The Digital Factory: Innovative Development at Industrial Enterprises

Abstract

The concept of innovative development allows enterprises to introduce new approaches in pursuit of competitive advantage and sustainable development. The concept of the digital factory encompasses the digitization of the whole product life cycle and the development of digital models of the products and production processes so as to improve the enterprise’s global competitiveness. The introduction of this concept at enterprises is a lengthy process and must be completed in stages. In the present research, key elements in the concept of a smart factory are identified, and the basic stages in its introduction are proposed. This schema may be adapted to the specific conditions and needs of the enterprise.