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Design, engineering and testing of an innovative adaptive automation assembly system

Marco Bortolini (Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna, Bologna, Italy)
Maurizio Faccio (Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padua, Padova, Italy)
Francesco Gabriele Galizia (Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padua, Padova, Italy)
Mauro Gamberi (Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna, Bologna, Italy)
Francesco Pilati (Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna, Bologna, Italy)

Assembly Automation

ISSN: 0144-5154

Article publication date: 27 February 2020

Issue publication date: 12 May 2020

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Abstract

Purpose

Industry 4.0 emerged as the Fourth Industrial Revolution aiming at achieving higher levels of operational efficiency, productivity and automation. In this context, manual assembly systems are still characterized by high flexibility and low productivity, if compared to fully automated systems. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose the design, engineering and testing of a prototypal adaptive automation assembly system, including greater levels of automation to complement the skills and capabilities of human workers.

Design/methodology/approach

A lab experimental field-test is presented comparing the assembly process of a full-scale industrial chiller with traditional and adaptive assembly system.

Findings

The analysis shows relevant benefits coming from the adoption of the adaptive automation assembly system. In particular, the main findings highlight improvements in the assembly cycle time and productivity, as well as reduction of the operator’s body movements.

Practical implications

The prototype is applied in an Italian mid-size industrial company, confirming its impact in terms of upgrades of the assembly system flexibility and productivity. Thus, the research study proposed in this paper provides valuable knowledge to support companies and industrial practitioners in the shift from traditional to advanced assembly systems matching current industrial and market features.

Originality/value

This paper expands the lacking research on adaptive automation assembly systems design proposing an innovative prototype able to real-time reconfigure its structure according to the product to work, e.g. work cycle, and the operator features.

Keywords

Citation

Bortolini, M., Faccio, M., Galizia, F.G., Gamberi, M. and Pilati, F. (2020), "Design, engineering and testing of an innovative adaptive automation assembly system", Assembly Automation, Vol. 40 No. 3, pp. 531-540. https://doi.org/10.1108/AA-06-2019-0103

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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