Cognitive Automation Strategies

The production paradigm of mass customization puts high demand on the production system and the people who works there. This is especially true for final assembly where the number of variants is the richest. To handle this variety, the operator needs the correct information accessible at the right time; the operator wants to know how and when to assemble what part. What is correct information includes the amount of information (content of information), how it is presented (carrier of information) and who is the receiver (specific operator). The strategy for Cognitive Automation will be more and more important for companies within this paradigm. This paper aims to show the use-efficiency of information, both carrier and content, in two industrial case studies. Furthermore how the cognitive automation strategy within a company is connected to the maturity of technology. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V.