The Role of Virtual Reality Simulation in Manufacturing in Industry 4.0

From the first to the fourth industrial revolutions (4IR) or Industry 4.0 (i4.0), the manufacturing sector has always been at the forefront of innovation and digital technology adoption. However, 4IR or i4.0 comes with diverse and integrated technologies that tend to sweep off all the old orders. This study undertakes a science mapping of research on the role of virtual reality simulation (VRSIM) in manufacturing in the 4IR, which reveals several roles and benefits. The analysis of the conceptual structure of relevant literature highlights the contexts, applications, and relevance of VRSIM in the i4.0 era, including its potent role in predictive modeling and simulation, digital twin and predictive maintenance, additive manufacturing and 3D printing, and virtual manufacturing and immersive virtual digital factory simulation. VRSIM also offers a realistic virtual environment for mapping human–robot collaboration in different manufacturing environments, such as aircraft and automotive assembly lines, evaluating processes, training factory workers on safety, and assessing workers’ ergonomics in digital production and operations. VRSIM in manufacturing offers active research activities, with increasing literature publications and impacts attracting core sources in industrial engineering, manufacturing systems, production and operations, and information technology.