Special Sessions

Special Sessions:

 

Advancing Eco-Efficient and Circular Industrial Practices

The demands on industry to commit to sustainability goals and demonstrate positive contributions are growing. At the same time, new technologies are continuously being developed and implemented to improve processes. This special session will focus on digital technologies, information systems, data models, and decision-making tools to assist companies in their response through eco-efficient and circular practices. We welcome contributions presenting systematic approaches for environmental management, resource efficiency, circular economy, green manufacturing, and regenerative sustainability.

Organizer(s):

Mélanie Despeisse, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, melanie.despeisse@chalmers.se

Federica Acerbi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, federica.acerbi@polimi.it

Ralph Riedel, Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau, Germany, ralph.riedel@fh-zwickau.de

Beatrice Colombo, University of Bergamo, Italy, beatrice.colombo@unibg.it

Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge, KTH, Sweden, jmbh@kth.se

Stephen Childe, Plymouth University, UK, stephen.childe@plymouth.ac.uk

 

Lean Thinking Models for Sustainable Supply Chains in the Challenging Era of Industry 4.0

The convergence of Industry 4.0 technologies and Lean Thinking models offers a promising avenue for manufacturing enterprises to achieve unparalleled operational excellence and sustainable growth. This special session delves into the symbiotic relationship between Lean concepts, methods, and tools and the digitalized landscape of Industry 4.0, exploring how their integration can foster efficiency, minimize waste, and drive sustainable practices within the growing Digital Lean Manufacturing paradigm. The session will address the critical role of Lean principles for digital and sustainable operations in modern manufacturing systems, and supply chains. Contributions in the form of reference frameworks, survey findings, and case studies focusing on Lean principles implementation towards smart and sustainable manufacturing systems are welcome.

Organizer(s):

Anne Zouggar, University of Bordeaux, France, anne.zouggar@u-bordeaux.fr

Federica Costa, Politecnico Di Milano, Italy, federica.costa@polimi.it

David Romero, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, david.romero.diaz@gmail.com

Matteo Zanchi, University of Bergamo, Italy, matteo.zanchin@unibg.it

 

Human-centred Manufacturing and Logistics Systems Design and Management for the Operator 5.0

In the realm of Industry 5.0, smart and skilled operators will perform increasingly assisted, collaborative, and augmented work in harmony with automation, robotics, and AI technologies. Designing, engineering and managing human-centred systems for manufacturing, logistics, and service systems is crucial to leveraging both human and technological capabilities for operational excellence as well as promoting safe and ergonomic interaction between humans and technology in socially sustainable cyber-physical production systems. This special session invites contributions focusing on multidisciplinary approaches for human-centred systems development, dealing with the design and management of assisting, collaborative, and augmenting work technologies, human factors affecting human-technology interaction, towards new work models for the Operator 5.0.

Organizer(s):

Chiara Cimini, University of Bergamo, Italy, chiara.cimini@unibg.it

Tamas Ruppert, University of Pannonia, Hungary, tamasruppert@gmail.com

David Romero, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, david.romero.diaz@gmail.com

Johan Stahre, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, johan.stahre@chalmers.se

Antonio Padovano, University of Calabria, Italy, antonio.padovano@unical.it

Fabio Sgarbossa, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, fabio.sgarbossa@ntnu.no

 

Smart Manufacturing Assets as Drivers for the Twin Transition towards Green and Digital Business

Manufacturing companies worldwide are affected by the paradigm to make their business more digital and at the same time more sustainable. Smart Manufacturing assets and their combination in the form of Smart Factories provide a huge potential to drive this twin transition towards more agility, resilience, and sustainability, even in SMEs. The special session aims to discuss among others: (i) the Application of Digital Technologies for a more Agile, Resilient, and Sustainable Production, (ii) Experiential Smart Factories as Test and Demonstration Platforms for Business Transformation, and Smart Manufacturing Assets as enabler for new Green and Digital Products and Services.

