Coordination in cyber-physical production systems: Challenges and perspectives

Abstract

Introduction: The evolution of Industry 4.0 production systems enables the delegation of part of human intelligence to machines, which facilitates the design and management of these intelligent production systems, known as cyber-physical systems (CPS), and enhances their performance. Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role by providing a learning capability based on the analysis of massive data generated by the physical entities of production systems. This allows not only for understanding the system's behavior but also for increasing real-time responsiveness in case of disturbances.

Objectives: The objective of this paper is to map the challenges associated with coordination in intelligent production systems, enabling organizations to better understand, analyze, and address risks and opportunities effectively. The paper focuses on highlighting key issues related to the coordination of physical and cyber entities in Industry 4.0 production systems.

Methods: The study is centered on the analysis of cyber-physical systems by identifying three main aspects:

1. The context in which the production systems operate,


2. The configuration of intelligent production systems,


3. The coordination constraints that require human intervention.

The methodology includes a literature review and a comparative analysis of existing approaches to CPS coordination.

Results: The findings indicate that effective coordination of intelligent production systems in Industry 4.0 depends heavily on an organization’s ability to configure and adapt these systems based on operational constraints and the need for human intervention. The risks and opportunities related to CPS coordination are better identified, which facilitates their management by organizations.

Conclusions: This paper provides a mapping of the coordination challenges in intelligent production systems, offering insights for improving performance while minimizing risks. Organizations can now approach these challenges more effectively by optimizing the collaboration between physical and cyber entities.