Supporting the lean journey with simulation and optimization in the context of Industry 4.0

The new industrial revolution brings important changes to organizations that will need to adapt their machines, systems and employees’ competences to sustain their business in a highly competitive market. Management philosophies such as lean will also need to adapt to the improvement possibilities that Industry 4.0 brings. This paper presents a review on the role of lean and simulation in the context of Industry 4.0. Additionally, the paper presents a conceptual framework where simulation and optimization will make the lean approach more efficient, speeding up system improvements and reconfiguration, by means of an enhanced decision-making process and supported organizational learning.