Organizer(s):

Stefan Wiesner, BIBA – Bremer Institut für Produktion und Logistik GmbH, Germany, wie@biba.uni-bremen.de

Matthias Kalverkamp, Wiesbaden Business School, Rhein-Main University of Applied Sciences, Germany, matthias.kalverkamp@hs-rm.de

Shaun West, Institute of Technology Management, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland, shaun.west@hslu.ch

Simon Züst, Institute of Technology Management, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland, simon.zuest@hslu.ch

Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, jmbh@kth.se

Khaled Medini, École des Mines Saint-Étienne, France, khaled.medini@emse.fr

 

Experiential Learning in Engineering Education

Experiential work including simulations and games plays a vital role in engineering education. The rationale is that such ways of learning will ensure that the students have become acquainted with the right practical and scientific engineering competencies when leaving university. However, labs, simulations, and serious games are costly, age fast, require specific staff, and are often used with low utilization if used for a single institution. Furthermore, the competencies of the facilitators as well as the experience of using specific games in a particular setting often remain within the institution or as individual knowledge. In our Special Interest Group (SIG), we work on sharing this experience and knowledge as well as regularly present games and gamified applications (both commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) and in-house developments). This special session intends to present a set of different games, gamified applications, and simulations used for engineering education so that the community can re-use or at least profit from the knowledge the group has as such. Based on the input of our SIG members, we call for papers and practical contributions on the following topics (not exclusive): (i) Gamification, Games, Interactive Learning, and Simulations, (ii) VR, AR, and Mixed Reality for Gaming in Industrial Engineering, (iii) Virtual and On-site Labs, (iv) Teachers’ Skills, (v) Digital vs. Physical/Haptic Games, (vi) Immersiveness (VR/AR), (vii) Communication SU vs. MU; (viii) Learning Analytics, (ix) New Generative AI Technologies and Tools for Games (e.g. ChatGPT for Brainstorming), and (x) Integration of COTS in Engineering Education.

Organizer(s):

Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden & BIBA, Germany, jmbh@kth.se

Nick Szirbik, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, n.b.szirbik@rug.nl

Mélanie Despeisse, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, melanie.despeisse@chalmers.se

Heinrich Söbke, Hochschule Weserbergland, Hameln, Germany, heinrich.soebke@uni-weimar.de

Matthias Kalverkamp, Wiesbaden Business School, Rhein-Main University of Applied Sciences, Germany, matthias.kalverkamp@hs-rm.de

Riitta Smeds, Aalto University, Finland, riitta.smeds@aalto.fi

 

Evolving Workforce Skills and Competencies for Industry 5.0

Technological and social trends are reshaping the manufacturing industry, affecting the workplace, workforce, and nature of work. Simultaneously, demographic trends and an ageing working population are causing a re-assessment of workforce roles and work features in the emerging smart and socially sustainable industry. This special session aims to gather insights from scholars and practitioners researching the skills and competencies needed for the future workforce in an Industry 5.0 context. The focus will be on new strategies for competence and talent development, analysis and evolution of job-task profiles, innovative work organisation strategies, competencies required for the effective teaming between humans and AI/automation, sliding decision making and work sharing between humans and AI/robotics, methods and technology-enabled solutions to support an ageing workforce.

Organizer(s):

Alexandra Lagorio, University of Bergamo, Italy, alexandra.lagorio@unibg.it

Marta Pinzone, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, marta.pinzone@polimi.it

Christos Emmanouilidis, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, c.emmanouilidis@rug.nl

Andreas Riel, University of Grenoble Alpes, France, andreas.riel@grenoble-inp.fr

Greta Braun, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, greta.braun@chalmers.se

Elias Montini, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, Switzerland, elias.montini@supsi.ch

 

Transforming Engineer-to-Order Projects, Supply Chains, and Systems in Turbulent Times

Engineer-to-Order (ETO) operations are common in mechanical industries, construction, shipbuilding, offshore, and other types of project-based industries where products are often one-of-a-kind and/or highly customized. In ETO, design, engineering, and configuration activities are included in the order fulfilment process, and engineering and configuration specifications of products are not known in detail upon receipt of customer orders. This special track welcomes contributions that address the transformation of ETO projects, supply chains and systems, based on the contemporary trends and future challenges of digitalization, Industry 4.0 technologies, circular economy, sustainable, and effective operations, business model transformation, resilient supply chains, etc.

