Huma Sikandar, Nohman Khan, Mohammad Falahat, Muhammad Imran Qureshi
The accelerating adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping sustainable product design, yet current research remains fragmented across computational design, multi-objective optimisation, and smart manufacturing. This systematic review addresses this fragmentation by analysing 59 peer-reviewed studies (2010–2025) using PRISMA guidelines, advanced bibliometric mapping, and structural topic modelling to uncover how these domains converge to create superior sustainability outcomes. The study develops the Technology Convergence Framework, a unified theoretical model that integrates Advanced Computational Methods, Multi-Objective Optimisation, and Smart Manufacturing into an interconnected system capable of delivering emergent performance improvements. Findings show that when these domains operate synergistically—supported by mechanisms such as infrastructural maturation, empirical validation feedback loops, and standardisation-driven diffusion—manufacturers achieve 30%–65% gains in energy efficiency, waste reduction, and material optimisation, far exceeding improvements achieved through isolated technological efforts. The framework further incorporates human-AI collaboration principles aligned with Industry 5.0, emphasising the critical role of human judgement, contextual reasoning, and ethical oversight in complementing AI-driven decision systems. By bridging methodological, technological, and operational gaps, this review provides a holistic roadmap for transitioning from fragmented innovation to integrated sustainable product realisation, offering both scholars and industry leaders a coherent foundation for advancing next-generation sustainable manufacturing ecosystems.
{"title":"Generative AI for Sustainable Product Design: A Technology Convergence Framework Integrating Multi-Objective Optimisation and Smart Manufacturing","authors":"Huma Sikandar, Nohman Khan, Mohammad Falahat, Muhammad Imran Qureshi","doi":"10.1049/cim2.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1049/cim2.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The accelerating adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping sustainable product design, yet current research remains fragmented across computational design, multi-objective optimisation, and smart manufacturing. This systematic review addresses this fragmentation by analysing 59 peer-reviewed studies (2010–2025) using PRISMA guidelines, advanced bibliometric mapping, and structural topic modelling to uncover how these domains converge to create superior sustainability outcomes. The study develops the Technology Convergence Framework, a unified theoretical model that integrates Advanced Computational Methods, Multi-Objective Optimisation, and Smart Manufacturing into an interconnected system capable of delivering emergent performance improvements. Findings show that when these domains operate synergistically—supported by mechanisms such as infrastructural maturation, empirical validation feedback loops, and standardisation-driven diffusion—manufacturers achieve 30%–65% gains in energy efficiency, waste reduction, and material optimisation, far exceeding improvements achieved through isolated technological efforts. The framework further incorporates human-AI collaboration principles aligned with Industry 5.0, emphasising the critical role of human judgement, contextual reasoning, and ethical oversight in complementing AI-driven decision systems. By bridging methodological, technological, and operational gaps, this review provides a holistic roadmap for transitioning from fragmented innovation to integrated sustainable product realisation, offering both scholars and industry leaders a coherent foundation for advancing next-generation sustainable manufacturing ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":33286,"journal":{"name":"IET Collaborative Intelligent Manufacturing","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ietresearch.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1049/cim2.70051","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146057869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhuming Bi, Jianning Chi, Wenjun Zhang, Chaomin Luo
The historical development of mechatronics is discussed to identify the challenges in applying existing mechatronic principles to accelerate engineering innovations in the digital era. There are emerging needs in advancing the theory of mechatronics to (1) expand design principles to promote innovations and knowledge transfer, (2) integrate rapidly developed artificial intelligence (AI), human robots interactions (HRIs) and digital technologies to design and operate complex systems and (3) develop systematic approaches to enhance a system's scalability, adaptability and sustainability. Mechatronic systems are characterised in terms of their novelties and innovations, the importance of innovative thinking in mechatronic designs is thoroughly examined and the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ) is incorporated to facilitate mechatronic innovations. Five system engineering (SE) methods are introduced to stimulate innovations at different development phases of mechatronic systems. Finally, project-based mechatronic design (PBMD) is proposed as a methodological framework to integrate these design methods in promoting innovations in a mechatronic design.
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In this paper, we address a stochastic variant of the well-known permutation flowshop scheduling problem, where the processing times of the jobs in the machines are assumed to be random variables. The objective considered is to minimise the expected makespan. This problem is substantially harder than its deterministic counterpart, as—except for a few special cases involving rather restrictive hypotheses—there is no closed formula to obtain the expected makespan of a given solution. Therefore, for most cases, it is necessary to estimate its expected value by sampling and averaging the results across a large number of replications. Furthermore, it has been shown that the number of replications required to obtain a reasonable estimate increases with the variability of the instance. In practice, this imposes extremely high computational costs for evaluating a solution, making it difficult to apply local search methods to instances of realistic size. Our proposal is to embed a machine learning technique (more specifically, gradient boosted trees or GBT) into a GRASP (greedy randomised adaptive search procedure) to compute a probabilistic threshold so it is possible to discard solutions with low probability of improving the actual best solution. The computational experience carried out shows that (1) the GBT is able to provide rather accurate estimates of the expected makespan even with a modest training effort and that its accuracy is not essentially influenced by the variability of the scenario and (2) the proposed procedure is able to produce the same quality of results as using the full sample of each solution, reducing the number of evaluated solutions by roughly 15%.
