Industry 4.0 to enhance lean resource efficiency

Abstract: This paper is a practical and empirical investigation into the relationship and overlap between the two industrial paradigms of Lean Management and Industry 4.0. This is accomplished with an in-depth case study of a goods receipt to identify Lean wastes and accompanied by a discussion on how these wastes can be eliminated by enhancing the processes and material flows with Industry 4.0 technologies. It was found that efforts to enhance a process with Industry 4.0 Technologies should be preceded by ensuring that the process can be performed in a standardized manner. After that the study recommends improved methods of data collection which enables the effective implementation of other supporting Industry 4.0 Technologies.