The industrial revolution has been a catalyst for change in almost every aspect of human life, and quality management is no exception. From Quality Control to Total Quality Management, each industrial revolution has brought about new quality management approaches that have aimed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing industries. However, these approaches have had their limitations, leading to the emergence of a new approach called Quality 4.0.
Quality 4.0 is an emerging quality management concept that emphasizes the integration of operational technology and information technology through digital transformation. It leverages cyber-physical systems to integrate the physical world with the advanced information era, aligning with Industry 4.0 technologies, digitalisation, and big data handling.
This paper aims to explore the theoretical underpinnings of Quality 4.0 by examining its definition, enablers, motivations, readiness factors, and leveraged technologies. The study uses a qualitative approach to analyze 62 articles related to Quality 4.0, which were gathered from scientific databases such as WOS, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Taylor and Francis.
The review investigated the distribution of articles by year of publication, journals, authors' contributions and countries, and provided a broad overview of Quality 4.0's current state and trends. The content analysis of the articles focused on definitions or explanations, models of Quality 4.0, the preparedness influences, challenges, and advantages of embracing the Quality 4.0 approach in quality management for manufacturing industries.
The review found that successful implementation of Quality 4.0 requires the digitalization of processes and integration of various components. The readiness factors highlighted included vision and strategy, collaboration, leadership support, top management support, organization quality culture, financial setup, cultural change, knowledge, training, and awareness of Quality 4.0, standardized framework or roadmap for Quality 4.0 implementation, the government set up in terms of policy, strategy, and plans, high-speed internet, and reliable electricity.
The study also identified the top motivation elements for implementing Quality 4.0 and the technologies that can be leveraged for Quality 4.0 in manufacturing industries, such as big data analytics. The implementation of Quality 4.0 enables real-time data collection, remote monitoring, and increased data visualization, which can improve product quality and efficiency.
Moreover, Quality 4.0 can integrate machines, processes, people, and the entire manufacturing industry with the help of sensors, feedback systems, and digitalization. Autonomous robots can replace human labor and allow for more efficient, effective, and timely work completion. Additionally, ML and AI could integrate reliability analysis and QC to aid predictive maintenance, allowing industrial firms to reduce failures, improve QC, boost productivity, and cut production costs dramatically.
However, there are some limitations to this study, such as the focus on articles published between 2011 and 2021, only articles written in English were considered, and the excluded medical and social-science-related fields. Further research may involve developing a Quality 4.0 framework that can involve a transition and implementation of conceptual aspects.
In conclusion, Quality 4.0 is an emerging quality management approach that has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing industries. It emphasizes the integration of operational technology and information technology through digital transformation, aligning with Industry 4.0 technologies, digitalisation, and big data handling. Successful implementation of Quality 4.0 requires the digitalization of processes and integration of various components, and the readiness factors highlighted included vision and strategy, collaboration, leadership support, top management support, organization quality culture, financial setup, cultural change, knowledge, training, and awareness of Quality 4.0, standardized framework or roadmap for Quality 4.0 implementation, the government set up in terms of policy, strategy, and plans, high-speed internet, and reliable electricity. With the integration of autonomous robots, ML, and AI, Quality 4.0 has the potential to significantly improve product quality, efficiency, and cut production costs dramatically.
Authors
Glogovac, M., Ruso, J., & Maricic, M. (2022). ISO 9004 maturity model for quality in industry 4.0. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 33(5-6), 529-547. https://doi.org/10.1108/TQM-11-2021-0328