Management and Simulation of Digitalized Smart Manufacturing Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Smart Manufacturing has emerged as a pivotal domain, bridging the gap between traditional production methodologies and the digital revolution. Rooted in the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) foundation and rapidly advancing towards human-centricity with a focus on manufacturing sustainability (I5.0), it is benefiting from the new revolution of Large Language Models (LLMs). This new era is characterized by the innovative integration of information, automation, computation, and networking in manufacturing processes. Key areas of interest include the enhancement of manufacturing intelligence through technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Cyber–Physical Production Systems (CPPS), making the sector more digitized and intelligent. These technologies drive the transformation towards more efficient, responsive, and adaptive manufacturing environments. With these technological advancements, manufacturing systems now have the capability to evolve from static, linear operations to dynamic, modular, and interconnected ecosystems that respond intelligently to varying production demands and challenges.

This Special Issue invites submissions that lay the groundwork for the next generation of digitized and human-centric smart manufacturing systems. The aim is to showcase research that contributes significantly to both the theoretical and practical aspects, bringing forth discussions that could influence both the academic sphere and the industrial sector.

We welcome submissions on a broad range of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Management frameworks and model innovations for smart manufacturing systems.
• Simulation advancements in smart factories.
• Advanced integration of IoT, AI, ML, and Reinforcement Learning within manufacturing, emphasizing sustainability and human-centricity.
• Enhanced Circular Manufacturing: Leveraging Intelligent Reuse, Repurposing, and Remanufacturing Strategies.
• Real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance via digital twin technologies.
• Supply chain and logistics enhancement strategies within smart manufacturing.
• The role of cyber–physical production systems in enhancing human–technology collaboration.
• Human-centric design and operational strategies for smart manufacturing systems.
• Manufacturing system servitization in software and hardware.
• Novel approaches and methods from LLMs for improving human interaction.
• Deep learning and lifelong learning for automating traditionally manual manufacturing tasks.
• Adaptive and reconfigurable strategies for enhancing system resilience and flexibility in smart manufacturing environments.
• New I5.0 competencies to equip the next generation for digital manufacturing.

Dr. Mohammed M. Mabkhot
Dr. Pedro Ferreira
Dr. Dorota Stadnicka
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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.