The Key Factors of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 in the Malaysian Smart Manufacturing Context

IR 4.0 is a new phase for the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing industry that focuses on cloud computing, interconnectivity, the Internet of Things, machine learning, cyber physical learning and creating smart factory. The purpose of this article was to unveil the key factors of the IR 4.0 in Malaysian smart manufacturing context. Two key data collection methods were used: (1) primary data from the face-to-face interview (2) secondary data from the previous study. Significantly, five key factors of IR 4.0 consider for this study. Autonomous production lines, smart manufacturing practices, data challenge, process flexibility, and security. As a result, IR 4.0 for quality management practices might get high impact for the best performance assessment, which addressed in various ways; there are few studies in this area have been conducted in Malaysian manufacturing sector, and to recommend the best practices implemented from the managers’ perspectives. For scholars, this enhances their understanding and highlight opportunities for further research.

A Comprehensive Survey on Interoperability for IIoT: Taxonomy, Standards, and Future Directions

In the era of Industry 4.0, the Internet-of-Things (IoT) performs the driving position analogous to the initial industrial metamorphosis. IoT affords the potential to couple machine-to-machine intercommunication and real-time information-gathering within the industry domain. Hence, the enactment of IoT in the industry magnifies effective optimization, authority, and data-driven judgment. However, this field undergoes several interoperable issues, including large numbers of heterogeneous IoT gadgets, tools, software, sensing, and processing components, joining through the Internet, despite the deficiency of communication protocols and standards. Recently, various interoperable protocols, platforms, standards, and technologies are enhanced and altered according to the specifications of the applicability in industrial applications. However, there are no recent survey papers that primarily examine various interoperability issues that Industrial IoT (IIoT) faces. In this review, we investigate the conventional and recent developments of relevant state-of-the-art IIoT technologies, frameworks, and solutions for facilitating interoperability between different IIoT components. We also discuss several interoperable IIoT standards, protocols, and models for digitizing the industrial revolution. Finally, we conclude this survey with an inherent discussion of open challenges and directions for future research.

Smart Learning Environment (SLE) in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0)

This paper is attempted to examine the explanatory approach in dealing with SLE by advancing online learning sources. The systematic approach of searching for the relevant articles on SLE in IR 4.0 has been widely identified through two electronic databases, Scopus and Web of Sciences. Through adopting such digitally systematic search program, identification was made on the various elements in terms of online learning resources (OLR). This attempts to propose the SLE framework model with an innovative approach in enhancing the learning through incorporating IR 4.0 platform to utilize the variety of information sources together with knowledge attribution in the higher education (HE). The contribution provides theoretical framework with the guideline of well-adapted performance in the educational activities as the new normal trend. In achieving this attainment, the readiness of both instruction facilities and accessibility procedure is significantly the main basis in ensuring the process flow in enlarging the digital learning.

Bouncing Back: Resilient Human Factor Management

Due to the fourth industrial revolution employees in high-risk environments are confronted with increasing complexity and thus, the need to make ever greater and faster adaptations. As a consequence, the importance of efficient and safe human-machine interactions – in other words, human factors – is constantly growing. In this context, one skill is becoming increasingly relevant: resilience. This ability to react appropriately in difficult situations, recognize mistakes and ‘bounce back’ from adverse or altering circumstances, increasing challenges and possible setbacks is of enormous value, especially for employees in high-risk environments. The basic prerequisite of resilience is considered to be balance of a person’s life energy among the various areas of life – a basic principle of Positive Psychotherapy. In addition, there are several personality traits, competencies and psychosocial factors that have been shown to help improve resilience. Both aspects will be examined in the following article. Also, the article invites self-reflection on one’s own life balance, personality traits and competencies central to resilience. For the encouraging and interesting message is: Resilience can be developed and promoted – and can thereby contribute to increasing safety in high-risk environments as well as to promoting the employees’ health.