Organizer(s):

Erlend Alfnes, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, erlend.alfnes@ntnu.no

Martin Rudberg, Linköping University, Sweden, martin.rudberg@liu.se

Jonathan Gosling, Cardiff University, UK, goslingj@cardiff.ac.uk

Margherita Pero, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, margherita.pero@polimi.it

Mohamed Naim, Cardiff University, UK, naimmm@cardiff.ac.uk

Patrick Dallasega, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy, patrick.dallasega@unibz.it

Heidi Carin Dreyer, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, heidi.c.dreyer@ntnu.no

Joakim Wikner, Jönköping University, Sweden, joakim.wikner@ju.se

Violetta Giada Cannas, Carlo Cattaneo University LIUC, Italy, vcannas@liuc.it

 

Smart and Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Society 5.0 Era

Recently, with the development of new digital and smart technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs), and Digital Twins (DTs) based on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and/or Data Science, the role of supply chain managers is changing. The traditional business and operating models of supply chains based on engineering linear chains have limitations for their further sustainable growth. In modern Supply Chain Management (SCM), it is necessary to also consider a value chain or network of multi-stakeholders in their management and for sustainable operations. “Smart” is an important keyword to realize “sustainable” manufacturing ecosystems. This special session focuses on the state-of-the-art of theory and practice of smart and sustainable supply chain management in the Society 5.0 Era, which is characterized by an active involvement of multi-stakeholders and the leverage of advanced Industry 4.0 technologies for socially responsible and environmentally friendly supply chain operations.

Organizer(s):

Toshiya Kaihara, Kobe University, Japan, kaihara@kobe-u.ac.jp

Eiji Morinaga, Osaka Metropolitan University, Japan, morinaga.e@omu.ac.jp

João Gilberto Mendes dos Reis, Paulista University, Brazil, joao.reis@docente.unip.br

Alexandra Lagorio, University of Bergamo, Italy, alexandra.lagorio@unibg.it

 

New Horizons for Intelligent Manufacturing Systems with IoT, AI, and Digital Twins

To celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing (Editor-in-Chief: Prof. Andrew Kusiak), this special session calls for papers that explore the future of operations management with the theme “New Horizons for Intelligent Manufacturing Systems with the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Twins (DT)”. The special session particularly aims to shed light on the current trends, challenges, and applications of IoT, AI, and DTs in cyber-physical production systems as well as discuss their evolving roles in shaping the future of a smart and sustainable industry. This special session welcomes research contributions on (but not limited to) how IoT, AI, and DTs can optimize operational efficiency and decision-making in product development and production management, including manufacturing and service systems.

Organizer(s):

Duck Young Kim, Pohang University of Science and Technology, South Korea, dy.kim@postech.ac.kr

David Romero, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, david.romero.diaz@gmail.com

Marco Macchi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, marco.macchi@polimi.it

Andrew Kusiak, University of Iowa, USA, andrew-kusiak@uiowa.edu

 

Implementing the EU Green Deal: Challenges and Solutions for a Sustainable Supply Chain

The European Green Deal sets the blueprint to tackle climate change. The intention is to foster new economic models that put sustainability at its core. This requires (re) designing supply chains and, accordingly, implementing solutions that look at the environmental and social performance, along with the economic one. This special session seeks contributions in, but are not limited to, the following topics: (i) Remanufacturing, (ii) Waste Management, (iii) Green Supply Chain Management, and (iv) Circular Economy – and their connection to the EU Green Deal. Contributions presenting an analytical or simulation model are welcome, as well as the first results of research projects and empirical studies.

Organizer(s):

Giovanni Romagnoli, University of Parma, Italy, giovanni.romagnoli@unipr.it

Davide Castellano, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy, davide.castellano@unimore.it

Mosè Gallo, University of Naples, Italy, mose.gallo@unina.it

Mélanie Despeisse, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, melanie.despeisse@chalmers.se

Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, jmbh@kth.se

Dongping Song, University of Liverpool, UK, dongping.song@liverpool.ac.uk

 

Mechanism Design for Smart and Sustainable Supply Chains

Supply Chains’ operations, encompassing facets such as production, logistics, and service provision, hinge on the delineation of tasks among diverse supply chain partner entities, each endowed with distinct knowledge, capabilities, objectives, and constraints. Nurturing and effectively guiding autonomous cooperation among these supply chain partner entities, and potentially extending to their customers, constitutes a pivotal aspect of Supply Chain Management (SCM). “Mechanism design” – characterized by deliberate incentive structuring and rule formulation, emerges as a critical instrument in achieving this objective. This special session is designed to showcase presentations and deliberations on leading-edge research and practical implementations of “Mechanism Design” approaches, or pertinent game-theoretical frameworks, within a spectrum of industrial scenarios. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: (i) Designing incentive mechanisms for production scheduling and resource allocation among and across supply chain partners; (ii) Optimizing service provision processes to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty in supply chains; (ii) Coordination mechanisms for improving collaboration and performance in supply chains; and (iv) Mechanism design for addressing challenges in sustainable supply chain operations.

