Implementation of Industry 4.0 technology: New opportunities and challenges for maintenance strategy

Industry 4.0 is revolutionizing decision-making processes within the manufacturing industry. Maintenance strategies play a crucial role to improve progressively technical performances and economical savings. The introduction of Industry 4.0 technology results in relevant innovations able to condition maintenance policies. Moreover, innovative solutions can be introduced, such as "remote maintenance" and the "self-maintenance". In this paper, we investigate the state-of-the-art of technologies in a "smart factory" with the aim to understand how Industry 4.0 technologies are affecting maintenance policies and to discuss their implication in strategies. We found important trends in maintenance policies, such as "remote maintenance" and the attractive option of the "autonomous maintenance". This study represents the first comprehensive investigation in these research themes, and it desires to produce a broader insight and knowledge of current trends and main difficulties, highlighting critical aspects and disadvantages for the implementation of innovative policies.