A critical review on applications of artificial intelligence in manufacturing

Abstract

The fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, has brought internet, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) concepts into manufacturing. There is an  immediate need to understand the capabilities of AI and ML and how they can be implemented in manufacturing domains. This article presents a detailed survey of AI algorithms and their use in manufacturing. The article treats casting, forming, machining, welding, additive manufacturing (AM), and supply chain management (SCM) as six manufacturing verticals. The horizontals in each vertical are the descriptions including, the evolution of each process from the mechanization era to the present-day scenario, and developments in the automation of processes by processing signal and image information and applying ML and AI algorithms. The evolution of robotics and cloud-based technologies is also discussed. The critical review gives a realistic view of manufacturing automation and benefits of AI. Further, the article discusses several manufacturing use cases where AI and ML algorithms are deployed. As a future research direction, human-like intelligence is introduced highlighting the necessity of cognitive skills in manufacturing. In a nutshell, a reader can logically explain why, when, and how far AI will define complete manufacturing.