There has been a rapid increase in the use of collaborative robots in manufacturing industries within the context of Industry 4.0 and smart factories. The existing human–robot interactions, simulations, and robot programming methods do not fit into these fast-paced technological advances as they are time-consuming, require engineering expertise, waste a lot of time in programming and the interaction is not trivial for non-expert operators. To tackle these challenges, we propose a digital twin (DT) approach for human–robot interactions (HRIs) in hybrid teams in this paper. We achieved this using Industry 4.0 enabling technologies, such as mixed reality, the Internet of Things, collaborative robots, and artificial intelligence. We present a use case scenario of the proposed method using Microsoft Hololens 2 and KUKA IIWA collaborative robot. The obtained results indicated that it is possible to achieve efficient human–robot interactions using these advanced technologies, even with operators who have not been trained in programming. The proposed method has further benefits, such as real-time simulation in natural environments and flexible system integration to incorporate new devices (e.g., robots or software capabilities).

Automating assembly processes in High-Mix, Low Volume (HMLV) manufacturing remains challenging, especially for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Consequently, many companies still rely on a significant amount of manual operations with an overall low degree of automation. The emergence of artificial intelligence-based algorithms offers potential solutions, enabling assembly automation compatible with multiple products and maintaining overall production flexibility. This paper investigates the application of the YOLO (You Only Look Once) object detection algorithm in an HMLV production line within an SME. The performance of the algorithm was tested for different cases, namely, (a) on different products having similar product features, (b) on completely new products, and (c) under different lighting conditions. The algorithm achieved precision and recall greater than 98 $$\%$$ % and mAP50:95 greater than 97 $$\%$$ % .

Collaborative robots or cobots are one of the core technologies of Industry 4.0 as they can collaborate with the workers to perform tasks. This feature of cobots makes them an alternative to conventional industrial robots as they are more flexible, lightweight, and more intuitive. Several industries have started using them in their production line due to the increasing need to move toward incorporating Industry 4.0 technologies. However, its implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is still at an early stage. This chapter focuses on the challenges for SMEs when introducing cobots in their manufacturing line. Understanding these challenges will help the reader in identifying the right applications and approaches for implementing cobots for their manufacturing line. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->

This book provides a comprehensive overview of manufacturing systems, their role in product/process design, and their interconnection with an Industry 4.0 perspective, especially related to design, manufacturing, and operations. Handbook of Manufacturing Systems and Design: An Industry 4.0 Perspective provides the knowledge related to the theories and concepts of Industry 4.0. It focuses on the different types of manufacturing systems in Industry 4.0 along with associated design, and control strategies. It concentrates on the operations in Industry 4.0 with a particular focus on supply chain, logistics, risk management, and reverse engineering perspectives. Offering basic concepts and applications through to advanced topics, the handbook feeds into the goal of being a source of knowledge as well as a vehicle to explore the future possibilities of design, techniques, methods, and operations associated with Industry 4.0. Concepts with practical applications in the form of case studies are added to each chapter to round out the many attributes this handbook offers. This handbook targets students, engineers, managers, designers, and manufacturers, and will assist in their understanding of the core concepts of manufacturing systems in connection with Industry 4.0 and optimize alignment between supply and demand in real time for effective implementation of the design concepts. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->

A revolutionary computer-generated environment called mixed reality (MR) combines the real and virtual worlds. The MR environment can be created using two rapidly developing technologies: augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), with varying degrees of awareness of reality. With the introduction of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) in the manufacturing systems, AR and VR technologies have seen adoption in various stages of the product life cycle. AR can improve the manufacturing tasks such as quality inspection, assembly instructions, maintenance, and safety by enhancing reality with virtual aides. On the other hand, VR can be a beneficial technology for training activities. This chapter mainly focuses on different AR systems and their interaction modalities. Moreover, the chapter also covers system architectures for two different AR systems (handheld devices and head-mounted devices) and validates the architectures with relevant case studies. Finally, a brief description of the VR technology is presented with a relevant case study. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->

Smart manufacturing (SM), by pure definition, is the integration of modern machinery, the internet of things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) into industrial processes, thereby enabling a more efficient and error-free design, manufacturing, and customer delivery of products. Today, every new industrial setup is trying to incorporate the ideas of SM while competing with each other in innovation and customer-product relations, thereby increasing not only productivity but also helps in improving the product every day. Therefore, declaring that SM is the backbone of any progressive nation wouldn’t be an understatement. Moreover, SM is a crucial player in the future of the industrial revolution. With the help of all the cutting-edge technologies, it is hoped to replace traditional products and processes with intelligent and customized products per customer requirements. This chapter summarizes all the key concepts explained in the preceding chapters one by one to present a complete overview of SM for a better understanding of the readers. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->