Conference article

The present work proposes a method to guide companies in a gradual implementation of Industry 4.0 based on the best practices identified in the scientific literature and customised to their contexts. In this sense, nine methods developed by other authors in the literature (ACATECH, PwC, Capgemini etc.) were analysed comparatively in order to identify opportunities to build an improved solution. Thus, the best practices identified were brought together and integrated on a new method which had each of its stages systematised. Furthermore, as a way of exemplifying its usage, the proposed method has been represented in the Aircraft Final Assembly domain – based on information collected from the literature and through interviews conducted with professionals of this area. At the end, the novel method has been evaluated in two ways: through a comparative analysis with the proposals of other authors and through a value perception survey applied to professionals from the industry and academy, related to the Industry 4.0 and innovation field within the aeronautical domain. Accordingly, this paper presents a comparative analysis of nine methods for the implementation of Industry 4.0 and provides a more complete solution based on the best practices identified in the scientific literature. In addition, it systematises a procedure for the elaboration of a customised Industry 4.0 Maturity Scale, presents the macro process mapping of a general Aircraft Final Assembly area and an Industry 4.0 Maturity Scale designed and customised for the Aircraft Final Assembly domain.

aircraft manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, Industry 4.0, maturity scale