IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i10p3651-d175116.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Sustainable Decision-Making Framework for Transitioning to Robotic Welding for Small and Medium Manufacturers

Author

Listed:
  • Kyle Epping

    (School of Integrated Sciences, College of Integrated Science and Engineering, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, USA)

  • Hao Zhang

    (School of Integrated Sciences, College of Integrated Science and Engineering, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22801, USA)

Abstract

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face challenges in implementing industrial robotics in their manufacturing due to limited resources and expertise. There is still good economic potential in using industrial robotics, however, due to manufacturers leaning toward newer technology and automated processes. The research on sustainability decision-making for transitioning a traditional process to a robotic process is limited for SMEs. This study presents a systemic framework for assessing the sustainability of implementing robotic techniques in key processes that would benefit SMEs. The framework identifies several key economic, technical, and managerial decision-making factors during the transition phase. Sustainability assessments, including cost, environmental impact, and social impact, are used in the framework for engineers and managers to evaluate the technical and sustainability trade-offs of the transition. A case study was conducted on a typical US metal fabrication SME focusing on transitioning a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process to a robotic gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process. A sustainability assessment was conducted following the framework. The results suggest that the transition phase involves numerous factors for engineers and managers to consider and the proposed framework will benefit SMEs by providing an analytical method for industrial robotics implementation decision-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Kyle Epping & Hao Zhang, 2018. "A Sustainable Decision-Making Framework for Transitioning to Robotic Welding for Small and Medium Manufacturers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-18, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:10:p:3651-:d:175116
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3651/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3651/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sadok Turki & Nidhal Rezg, 2018. "Impact of the Quality of Returned-Used Products on the Optimal Design of a Manufacturing/Remanufacturing System under Carbon Emissions Constraints," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-21, September.
    2. Tharanga Rajapakshe & Milind Dawande & Chelliah Sriskandarajah, 2011. "Quantifying the Impact of Layout on Productivity: An Analysis from Robotic-Cell Manufacturing," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 59(2), pages 440-454, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jiafu Su & Chi Li & Qingjun Zeng & Jiaquan Yang & Jie Zhang, 2019. "A Green Closed-Loop Supply Chain Coordination Mechanism Based on Third-Party Recycling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Mohamed Ali Kammoun & Sadok Turki & Nidhal Rezg, 2020. "Optimization of Flight Rescheduling Problem under Carbon Tax," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-19, July.
    3. Yunting Feng & Yong Geng & Ge Zhao & Mengya Li, 2022. "Carbon Emission Constraint Policy in an OEM and Outsourcing Remanufacturer Supply Chain with Consumer Preferences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-16, April.
    4. Hallak, Bassam K. & Nasr, Walid W. & Jaber, Mohamad Y., 2021. "Re-ordering policies for inventory systems with recyclable items and stochastic demand – Outsourcing vs. in-house recycling," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    5. Xiaodong Zhu & Lingfei Yu & Wei Li, 2019. "Warranty Period Decision and Coordination in Closed-Loop Supply Chains Considering Remanufacturing and Consumer Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-26, August.
    6. Aymen Aloui & Nadia Hamani & Laurent Delahoche, 2021. "Designing a Resilient and Sustainable Logistics Network under Epidemic Disruptions and Demand Uncertainty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-22, December.
    7. Dexiang Yang & Lei Zhang & Ying Wu & Sidai Guo & Hua Zhang & Lijian Xiao, 2018. "A Sustainability Analysis on Retailer’s Sales Effort in A Closed-Loop Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Letizia Tebaldi & Barbara Bigliardi & Eleonora Bottani, 2018. "Sustainable Supply Chain and Innovation: A Review of the Recent Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-29, October.
    9. Jean-Pierre Kenné & Ali Gharbi & Armel Leonel Kuegoua Takengny & Morad Assid, 2024. "Optimal Control Policy of Unreliable Production Systems Generating Greenhouse Gas Emission," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-21, July.
    10. Ali Gharbi & Jean-Pierre Kenné & Armel Leonel Kuegoua Takengny & Morad Assid, 2024. "Joint Emission-Dependent Optimal Production and Preventive Maintenance Policies of a Deteriorating Manufacturing System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-23, July.
    11. Xiao Zhao & Xuhui Xia & Lei Wang & Guodong Yu, 2018. "Risk-Averse Facility Location for Green Closed-Loop Supply Chain Networks Design under Uncertainty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:10:p:3651-:d:175116. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.