{"title":"Combining Simulation and Gradient Boosted Trees for the Stochastic Permutation Flowshop Scheduling Problem","authors":"Jose M. Framinan","doi":"10.1049/cim2.70049","DOIUrl":"10.1049/cim2.70049","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this paper, we address a stochastic variant of the well-known permutation flowshop scheduling problem, where the processing times of the jobs in the machines are assumed to be random variables. The objective considered is to minimise the expected makespan. This problem is substantially harder than its deterministic counterpart, as—except for a few special cases involving rather restrictive hypotheses—there is no closed formula to obtain the expected makespan of a given solution. Therefore, for most cases, it is necessary to estimate its expected value by sampling and averaging the results across a large number of replications. Furthermore, it has been shown that the number of replications required to obtain a reasonable estimate increases with the variability of the instance. In practice, this imposes extremely high computational costs for evaluating a solution, making it difficult to apply local search methods to instances of realistic size. Our proposal is to embed a machine learning technique (more specifically, gradient boosted trees or GBT) into a GRASP (greedy randomised adaptive search procedure) to compute a probabilistic threshold so it is possible to discard solutions with low probability of improving the actual best solution. The computational experience carried out shows that (1) the GBT is able to provide rather accurate estimates of the expected makespan even with a modest training effort and that its accuracy is not essentially influenced by the variability of the scenario and (2) the proposed procedure is able to produce the same quality of results as using the full sample of each solution, reducing the number of evaluated solutions by roughly 15%.</p>","PeriodicalId":33286,"journal":{"name":"IET Collaborative Intelligent Manufacturing","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ietresearch.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1049/cim2.70049","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145824692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marcos Vido, Geraldo Neto, Francesco Facchini, Salvatore Digiesi
The fifth industrial revolution, known as Industry 5.0 (I5.0), has a vision for a new, resilient, socio-centred and competitive industry. The new approach provides a vision to enhance human-machine interaction (HMI) and assist operators efficiently. This study investigates the integration of human-centric principles within Industry 5.0, specifically in production engineering, with a central focus on the collaboration between humans and machines. Through an extensive literature review, the research identifies emerging trends and significant gaps in the current body of knowledge, especially regarding the development of intuitive and flexible interfaces, ethical frameworks in automated systems, and the management of cognitive load within manufacturing environments. The findings reveal considerable gaps in understanding the practical application of HMI across various industrial settings, emphasising the need for production technologies that enhance capabilities and advance a sustainable, ethical, and human-centred manufacturing landscape. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on I5.0 by advocating for frameworks that prioritise human-centric values alongside technological innovation.
{"title":"Toward a Human-Centric and Cognitive Integration Paradigm in Industry 5.0: Implications for Production Engineering","authors":"Marcos Vido, Geraldo Neto, Francesco Facchini, Salvatore Digiesi","doi":"10.1049/cim2.70050","DOIUrl":"10.1049/cim2.70050","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The fifth industrial revolution, known as Industry 5.0 (I5.0), has a vision for a new, resilient, socio-centred and competitive industry. The new approach provides a vision to enhance human-machine interaction (HMI) and assist operators efficiently. This study investigates the integration of human-centric principles within Industry 5.0, specifically in production engineering, with a central focus on the collaboration between humans and machines. Through an extensive literature review, the research identifies emerging trends and significant gaps in the current body of knowledge, especially regarding the development of intuitive and flexible interfaces, ethical frameworks in automated systems, and the management of cognitive load within manufacturing environments. The findings reveal considerable gaps in understanding the practical application of HMI across various industrial settings, emphasising the need for production technologies that enhance capabilities and advance a sustainable, ethical, and human-centred manufacturing landscape. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on I5.0 by advocating for frameworks that prioritise human-centric values alongside technological innovation.</p>","PeriodicalId":33286,"journal":{"name":"IET Collaborative Intelligent Manufacturing","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://ietresearch.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1049/cim2.70050","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145686290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The cover image is based on the article A Novel DQN-Based Hybrid Algorithm for Integrated Scheduling and Machine Maintenance in Dynamic Flexible Job Shops by Wenchao Yi et al., https://doi.org/10.1049/cim2.70028.