Organizer(s):

Hajime Mizuyama, Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan, mizuyama@ise.aoyama.ac.jp

Nariaki Nishino, The University of Tokyo, Japan, nishino@tmi.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Ryuichiro Ishikawa, Waseda University, Japan, r.ishikawa@waseda.jp

Shota Suginouchi, Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan, suginouchi@ise.aoyama.ac.jp

João Gilberto Mendes dos Reis, Paulista University, Brazil, joao.reis@docente.unip.br

Alexandra Lagorio, University of Bergamo, Italy, alexandra.lagorio@unibg.it

 

Barriers and Challenges for Transition towards Circular and Sustainable Production Processes and Servitized Business Models

Manufacturing companies share several notable characteristics such as a steadfast commitment to producing high-quality products and an emphasis on innovation and creativity. In light of the market evolution that is forcing companies to decrease product prices (reducing product margins) and achieve more sustainable impacts to remain competitive, there is increasing recognition of the need to extend beyond traditional product-centric business models, characterized by linear lifecycles of the systems delivered. Therefore, many manufacturing companies are transitioning from a predominantly product-focused offer to new ones incorporating a broader array of services enabling them to distinguish from competitors, enhance the service level and prolong the lifecycle of the systems delivered, also narrowing their impact from a triple bottom line perspective. However, this transition presents a wide set of barriers and challenges that are key for all the involved actors. The specialization in highly customized products, while strategically advantageous for servitization, introduces operational dilemmas and raises sustainability complexity. Striking a balance in the efficient delivery of customized product-service systems presents a paradoxical challenge and requires, other than a business model reorganization, also important internal upgrades. Among them, new skills and competencies are frequently required, also supported by digital technologies, to deliver specialized and efficient services, to improve the cognitive well-being in operations activities, and to enhance the circularity of both the delivered systems and the related production processes. The most relevant topics for the call are: (i) Barriers and Challenges to Servitization, (ii) Barriers and Challenges to Digital Servitization, (iii) Barriers and Challenges to Circular and Service-oriented Business Models, (iv) Leveraging Industry 4.0 for Circular Economy and Servitization, (v) Leveraging Industry 4.0 and Sustainable-oriented Skills for Circular Economy and Servitization, (vi) Integrating Sustainability in Servitization, (vii) Impact of Servitized and Circular Business Models on Competitiveness, and (viii) Ecosystem Development for Digitalized and Circular Offerings.

Organizer(s):

Federico Adrodegari, University of Brescia, Italy, federico.adrodegari@unibs.it

Marco Ardolino, University of Brescia, Italy, marco.ardolino@unibs.it

Giuditta Pezzotta, University of Bergamo, Italy, giuditta.pezzotta@unibg.it

Roberto Sala, University of Bergamo, Italy, roberto.sala@unibg.it

Claudio Sassanelli, Politecnico di Bari, Italy, claudio.sassanelli@poliba.it

 

Risk Analysis and Sustainability in an Uncertain System in a Digital Era

The proposed special session aims to explore the intricate interplay between risk analysis and sustainability within the context of complex and uncertain systems. As the global landscape undergoes rapid changes, understanding and managing risks while concurrently fostering sustainability has become paramount. This session will provide a platform for researchers, practitioners, and experts to share insights, methodologies, and case studies that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in risk analysis and sustainability in the digital era and face uncertainty

Organizer(s):

Maryam Gallab, Mines-Rabat School, Morocco, gallab@enim.ac.ma

Mario Di Nardo, University of Naples, Italy, mario.dibernardo@unina.it

Hafida Bouliz, National School of Applied Sciences, Morocco, h.bouloiz@uiz.ac.ma

Teresa Murino, University of Naples, Italy, teresa.murino@unina.it

 

Digital Transformation Approaches in Production and Management

Digital Transformation, Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0, and Big Data disrupted every (production) management domain. Service Transformation as part of it is leading to a change in existing paradigms.  It is no longer just the production of physical goods that contributes to value creation, but data and customer integration. This special session aims to attract theoretical, practice-oriented papers and case studies trying to answer the questions of: What is the reality of digital transformation in today’s (manufacturing) enterprises? What approaches, models, methods, technologies, do we have? and What are the challenges that (manufacturing) enterprises face when digitally transforming their value propositions and processes?

