The rapid development of new technologies has led to a change in the ways of manufacturing in industrial organizations. As a result of this development, many companies and factories started to look for new forms of organizational structure and the implementation of new technologies in their manufacturing process. In this context, the CAD/CAM/CAE systems play a crucial role in the process of manufacturing and generally in the transition to digital manufacturing, as the basis of a new industrial revolution. This paper presents the application of new technologies in a product life-cycle, namely the application of an advanced CAD/CAM/CAE system to support the organizational lean manufacturing initiative of SMMEs in Kosovo as a means to achieve world-class performance. Two case studies have been completed, one on the advantages of applying the CAD/CAM system in product development and the second by applying traditional manufacturing. A further aim of this present paper is to bring initiatives to the collaborative environment and to bridge the gap between industry and educational institutions.

This paper investigates the state of Green Manufacturing and Environmental Sustainability Manufacturing in Kosovo's SMEs and identifies barriers to implementation within the Small and Medium Enterprises of Kosovo's Manufacturing Industry. The study u...

Recently, there have been done numerous investigations related to lean manufacturing techniques. However, very little has been reported about the implementation and selection of lean manufacturing in the Kosovo manufacturing industry. This article presents the application of lean tools through Kosovo manufacturing industries and the selection of the most useful lean techniques for developing a model for an innovative smart Kosovo enterprise which is our initiative in the process of preparing Kosovo enterprises for the new age of industry—Industry 4.0. After several visits through Kosovo enterprises, the literature review has noticed that there is no investigation in the selection and implementation of lean techniques and tools in Kosovo enterprises. The purpose was to understand how Kosovo manufacturing enterprises use lean techniques and which are the most useful techniques. Analyses have been done based on interviews and questionnaires. Seven basic lean techniques are selected based on the response from the questionnaire and representing basic lean tools for developing a model of a production system regarding Industry 4.0.

Purpose: To enhance enterprise efficiency, this study examines the pivotal role of operations management in optimizing the use of materials, technology, equipment, and personnel, especially within the transformative framework of Industry 4.0.Design/methodology/approach: This article investigates operational preparation in the context of Industry 4.0. Through questionnaires and interviews with stakeholders, problems related to operational preparation were identified. To address these problems, a launching model was developed for production systems. The model considers several parameters important for the production process, including business goals, customer needs, and environmental conditions that impact enterprise performance and profit.Findings: The model determines the importance of jobs to be performed in a certain order to optimize production sequence. The proposed parameters are included in a mathematical-algorithmic launching model based on categorical levels related to the production process, such as profit, delivery times, processing times, total number of technological operations, product types, materials, required quality, product complexity, and resource use. The model was developed based on observations and investigations conducted in Kosovo's enterprises on operations research, and it has the potential to significantly improve production efficiency and profitability in the Industry 4.0 era.Practical implications: The findings of this study have practical implications for operations management within the Industry 4.0 framework, proposing a launching model designed to optimize production processes and enhance efficiency.Originality/value: The originality and value of this research lie in the development of a mathematical-algorithmic launching model that addresses operational preparation in the Industry 4.0 context, taking into account various crucial parameters.