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Application of Machine Learning in Industry 4.0

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Industrial Technologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1763

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Dipartimento d’Ingegneria e Architettura, Università di Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
Interests: heuristics and metaheuristics; lean management; machine and deep learning; production planning and control; process modeling and optimization; simulation modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
"Enzo Ferrari" Engineering Department, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy
Interests: lean production; industrial logistics; machine learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Industry 4.0 is reshaping the future of manufacturing and industrial processes through a convergence of cutting-edge technologies, including collaborative robotics (Cobots), the Internet of Things (IoT), cyber-physical systems (CPS), big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), additive manufacturing (3D printing), blockchain, edge computing, autonomous vehicles, and 5G connectivity, among others.

As data are becoming increasingly central to modern industrial operations, machine and deep learning algorithms should play a pivotal role by providing invaluable tools for extracting meaningful insights and optimizing complex processes. In this sense, they are poised to revolutionize Industry 4.0 by driving automation, efficiency, and innovation across various sectors. Specifically, the continued advancement and implementation of machine learning in Industry 4.0 should not only enhance operational efficiency, but also pave the way for novel business models and transformative industrial practices, solidifying its pivotal role in shaping the future of manufacturing and production.

Starting from these premises, in this Special Issue, we aim to explore a fundamental research question: "How can machine learning and deep learning empower and optimize the capabilities of these Industry 4.0 factors?". We welcome research papers that provide practical insights and efficient solutions to harness the potential of these advanced technologies for enhanced decision-making, automation, and productivity in industrial settings. Furthermore, while Industry 4.0 lays the foundation for automation and data-driven processes, we also encourage contributions that touch upon the aspect of "human-centricity". This is a nod to the evolving concept of Industry 5.0, emphasizing the importance of human skills, creativity, and collaboration amid technological advancements.

We look forward to receiving your contributions that explore the intersections of machine learning, Industry 4.0, and the evolving landscape of Industry 5.0. Conceptual models, practical implementation, and use cases are all welcome.

A non-exhaustive list of possible topics is as follows:

  • Analysis of large datasets, facilitating predictive maintenance, quality control, and streamlined production;
  • Process and warehouse automation, automated guided vehicles, and decentralized fleet management;
  • Integration of discrete event simulation and machine/deep learning techniques, for process design, control, and optimization;
  • Development of intelligent systems capable of autonomous decision-making, leading to heightened productivity and cost-effectiveness;
  • Amalgamation of machine learning with emerging technologies like the IoT and cloud computing to augment the capacity for real-time data analysis and adaptive manufacturing processes;
  • Creation of agile, responsive industrial ecosystems capable of swiftly adapting to dynamic market demands.

Dr. Francesco Zammori
Dr. Davide Mezzogori
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Industry 4.0, machine learning
  • deep learning
  • reinforcement learning
  • big data analysis
  • discrete event simulation
  • agent-based simulation
  • process automation
  • warehouse automation
  • fleet management
  • agile systems
  • IoT

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 64151 KiB  
Article
A Cobot in the Vineyard: Computer Vision for Smart Chemicals Spraying
by Claudio Tomazzoli, Andrea Ponza, Matteo Cristani, Francesco Olivieri and Simone Scannapieco
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 3777; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14093777 - 28 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1270
Abstract
Precision agriculture (PA) is a management concept that makes use of digital techniques to monitor and optimise agricultural production processes and represents a field of growing economic and social importance. Within this area of knowledge, there is a topic not yet fully explored: [...] Read more.
Precision agriculture (PA) is a management concept that makes use of digital techniques to monitor and optimise agricultural production processes and represents a field of growing economic and social importance. Within this area of knowledge, there is a topic not yet fully explored: outlining a road map towards the definition of an affordable cobot solution (i.e., a low-cost robot able to safely coexist with humans) able to perform automatic chemical treatments. The present study narrows its scope to viticulture technologies, and targets small/medium-sized winemakers and producers, for whom innovative technological advancements in the production chain are often precluded by financial factors. The aim is to detail the realization of such an integrated solution and to discuss the promising results achieved. The results of this study are: (i) The definition of a methodology for integrating a cobot in the process of grape chemicals spraying under the constraints of a low-cost apparatus; (ii) the realization of a proof-of-concept of such a cobotic system; (iii) the experimental analysis of the visual apparatus of this system in an indoor and outdoor controlled environment as well as in the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Machine Learning in Industry 4.0)
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