A Conceptual Framework for the Selection of an “Industry 4.0” Application to Enhance the Operators' Safety: The Case of an Aseptic Bottling Line

This paper proposes a conceptual framework to select and implement an “Industry 4.0” application into a manufacturing context, to enhance the safety of employees in carrying out troubleshooting tasks. After an overview of the main “Industry 4.0” applications, a framework for the selection of the best application to enhance the operators' safety has been proposed. A case study in the field of aseptic bottling plant is shown; in this context, the selected technology to enhance operators' safety is an “Augmented Reality” (AR) system. AR systems are effective tools to help users perform tasks and operations, by adding virtual information (such as live-video stream, pictures, or instructions) to the real-world environment. An aseptic bottling line typically involves a wide number of troubleshooting tasks. Not all tasks are dangerous for the operators' safety; therefore, a preliminary selection of the relevant tasks has been made. This selection led to a small set of risky operations, for which AR solutions have been proved to be useful. The development of AR solution on the chosen operations is scheduled for July 2018.