Exergetic model as a guideline for implementing the smart-factory paradigm in small medium enterprises: The Brovedani case

The development and implementation of the smart factory paradigm seems to be a must almost widespread all over the Western manufacturing companies so far. This article explores the application of exergetic analysis models as a feasible approach to customize such an announced paradigm shift: the implementation criteria as well as the true expected benefits are, in fact, far to be clearly understood or even perceived. An Italian medium enterprise located in the south of Italy operating in the automotive sector is adopted as a test bench. The standard use of exergetic model was adopted to assess and improve the sustainability of the manufacturing processes performed by the company, namely: turning, milling, grinding, plating and dehydrogenation. This thermodynamic view of the processes, on the other hand, represented a guideline to design a smart factory solution, and thus to structure the critical variables and the paths to digitalize processes for the intelligent control of the core production processes. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.