# PDCA 4.0: A New Conceptual Approach for Continuous Improvement in the Industry 4.0 Paradigm
###### Abstract  
Continuous improvement (CI) is a key component of lean manufacturing (LM), which is fundamental for organizations to remain competitive in an ever more challenging market. At present, the new industrial revolution, Industry 4.0 (I4.0), is taking place in the manufacturing and service markets, allowing more intelligent and automated processes to become a reality through innovative technologies. Not much research was found regarding a holistic application of I4.0\({}^{\prime}\)s technological concepts towards CI, which clarifies the potential for improving its effectiveness. This clearly indicates that research is needed regarding this subject. The present publication intends to close this research gap by studying the main 14.0 technological concepts and their possible application towards a typical CI process, establishing the requirements for such an approach. Based on that study, a conceptual approach is proposed (PDCA 4.0), depicting how I4.0 technological concepts should be used for CI enhancement, while aiming to satisfy the identified requirements. By outlining the PDCA 4.0 approach, this paper contributes to increasing the knowledge available regarding the CI realm on how to support the CI shift towards a 14.0 industrial paradigm.  
Industry 4.0; continuous improvement; lean manufacturing +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
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for the CI shifting towards I4.0. Therefore, the present article proposes PDCA 4.0: a new conceptual approach for CI in the I4.0 environment, aiming to cover the knowledge gap found in the literature.  
A thorough literature review was performed to craft a complete and reality-adapted conceptual approach. For the systematization of the review and to organize the conceptual approach, the application of CI was formalized as a project-based activity, with the following eight subsequent actions: CI's documentation management, problem identification, problem mapping, and the problem-solving sequence, with the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle at its core, i.e., diagnosis, root cause analysis, countermeasures, implementation, follow-up, and standardization. To support the build-up of the approach, the work begins with the study of the roots of traditional CI practices in order to understand their purpose and identify their current limitations. Secondly, the design principles of I4.0 were studied and 10 of I4.0's technological concepts were considered for the analysis. Thirdly, conceptual, empirical, and practical approaches to the application of I4.0 technologies on LM/CI tools and methods were studied, and their potential was discussed. This analysis allowed for the identification and characterization of the challenges and limitations of conventional CI practices, based on published literature, which, analyzed together with the potential of the I4.0 concept, allowed for the statement of eleven functional requirements for the implementation of CI/LM in the Industry 4.0 paradigm.  
The article concludes by proposing a new conceptual PDCA 4.0 approach, including how the technological solutions should be used and explaining the mechanisms of interaction and data management (satisfying the identified requirements). By outlining the PDCA 4.0 approach, this paper contributes to increasing the knowledge available regarding the CI realm on how to support the CI shift towards a I4.0 industrial paradigm.