3D printing towards implementing Industry 4.0: sustainability aspects, barriers and challenges

Purpose Environmental degradation has emerged as one of the major limitations of industrial revolution and has led to an increased focus towards developing sustainable strategies and techniques. This paper aims to highlight the sustainability aspects of three-dimensional (3D) printing technology that helps towards a better implementation of Industry 4.0. It also aims to provide a brief picture of relationships between 3D printing, Industry 4.0 and sustainability. The major goal is to facilitate the researchers, scholars, engineers and recommend further research, development and innovations in the field. Design/methodology/approach The various enabling factors for implementation of Industry 4.0 are discussed in detail. Some barriers to incorporation of 3D Printing, its applications areas and global market scenario are also discussed. A through literature review has been done to study the detailed relationships between 3D printing, Industry 4.0 and sustainability. Findings The technological benefits of 3D printing are many such as weight savings, waste minimization and energy savings. Further, the production of new 3D printable materials with improved features helps in reducing the wastage of material during the process. 3D printing if used at a large scale would help industries to implement the concept of Industry 4.0. Originality/value This paper focuses on discussing technological revolution under Industry 4.0 and incorporates 3D printing-type technologies that largely change the product manufacturing scenario. The interrelationships between 3D printing, Industry 4.0 and sustainability have been discussed.

Hybrid Analysis of the Decision-Making Factors for Software Upgrade Based on the Integration of AHP and DEMATEL

Software is a very important part to implement advanced information systems, such as AI and IoT based on the latest hardware equipment of the fourth Industrial Revolution. In particular, decision making for software upgrade is one of the essential processes that can solve problems for upgrading the information systems. However, most of the decision-making studies for this purpose have been conducted only from the perspective of the IT professional and management position. Moreover, software upgrade can be influenced by various layers of decision makers, so further research is needed. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research on what factors are required and affect the decision making of software upgrade at various layers of organization. For this purpose, decision factors of software upgrade are identified by literature review in this study. Additionally, the priority, degree of influence and relationship between the factors are analyzed by using the AHP and DEMATEL techniques at the organizational level of users, managers and IT professionals. The results show that the priority, weight value, causal relationship of decision factors of users, managers and IT professionals who constitute the organizational level were very different. The managers first considered the benefits, such as ROI, for organization as a leader. The users tended to consider their work efficiency and changes due to the software upgrade first. Finally, the IT professionals considered ROI, budget and compatibility for the aspect of the managers and users. Therefore, the related information of each organizational level can be presented more clearly for the systematic and symmetrical decision making of software upgrade based on the results of this study.

Development of a Business Assessment and Diagnosis Tool That Considers the Impact of the Human Factor during Industrial Revolutions

Over time, the satisfaction of needs and the ability to meet them have consistently increased. However, the world of the 21st century is one in which the basic needs of millions of human beings are still not satisfied. Why? To an extent, nonprofit organizations such as charities play essential roles in the needed improvement of this situation. In this regard, the human factor within an organization is key influence in organizational performance and societal impact. Human beings within organizations make decisions based on their own motives, so the ethical values of each person are significantly important. Therefore, it is necessary to use analyze the potential of the human factor in the fourth industrial revolution and to analyze its influence in the previous industrial revolutions. This research was aimed to conduct such analyses for a nonprofit charity. Moreover, the authors of this paper also analyzed the industrial revolution potentials of the charity case study using system dynamics. The relevance of the presented paper was ensured by the aforementioned combination of topics. The results showed how greater impacts, higher expenses, and higher stocks were not necessarily able to quantitatively satisfy food needs in a timely manner if the human factor and global effectiveness and efficiency were not optimized. When these aspects were optimized, our hypothesis was proven, as the models set for further industrial revolutions were shown to provide better results in the satisfaction, efficiency, and economic indicators with a lower financial need; therefore, this model can be used to satisfy other needs of Maslow’s pyramid. In conclusion, this proposed approach empowers welfare organizations to increase their CSR consideration, thus enabling them to use internal mechanisms to secure viability in the pursuit of a high-performance CSR approach.