Cyber-Physical Systems as Key Element to Industry 4.0: Characteristics, Applications and Related Technologies

This paper aims to review the state-of-the-art in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) as a key element to Industry 4.0 and to provide engineering managers with adequate and sufficient knowledge about CPS, highlighting their characteristics, technologies, capabilities, and applications. A three-stage research method was applied to provide an extensive search and systematic literature review (SLR). We identified, selected, and reviewed 218 publications. The convergences in specific areas in which studies are still needed were detailed. We identified 5 characteristics, 7 capabilities, 17 related technologies, and 11 areas of application. Four application areas remain as an opportunity to be explored in future research, such as environmental sustainability; smart and precision agriculture; smart construction, and social sciences. This article is the first to present a wide-ranging review of CPS and bringing together a significant number of publications. Its originality is focused on detailing and analyzing CPS characteristics, technologies, and multidisciplinary applications allowing engineering professionals and managers to identify which technologies a manufacturing equipment should integrate, as well as the level of development of each of them to achieve its full operation in Industry 4.0 environment. The main limitation of this work is the fact that new features, applications, and technologies will certainly appear soon.

Automated summary

This paper aims to review the latest research progress in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and provide sufficient knowledge about CPS to help engineering managers understand their characteristics, technologies, capabilities, and applications. Through an extensive search and systematic literature review, the authors found specific research areas in CPS that still need further exploration and proposed four application areas for future research. This article is the first comprehensive review of CPS, and it is of great significance for engineering professionals and managers to determine the required technologies for manufacturing equipment and the level of development needed for its full operation in an Industry 4.0 environment.