Systemic and cyber-physical methodology for the implementation of Industry 4.0 in Mexican automotive manufacturing companies

Abstract The transition toward the new technological paradigm in production systems resulting from Industry 4.0 (hereinafter I4.0) pursues, among its main objectives, greater operational efficiency and productivity, a greater scope of automation, customization, and flexibility in production, an increase in man-machine interaction, and the creation of more complex but better-paid jobs and new business models. For this reason, a broad understanding of what constitutes I4.0 today and what can represent the future requires knowledge about the technologies that make it up, as well as different tools that can help to carry out a correct and comprehensive implementation. The relevance of the Mexican automotive manufacturing industry in the national economy, as well as the importance of the I4.0 transition in this sector, is addressed. As a fundamental component of this work, a new methodology with a systemic character, given by the use of the Soft Systems Methodology, and with a cyber-physical character, given by the use of tools such as a Reference Architecture, is presented, and the tools used and its different stages are described. As an added element, an illustrative example is provided of how the application of the proposed methodology would be in an automotive manufacturing company.