Comprehensive Review and Assessment of the "Connected" Manufacturing Platforms and its Defining Characteristics using an integrated Quality Function Deployment QFD and Analytical Hierarchy Process AHP

Abstract

The connected manufacturing platforms termed 'smart manufacturing', the 'industrial Internet', and 'Industrie 4.0' constitute the fourth industrial revolution, following the mechanical loom, the introduction of the production line, and the implementation of the programmable logic controller. It is predicted that investments by enterprises will reach one hundred and twenty billion dollars to connect equipment, operations, buildings, and mobile devices. This work interrogates the horizontal integration of the inter-corporation value network, the end-to-end integration of engineering value chain, and the vertical integration of the factory inside. To help define the smart factory technical characteristics, the study also attempts to compare the technical features of the traditional production line against the smart factory production layout. The former needs carefully calculated, tailored, and configured resources to build a mass production fixed line. Thus, the current analysis investigates and defines the design principles for smart factory as follows: interoperability, virtualization, decentralization, and real-time capability. The thesis introduces an objective decision making framework and its defining components while addressing its operational phases. To this end, the study adopts an Intelligent Quality Function Deployment (iQFD) matrix along with an Intelligent Analytical Hierarchy Process (iAHP). The proposed approach allows for the specific customization that is required to analyze the effect of 'connectedness' wihtin the manufacturing platform as found in different industries, namely continuous and discrete production modes.

Date of Award	May 2017
Original language	American English
Supervisor	Mohammad Omar (Supervisor)