The presented article deals with the issue of solving bottlenecks in the logistics flow of a manufacturing company. The Tx Plant Simulation software tool is used to detect bottlenecks and deficiencies in the company’s production, logistics and transportation systems. Together with the use of simulation methods and lean manufacturing tools, losses in business processes are eliminated and consequently flow throughput is improved. In the TX Plant Simulation software environment, using Bottleneck analyzer, bottlenecks were defined on the created simulation model and a method of optimizing logistics flows was designed and tested by introducing the Kanban pull system. This resulted in an improvement and throughput of the entire logistics flow, a reduction in inter-operational stocks and an increase in the efficiency of the production system as a whole.

The aim of most manufacturing and production factories can be defined as achieving smart and sustainable long-term production systems, which means moving towards strategies defined by Zero-Defect Manufacturing strategies with many areas of improvement, such as: lowering overall cost and energy consumption, amount of scrapped output and wasting raw material and improving overall lead times, production status overview, and planning abilities. These facts were the motivations behind the writing of this paper. The authors considered if the classical architecture of Zero-Defect Manufacturing can be improved by additional tools conventionally used in modern manufacturing. The authors have selected Advanced Planning and Scheduling software tools. To prove that different scheduling methods can have a serious impact on overall production results, we prepared a simple case base comparing different scheduling rules. The theoretical basis for writing this manuscript was prepared by studying classical ZDM methodology and defining the industry gap. The methodology is based on the Zero-Defect Manufacturing architecture, which is essential for high-level implementation in industrial practice. Adding new tools, such as Scheduling and the Industrial Internet of Things, to the classic ZDM architecture improves overall methodology. The impact of different scheduling strategies, which is also described in this study, depends on industry and working conditions. The scheduling rules were compared by several key performance indicators, such as lead time and the number of late/unfinished orders. The study realized, with the practical accent shown this challenge, further research in connection with digitalization.

The paper is focused on the area of the constantly evolving industrial revolution both at the level of individual local economic opportunities and on a global scale. One of the tools of this time called Industry 4.0 is the TestBed 4.0 technology, which helps in its development and opens up opportunities for its use both in research and in practice in manufacturing companies. The paper describes the possibilities and capabilities of the laboratory, which was established as the first of its kind in the Slovak Republic on the campus of the Technical University in Košice in order to combine research activities with practical use directly in the production business processes. Its role is also to involve students in these processes, who, based on the acquired knowledge and experience, will strengthen their position in the labour market after completing their studies. The paper includes a description of available technologies, as well as several case studies carried out at the workplace where this laboratory is located, mainly in the field of industrial and digital engineering.

The connection of simulation models with virtual reality (VR) technology is of great importance in implementing Industry 4.0 in industrial practice. The article deals with the use of virtual reality in discrete event simulation (DES) using the Tecnomatix Plant Simulation software to visualize, analyze and optimize the modelled production–assembly process. The importance of virtual reality is evident in the academic sphere in connection with interactive teaching and its use for industrial practice. The article presents a case study focused on creating a virtual environment and optimizing the production–assembly process in the TX Plant Simulation software environment. During the mentioned study, the analysis of production–assembly flows, the processing of input data into the simulation model, the creation of 3D elements for the needs of virtualization—which are not part of the TX Plant Simulation software library—and the visualization that simulates the real environment based on computational algorithms were carried out. Virtualization was solved using the Oculus Rift S Headset. The output is a generally applicable procedure for modelling and testing a virtual model with its verification on a case study.

Industry 4.0 will affect the complexity of supply chain networks. It will be necessary to adapt more and more to the customer and respond within a time interval that is willing to accept the product waiting. From these considerations, there is a need for a different way of managing the supply chain. The traditional concept of supply chain as a linear system, which allows optimizing individual subsystems, thus obtaining an optimized supply chain, is not enough. The article deals with the issue of supply chain management reflecting demand behaviour using the methodology Demand Driven MRP system. The aim of the publication is to extend the knowledge base in the area of demand-driven supply logistics in the

Article deals with the optimization of the production chain, namely the optimization of material flow by reducing the costs of transporting products and semi-products in the production process. Selected method was CRAFT, which can be used to determine the optimal relative position of the various elements in the arrangement of whole