Guest Editors:
Dr. Ilaria Zambon
Department of Agricultural and Forestry scieNcEs (DAFNE)
University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis, SNC, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: territorial planning; renewable energy, GIS technologies
Dr. Gianluca Egidi
SEA Tuscia S.r.l., Via S. Camillo de Lellis
SNC, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
Interests: renewable energy; SME
Dr. Fabiano Rinaldi
Centro Ricerche e Studi dei Laghi - Milano, Italy
Interests: renewable energy, safety and health
Dr. Sirio Cividino
Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Sciences
University of Udine, via delle Scienze 206, 33100 Udine, Italy
Interests: agricultural mechanics and mechanization; renewable energy, safety and health
Short descriptions of the topics considered in the issue:
Industry 4.0 outlines the digital revolution developing comprehensive networking and computerisation of several production areas. Materials, equipment and final products catch processing position and environmental situations through technological sensors, coworking together through fixed software and improving each production process. Thus, firms can professionally manage their production processes, but also offer adapted products inside the same background at the similar cost as automatic manufacturing. Innovative business models are founded on the valuation and employ of crowds of incoming data. For instance, they can be from the distribution of improved maintenance services. Owing to the digital revolution, changes reveal new challenges for firms in every industrial sector. Firms should mature and progress several strategies to achieve advanced opportunities and to develop new processes and business models. Based on these premises, a good political, legal and infrastructural outline is compulsory to let industries to growth during the era of Industry 4.0. Both large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises should develop their business models introducing innovation processes, e.g. information technologies or innovative and accurate tools. Furthermore, firms in Industry 4.0 era must follow a sustainable development, promoting environmental and energy efficiency strategies. The present Special Issue assumes the inclusive goal of developing strategies and competitive network based on Sustainable and Innovative Research to meet the challenge during the era of Industry 4.0. Several targets will be addressed:
(i) to extend Industry 4.0. towards an awareness of different industrial systems towards sustainable development;
(ii) to applicate fourth industrial revolution in every economic sector;
(iii) to identify best practice and strategies that all stakeholders must adopt; and
(iv) to promote energy efficiency and production improvement processes. The role of stakeholders and also policymakers is decisive for refining a appropriate background setting to support a wide-ranging range of firms in Industry 4.0.
(v) others
Giving prominence and transparency to the works carried out, the concluding purpose of this Special Issue is to put out high-quality research contributions, talking innovative advances on systems, processes, technologies and materials for Industry 4.0. Original and high-quality research papers and review articles are essential.