Organizer(s):

 

Selver Softic, University of Applied Sciences, Austria, selver.softic@campus02.at

Stefanie Hatzl, University of Applied Sciences, Austria, stefanie.hatzl@campus02.at

Egon Lüftenegger, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Austria, egon.lueftenegger@fh-salzburg.ac.at

Ugljesa Marjanovic, University of Novi Sad, Serbia, umarjano@uns.ac.rs

Bahrudin Hrnjica, , University of Bihac, Bosnia & Herzegovina, bahrudin.hrnjica@unbi.ba

Ioan Turcin, University of Applied Science, Austria, ioan.turcin@campus02.at

Vlad Bocanet, Technical University Cluj-Napoca, Romania, vlad.bocanet@tcm.utcluj.ro

 

Inclusive Work Systems Design: Applying Technology to Accommodate Individual Workers’ Needs

Human-centred systems envision the deployment of advanced technologies that assist and augment workers in their task execution, enhancing both human and system performance. Achieving their full potential requires considering workers’ unique characteristics and needs in designing smart and inclusive work systems. This special session aims to attract contributions on inclusive work systems design enabled by technology. This includes but is not limited to: (i) Investigating the role of assistive technologies to individualize or personalize work systems, (ii) Providing insights into how to achieve a good fit between worker characteristics and work characteristics, (iii) Showing examples of how inclusive work-life pedagogy can be used in training and life-long learning, (iv) Specifying how to capture individual needs and successfully investigate and set prerequisites for an inclusive culture, and (v) Showing the impact of individualized work on human and/or system performance.

Organizer(s):

Sabine Waschull, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, s.waschull@rug.nl

Jos Bokhorst, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, j.a.c.bokhorst@rug

Christos Emmanouilidis, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, c.emmanouilidis@rug.nl

David Romero, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, david.romero.diaz@gmail.com

Sandra Mattsson, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Sweden, sandra.mattsson@ri.se

Ralph Riedel, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany, ralph.riedel@fh-zwickau.de

 

Hybrid Intelligence – Decision-Making for AI-Enabled Industry 5.0

In recent years, research on Production Planning and Control (PPC) has seen a myriad of machine learning-enabled algorithms for specific sub-tasks of PPC being introduced, often attempting to address volatile, uncertain and complex environments. However, their integration into human-centred decision-making in the context of Industry 5.0 is oftentimes not considered. This special session considers all approaches to productive teaming, i.e. the combination of AI-enabled and human decision-making. To maximize synergies between humans and machines in a complex environment, we are also interested in autonomy, distributed control and efforts to exploit the potential of cyber-physical systems and digital twins.

Organizer(s):

Oliver Antons, OVGU Magdeburg, Germany, oliver.antons@ovgu.de

Julia C. Arlinghaus, OVGU Magdeburg, Germany, julia.arlinghaus@ovgu.de

 

Computer Vision-based Digital Twin and Digital Services for Dynamic Production and Logistics Environment

This special session focuses on leveraging computer vision-based digital twins and digital services to enhance dynamic production and logistics. It will explore AI-based, AI-assisted vision systems, and digital twins to improve real-time decision-making and operational adaptability in dynamic environments. Key topics include: (i) AI Analytics for Process Optimization, (ii) Digital Twins for Operational Predictions, and (iii) Digital Services for Coordination and Sustainability. We invite contributions on theoretical approaches, empirical research, and practical cases demonstrating these technologies’ role in integrating digital and physical operations.

Organizer(s):

Yongkuk Jeong, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, yongkuk@kth.se

Magnus Wiktorsson, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, magwik@kth.se

Erik Flores-García, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, efs01@kth.se

Enrique Ruiz Zuñiga, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, enrz@kth.se

Sang Do Noh, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea, sdnoh@skku.edu

Jong Hun Woo, Seoul National University, South Korea, j.woo@snu.ac.kr

 

Engineering and Managing AI for Advances in Asset Lifecycle and Maintenance Management

Over the last decade, manufacturing has experienced a key shift towards digitalization. This brought about a potential for modernizing the management of industrial assets by data-driven methods. AI is nowadays leading the game change, with the expectation of resulting in important advances within the asset lifecycle and maintenance management practice. This broadens the capabilities for the engineering and management of innovative technical solutions, reshapes the role of humans in the loop, and creates new opportunities for radically reshaping the business processes, organizational and managerial systems, and the overall business models for the maintenance and asset lifecycle management of technical systems. This special session welcomes research contributions on (but not limited to): How AI can drive enhanced asset lifecycle and maintenance management, including the potential of human-AI synergies in related decision-making.

