This book explains and exemplifies how SMEs can embrace the Smart Production approach and technologies in order to gain a beneficiary outcome. The book describes the Smart Production vision for SMEs, as well as the method to get there. The concept behind the book is based on the long-term experience of the authors in researching and tackling problems of SMEs in the manufacturing sector. The book provides applied methods and obtained solutions in different branches and different sizes of SMEs, encompassing a broad survey of our markets and societies. The perspective is systemic/holistic and integrated including human, organizational, technological, and digital perspectives.
Ole Madsen is Professor at the Department of Materials and Production at Aalborg University, Denmark, where he is Head of the research group on Robotics and Automation. He has more than 25 years of experience in industrial automation. He is Co-founder of the AAU Smart Production laboratory, and he has since 2016 been Laurids Andersen Professor with the focus on bringing Smart Production and Industry 4.0 to SMEs. His research interests include flexible robotics, reconfigurable manufacturing systems, and Industry 4.0.
Ulrich Berger is Full Professor, Chair of Automation Technology at Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany. Since 2016 he is Adjunct Professor Smart Production at Aalborg University. He has technical and scientific expertise in robotics, automation and Industry 4.0. He is the founder and Director of the SME Technology Transfer Center Modern Industry Brandenburg and General Manager of the German SME Competence Center Industry 4.0 Cottbus.
Charles Møller is Full Professor in Enterprise Systems and Process Innovation at the Center for Industrial Production (CIP), Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Denmark. He is researching the interplay between operations and information systems in industry where the perspectives include both technology and management. His current research interest includes ERP/MES systems, IT/OT integration, development of digital supply chains, factories, and smart production. Charles Møller is currently engaged in the Danish platform: Manufacturing Academy of Denmark, (MADE) where he is Primary Investigator in Digital Supply Chains, Smart Factories, and Value Chain Execution and Optimization.
Astrid Heidemann Lassen is Associate Professor in Innovation Management at the Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Denmark. She is Head of Section in Production and Vice Head of Department. Since 2015, she has been Honorary Visiting Professor at the Unit for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Her research focus is, in particular, on the process of developing organizational capabilities for innovation and digital transformation in the context of both established companies and knowledge intensive entrepreneurial ventures.
Brian Vejrum Wæhrens is Professorat the Center for Industrial Production (CIP), Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Denmark. . His current research interests are digital and sustainable transformation of industry, studied as the effective integration of day-to-day operations across a dispersed operations network, and its link with strategic development initiatives within the company and at the supply chain level.
Casper Schou is Assistant Professor at the Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Denmark. His main research areas andexpertise are within smart factories, collaborative robotics, and recently swarm production. Since 2016, he is responsible for operation of the AAU Smart Production Lab and involved in numerous experiments and real-world tests
