Research Article

Computer graphics and visual computing use cases for Industry 4.0 and Operator 4.0

¹ Vicomtech Foundation, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Mikeletegi 57, 20009 San Sebastián, Spain
² Laboratory of CAD CAM CAE, Universidad EAFIT, Cra 49 no 7-sur-50, Medellín 050022, Colombia

^* e-mail: jposada@vicomtech.org

Received: 9 January 2021
Accepted: 10 October 2021

Abstract

In the context of smart manufacturing, the concept of Visual Computing is a key enabling technology for Industry 4.0. Visual Computing and Physically-based simulation enables the implementation of interactive, visual and (in most cases) non-disruptive solutions within the context of (a) the production process (off-line or in-line) the shop floor, (b) the interaction with customers and clients in the whole value chain, and/or (c) the product-service schemas. Technologies such as Industrial Big Data, Human-Robot Collaboration, IIOT & 5G, Cybersecurity, Cyber-Physical Systems, Semantic Technologies, Visual Computing and other related technologies have a strong impact in the new ways smart manufacturing is reconfiguring the production. This article presents a theoretical framework for the incorporation of Visual Computing and Physically-based Simulation technologies to Industry 4.0 and Operator 4.0 scenarios. This framework has been already implemented and supports different smart manufacturing scenarios, already running in many SME. Three practical study case scenarios (already deployed into SMEs) are presented and discussed.