Manufacturing Concepts of the Future – Upcoming Technologies Solving Upcoming Challenges

Abstract

This paper presents an examination of Western European manufacturers' future challenges as can be predicted today. Some of the challenges analyzed in the paper are: globalization, individualism and customization and agility challenges. Hereafter, the paper presents a broad analysis on manufacturing concepts and technologies that are being developed today which may be used to solve manufacturing challenges in the future, such as: (self) reconfigurable manufacturing systems, (focused) flexible manufacturing systems, and AI inspired manufacturing. The paper will try to offer a critical point of view on manufacturing challenges, concepts, and technologies, and is meant to address both academia and industry.