Physical SciencesEngineeringIndustrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Digital Transformation in Industry

Digital transformation in manufacturing refers to the systematic integration of technologies like connected sensors, cloud computing, and real-time data analytics into production environments that have historically relied on physical machinery and human judgment. The goal is to build systems where virtual models of factories—called digital twins—continuously synchronize with their physical counterparts, enabling engineers to predict failures, optimize workflows, and reduce waste before problems reach the shop floor. As global pressure mounts to make industry more energy-efficient and resource-conscious, researchers are actively working out how these tools can support sustainability goals without simply adding layers of complexity that smaller manufacturers cannot absorb. Central open questions include how to assess when a company is genuinely ready to adopt these systems at scale, and how to preserve the efficiency principles of lean production when layering in the overhead of connected, data-intensive infrastructure.

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91,018
Total citations
946,030
Keywords
Digital TwinSmart ManufacturingCyber-Physical SystemsBig DataSustainabilityInternet of Things

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