parts production and product assembly based on the product configurator’s individual customer orders. The demonstrator has been applied in teaching in a short-term continuing education executive program and undergraduate engineering courses. The results explore the potential benefits and limitations of the mass customization demonstrator based on Industry 4.0 technologies for supporting knowledge and technology transfer to the industry.

Keywords: Mass Customization, Industry 4.0, Learning Factory

Suggested Citation

de A. F. Romeral, Pedro Antonio and F. Leal, Lorenna and Zancul, Eduardo, Mass Customization Demonstrator at an Industry 4.0 Learning Factory (June 1, 2021). Proceedings of the Conference on Learning Factories (CLF) 2021, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3858123 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3858123

Pedro Antonio De A. F. Romeral

University of São Paulo (USP) ( email )

Rua Luciano Gualberto, 315
São Paulo, São Paulo 14800-901
Brazil

Lorenna F. Leal

University of São Paulo (USP) ( email )

Rua Luciano Gualberto, 315
São Paulo, São Paulo 14800-901
Brazil

Eduardo Zancul (Contact Author)

University of São Paulo (USP) ( email )

Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto 380
Sao Paulo, 05508-010
Brazil

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