Smart operators: How Industry 4.0 is affecting the worker's performance in manufacturing contexts

The fourth industrial revolution is affecting the workforce at strategical, tactical, and operational levels and it is leading to the development of new careers with precise and specific skills and competence. The implementation of enabling technologies in the industrial context involves new types of interactions between operators and machines, interactions that transform the industrial workforce and have significant implications for the nature of the work. The incoming generation of Smart Operators 4.0 is characterised by intelligent and qualified operators who perform the work with the support of machines, interact with collaborative robots and advanced systems, use technologies such as wearable devices and augmented and virtual reality. The correct interaction between the workforce and the various enabling technologies of the 4.0 paradigm represents a crucial aspect of the success of the smart factory. However, this interaction is affected by the variability of human behaviour and its reliability, which can strongly influence the quality, safety, and productivity standards. For this reason, this paper aims to provide a clear and complete analysis of the different types of smart operators and the impact of 4.0 enabling technologies on the performance of operators, evaluating the stakeholders involved, the type of interaction, the changes required for operators in terms of added and removed work, and the new performance achieved by workers. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

The fourth industrial revolution is creating new careers that require specific skills and capabilities. Smart Operators 4.0 utilize machines, collaborate with robots, and use various technologies to enhance performance. The interaction between the workforce and enabling technologies is crucial for the success of smart factories, but human behavior variability and reliability can impact performance standards.