Organizer(s):

Marco Macchi, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, marco.macchi@polimi.it

Christos Emmanouilidis, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, c.emmanouilidis@rug.nl

Chiara Franciosi, University of Lorraine, France, chiara.franciosi@univ-lorraine.fr

Irene Roda, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, irene.roda@polimi.it

Alexandre Voisin, University of Lorraine, France, alexandre.voisin@univ-lorraine.fr

 

APMS Talks

This session offers a platform for researchers to present and discuss their work on Production Management Systems. As the name suggests, the presentations are usually less formal than traditional scientific presentations, with a focus on discussion and exchange of ideas. A discussant moderates and inspires the discussion. While many presenters are recruited from the rich body of the IFIP Working Group 5.7, anyone is welcome to participate in the APMS talks and contribute to the discussion.

Organizer(s):

Hermann Lödding, Hamburg University of Technology, Germany, loedding@tuhh.de

Erlend Alfnes, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, erlend.alfnes@ntnu.no

Gregor von Cieminski, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Germany, gregor.voncieminski@zf.com

 

Human in Command – Operator 4.0/5.0 in the Age of AI and Robotic Systems

Instead of following the media narrative that humanity is in danger of losing control, existing research can help to operationalize work with AI-based systems, which is required in the context of the EU AI Act. This special session wants to answer the overarching research question of the hybrid intelligence community: How to build adaptive intelligent systems that augment rather than replace human intelligence, leverage our strengths, and compensate for our weaknesses while considering ethical, legal, and societal considerations? Shall be (partially) answered from a manufacturing perspective.

Organizer(s):

Doris Aschenbrenner, Aalen university, doris.aschenbrenner@hs-aalen.de

David Romero, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, david.romero.diaz@gmail.com

Johan Stahre, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, johan.stahre@chalmers.se

Omkar Salunkhe, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, omkar.salunkhe@chalmers.se

 

Methods and Tools to Achieve the Digital and Sustainable Servitization of Manufacturing Companies

Manufacturing firms are facing numerous challenges in integrating digital services into their portfolios, mainly due to the absence of adequate methodologies, methods, and tools to guide them. Additionally, companies must also seek higher sustainability in their processes and offerings, following the increasing attention that customers and policymakers are devoting to this aspect. Despite the different scope that these two trends – digitalization and sustainability – might pursue, they are strictly interconnected and influence each other’s. To remain competitive, companies are therefore in need of guidance on how to efficiently achieve digital and sustainable servitization through the design and delivery of digital and sustainable services able to generate added value for the customers. This session seeks contributions that can guide companies in this, with theoretical discussions and practical examples of methods and tools to support manufacturing companies in their transition towards digital and sustainable servitization.

Organizer(s):

Roberto Sala, University of Bergamo, Italy, roberto.sala@unibg.it

Paolo Gaiardelli, University of Bergamo, paolo.gaiardelli@unibg.it

David Romero, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico, david.romero.diaz@gmail.com

Shaun West, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Art, Switzerland, shaun.west@hslu.ch

Clarissa González, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, clarissa.gonzalez@chalmers.se

Ugljesa Marjanovic, University of Novi Sad, Serbia, umarjano@uns.ac.rs

 

Open Knowledge Networks for Smart Manufacturing

Open access to shared information is essential for the development and evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-powered solutions needed to address the complex challenges in production management systems, including manufacturing, service, and logistics systems. Harnessing the vast amounts of data generated during every stage of product and service lifecycle and transforming them into useful, actionable information, and knowledge is crucial to the efficient functioning of smart manufacturing, service, and logistics systems. The Open Knowledge Network (OKN), an interconnected network of knowledge graphs, would provide an essential public data infrastructure for enabling an AI-driven industrial ecosystem. It would facilitate the integration of diverse and heterogeneous data needed to develop solutions to drive continued strong economic growth and address complex knowledge-intensive problems. Knowledge graphs consisting of nodes and edges — where nodes represent real-world entities (e.g., a facility, a manufacturing process, a chemical compound) and edges represent different types of relationships among nodes — can enable the integration of diverse data and connecting them semantically.  In that spirit, this special session invites researchers and practitioners to share practical and theoretical experiences in developing and applying knowledge graphs, or other open data and knowledge models,  to manufacturing and logistics applications. The session also looks for value propositions, success stories, and use cases related to adopting and applying ontologies in the production management domain.

Organizer(s):

Farhad Ameri, Arizona State University, US, farhad.ameri@asu.edu

Boonserm (Serm) Kulvatunyou, National Institute of Standards and Technology, US, serm@nist.gov

ORGANIZED BY

Advances in Production Management Systems